TotalF1 Jens 0 Report post Posted May 15, 2002 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix: Michael Schumacher leads but slows to let teammate Eddie Irvine, who has a shot at the title, win. 1999 German Grand Prix: With Schumacher out of action with a broken leg, Ferrari drafts in Mika Salo and then orders him to let title contender Irvine take the win. 1998 Australian Grand Prix: As mention above, Coulthard is asked to let Hakkinen win following a pre-race agreement that the first driver into the first turn would take the victory. Hakkinen was first but a bungled radio communication called him into the pits and dropped him to second. 1997 European Grand Prix: McLaren director Ron Dennis asks Coulthard to let Hakkinen score his first ever and morale boosting F1 win. 1991 Japanese Grand Prix: Following a suggestion from Ron Dennis, Ayrton Senna gifts a win to McLaren teammate Gerhard Berger in thanks for all of Berger's support during Senna's championship winning season. 1982 San Marino Grand Prix: Ferrari teammates Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi agree that the driver leading in the closing stages will win the race. Pironi breaks the agreement and passes Villeneuve for the victory. 1981 Brazilian Grand Prix: Team Williams hangs out a pit board telling Carlos Reutemann to let teammate Alan Jones win. Reutemann refuses, wins race and at the end of the season loses the World Championship to Nelson Piquet by one point. 1964 Mexican Grand Prix: Lorenzo Bandini hands second place to Ferrari teammate John Surtees in the season finale, and that allows Surtees to win the title by one point over Graham Hill. 1958 Morocco Grand Prix: Phil Hill lets Ferrari teammate Mike Hawthorn into second place in season finale. Hawthorn wins title by one point from Stirling Moss. Source: http://espn.go.com/rpm/f1/2002/0514/1382305.html The one I REALLY hate from those is the German GP in 1999 when Mika Salo had to give way to Eddie Irvine, and Irvine didn't even win the championship. He could have, if he hadn't given away those points to Schumi earlier in the season... But then, Salo was just a temporary driver and he knew that it was what he had to do. That though was different and nothing wrong with it because the championship was a lot closer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nichosnz 0 Report post Posted May 15, 2002 Thats not even close to being all of them either, just some of the highlights. 1979 is not mentioned at all, didn't Gilles gift points to Scheckter that year, by holding station when he was running faster. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TotalF1 Jens 0 Report post Posted May 15, 2002 Yea I read so too. I just cut and paste that article as it was a good example. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nichosnz 0 Report post Posted May 15, 2002 Yes it is a good example isn't it. But about Malaysia it state MS slowed to let EI past, that is an understatement. MS was so dominant in that race that he let EI pass 3 times. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sato 0 Report post Posted May 16, 2002 even my team has done it before in 1998 at spa Damon Hill and Ralf. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eff1 0 Report post Posted May 17, 2002 No one disputes that team orders have been around since F1 began. In this instance however, they were not necessary. The car is so good, and the point spread is such, that any order of 1-2 finish achieves the desired result in both championships. Ferrari created an unneccessary PR disaster. Serves 'em right. Maybe Mike is scared of Rubens new found turn of speed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jagman 0 Report post Posted May 17, 2002 True Team orders have been in F1 for ever, but I think Austria was a wake up call that us, the fans wont tolerate them anymore, especially when overtaking has been taken away from us too. We want clean honest racing. Imagine if I was running two horses in the grand national and I ordered one jockey to slow down if he was leading to let the other win... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nichosnz 0 Report post Posted May 17, 2002 Yes I suppose that is the real reason isn't it, as jagman stated our tolerance. Even the Jordan situation which was a quite fair example considering Ralf's raggedness at the time (better that in 1997, but not yet under control), RS taking both Jordans out was a real possability. Yet fans were complaining that they were not allowed to "race", not to the level we have seen this week though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TotalF1 Jens 0 Report post Posted May 18, 2002 We didn't like the Austria incident because it was so early in the season and Michael has not challenger as of yet. He could have won all the races so far if Montoya and him hadn't touched in Malaysia. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nichosnz 0 Report post Posted May 18, 2002 Yes it is early in the season and MS doesn't have any challenger, but I also honestly believe our tolerance has gone down also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TotalF1 Jens 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2002 Especially with the lack of REAL overtaking. You know when I really got down to following F1 in 98 it was a lot more interesting... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nichosnz 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2002 Is that because the Mac's were winning and not as dominant as the Ferraris of 2001 and 2002. But seriously I think to an impartial observer 1998 probably was, but there wasn't much overtaking then either, in fact I think there was less, but most of the increase in overtaking lately has been in the midfield. So if overtaking is the main reason to watch F1 then the one engine rule is a god-send. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TotalF1 Jens 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2002 1998 was interesting because the championship was closer. In 1999 sure there was Eddie but you just knew Mika would take it. 2000 was great too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nichosnz 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2002 In all the 3 seasons you mentioned the champion didn't hold the lead for the entire season, and in addition neither in 1997. But the 2 years surrounding this time he did Hill lead the points table after every race in 1996 likewise Schumacher in 2001. Possibaly a good indicator of a close season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites