06/04/2013
NEWS STORY
Mercedes Team Principal Ross Brawn admits to being uneasy with team orders and having been uncomfortable when telling Nico Rosberg to hold station in Malaysia.
Whilst Sebastian Vettel essentially said "bugger it" when ordered not to be silly and run behind his teammate in Sepang, at Mercedes Nico Rosberg did what he was told, though he subsequently warned his team that he would remember what had happened, effectively saying that he would want the favour returned at some stage.
As the world waits to see how the Red Bull saga might unfold in China and beyond, Brawn, who guided Michael Schumacher to all seven of his titles, has admitted that he is uncomfortable with team orders.
"I didn't like having to give the orders I gave in Malaysia," he told Sky Sports F1, "it's not in my sporting nature and I think the team have demonstrated many times in the past that we are very happy to let our drivers race each other.
"From a technical perspective, we would have looked extremely foolish if we'd run both cars out of fuel," he added.
As uncomfortable as Brawn might have felt, it was (seemingly) nothing compared to the unease felt by Lewis Hamilton who publicly admitted that Rosberg should have been allowed through, a sentiment echoed by non-executive chairman Niki Lauda.
However, Brawn insists that it was only he who had the complete picture in front of him, only he who was aware that the team might walk away with nothing.
"I had to make a decision on the pit wall. Niki or Toto might not agree with it but I had all the facts, all the information," said the Englishman. "I had what I feel was all the information needed to make that decision and they didn't. I think they both recognised after the event that it was the right decision. I am clear to make the decisions that I need to make.
"Somebody has to make those decisions," he added. "What you can't do is have those decisions made by a group or a committee. There's no time."
Referring to Hamilton and a day on which the Brackley outfit scored its biggest points haul since Mercedes purchased it in 2010, Brawn said: "Of course Lewis wants to race, in the contractual negotiations we had with Lewis, never was the issue of who was number one or two ever mentioned from his side. All he wants is parity.
"He wants the same equipment, the same opportunity and that's great that he's got that confidence and approach that he doesn't want favouritism. I think that's why Lewis felt a little bit awkward about the situation."