Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes motorsport, was absolutely livid on Sunday night, and seemed at the end of his tether with his “brainless” drivers.Team orders would be a PR disaster in front 140,000 British fans, reminiscent of the worst days of Ferrari in the early 2000s, which is likely to be why other more extreme alternatives are being considered.
The decision will be taken in the coming days, principally by Wolff along with Niki Lauda, the three-time champion and Mercedes chairman, and Paddy Lowe, the technical boss. Dieter Zetsche, the chairman of Mercedes, will be kept in the loop but is expected to leave the decision itself to Wolff.
Hamilton was at pains not to put himself at odds with the team as he left Spielberg, but he will use all his powers of persuasion to try to stop Mercedes implementing team orders, something which is at odds with everything he stands for as a racing driver.
He is likely to feel especially aggrieved given the overwhelming consensus, and the verdict of the stewards, that Rosberg was the guilty party in their last-lap crash in Austria last Sunday, one which gave Hamilton victory.
“I didn’t come into this to be in that situation [team orders], so I will pray and hope that’s not the situation,” the three-time champion said. “Firstly for myself because that would take the joy out of racing and second for the fans because it will rob the fans of what they pay so much for.”
Many believe Hamilton would ignore team orders if they were imposed in the British Grand Prix on Sunday, including Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion.
But Hamilton was by no means categorical. While the 31-year-old said Mercedes employed him to race – on a deal worth £100 million over three years – he also indicated he would listen should the order come. There will be a clause in his contract which states he cannot go directly against the wishes of the team, but drivers have ignored direct orders before, most memorably Sebastian Vettel in Malaysia three years ago.
Hamilton added: “I’ve been in that position before [team orders] and it goes against all my racing values and rules and the foundation of what racing is about. But ultimately I race for this team and I do want the best for the team. I’m the three-time world champion and my job is to do what they say.
“I feel like I have the right to say my opinion regardless of the boss. You can talk to anyone on that level with respect so I would tell them, just like I’m talking to you, I would have an opinion that needs discussion whether that’s with Dieter [Zetsche, the chairman of Mercedes] or they could have that respect.”
Hamilton was critical of Wolff’s description of the incident as “brainless”, without the Austrian explicitly blaming one driver. The Englishman felt it was important the team projected themselves properly to their 1,300 employees back in Northamptonshire and the wider world.
Should Mercedes introduce team orders, against their policy of the last three years, Hamilton would have no choice but to qualify on pole position and make sure he gets away in the lead, unless he ignored the instruction. At least now after the result in Austria the gap in the drivers’ championship is back down to just 11 points.
CRASHES:
Spain: Hamilton and Rosberg failed to even make it through four corners before they took each other out of in Barcelona. Rosberg defended aggressively, forcing his team-mate onto the grass. Hamilton lost control, hitting Rosberg and sending both out of the race. Verdict: too close to call
Canada: Heading into turn one, Hamilton and Rosberg were side by side. The German took the riskier move, heading for the outside, and Hamilton slid into his team-mate, banging wheels. Rosberg fell down the field. Verdict: racing incident
Austria: They made it to the final lap but heading towards turn two, Rosberg barely attempted turn in, spearing into the side of his team-mate. Hamilton won the race while Rosberg limped home fourth. The stewards punished the German. Verdict: 100 per cent Rosberg