• McLaren news

Button speaks out against team orders

ESPNF1 Staff
July 26, 2010 « Schumacher sympathises with Ferrari | »
Jenson Button would have gone faster in Felipe Massa's situation © Getty Images
Enlarge

Jenson Button has spoken out against team orders being used in F1, after Ferrari implemented them to allow Fernando Alonso to beat Felipe Massa at the German Grand Prix.

At Hockenheim Massa was told by his race engineer that his team-mate was faster and then asked if he understood. Soon after Massa moved out of the way and let Alonso pass, prompting the stewards to fine Ferrarifor issuing a team order and bringing the sport into disrepute.

"Personally I think team orders in Formula One are wrong, in any motor sport category, although sometimes they are inevitable," Button said. "We all want to win, and I know that every team wants to win, both the constructors' and drivers' championships. But they have to give both their drivers the same opportunity to do so. This was very early in the season. How early is it going to start in the future?"

Button said that if he had been given the same message he would have acted quite differently.

"If I was told my team-mate is faster, I would think my team-mate is faster, so I would keep driving and hope he doesn't overtake me," Button added.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
ESPN Staff Close