Formula 1 - Free Racing

[ChillDoubt]

Well, that's how it looks to me:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/22106490

Right or wrong, Vettel has hopefully lit the blue touch paper for the rest of the season. Once they're on the track, if they want to duke it out there's no way Horner can stop them, really.
There should never have been team orders anyway, certainly not in the first half of the season.
Let battle re-commence!

[DTCwordfan]

Should be fun in Shanghai if they get close to each other....

[snags]

If the same scenario occurs again, you can be sure Webber won't be turning his engine down even if instructed to. I'd like to see them side by side going in to Spa's Eu Rouge or Suzuka's 130R.

[New Judge]

Strangely team orders were illegal until 2010. In a race that season Ferrari driver Felipe Massa was told over the radio, when leading the race, "Fernando [Alonso] is faster than you" (Code for "Move over and let our No.1 driver through).

There was a stewards' enquiry, Ferrari were fine a couple of hundred thousand dollars and at the end of the season team orders were made legal.

Bernie Ecclestone said at that time "Of course there have always been team orders. It's a team sport". Following the debacle three weeks ago Mr Ecclestone was heard to say "Team orders should not be allowed. Fans want to see a race!"

Team orders have always been an issue in F1 and there will always be problems so long as there is a drivers' as well as a constructors' championship. My view is that they should be permitted but Christian Horner's authority at Red Bull is now badly compromised, especially following Vettel's comments today.