Did Lotus give team orders to Grosjean in Bahrain?
30 April, 2012
Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen battle wheel-to-wheel in Bahrain
Apr.30 (GMM) Lotus driver Romain Grosjean was apparently given team orders’ by his team during the recent Bahrain Grand Prix, despite the team insisting that no such instruction was given during the course of the race.
Lotus team celebrate after the race at Sakhir
The Finnish broadcaster MTV3 reports that the Frenchman was told that his teammate “Kimi (Raikkonen) is faster than you”.
“Do not hold him up,” the radio message reportedly ended.
In 2010, when team orders were still illegal, Felipe Massa was famously told “Fernando (Alonso) is faster than you” shortly before the Brazilian gave up the lead of the race to Alonso.
Ferrari was fined $100,000.
Today, team orders are allowed, but Lotus denied it instructed Grosjean to let 2007 world champion Raikkonen pass before the Finn finished second in Bahrain.
“We don’t want to play team orders,” Lotus team principal Eric Boullier insisted in Bahrain, “so we let them race normally and what happened, happened.”
Subbed by AJN.
Related posts:
- No team orders as Lotus allows Raikkonen and Grosjean to duel
- Grosjean: Bahrain is going to be even better
- Sweet and sour day for Lotus as Grosjean scores but Raikkonen bombs
- Lotus set fourth place target for Raikkonen led team
- Grosjean expects full season with Lotus
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This is just journalism – Kimi would have beaten grosjean anyway, but this way he could have fought for the win. This is ok.
Alonso’s blow in Germany was much worse, typical Ferrari fashion. Alonso would have never been able to fight for the championship without that.
Alonso = to weak to win a championshp from by his own performance
so theres no hype about lotus but lots of people calling for ferrari’s head?
I’ve always thought it was a mistake to keep Kimi behind Roman. Roman would have finished 3rd anyhow, maybe with Vettel 2nd. Kimi had about 8 laps where he was probably 1.5 seconds per lap faster than Grosjean, yet Grosjean let him through once Kimi’s tyres were pretty much worn out. It was so obvious Kimi was faster. They say that they are happy with 2nd and 3rd but seriously? A race win would have been fabulous for the team.
no matter how they deny it and phrase it it is still team orders. ban it or legalize it it is made for the benefit of the number one driver in the team.