09/06/2017
NEWS STORY
Though he refused to talk plans for 2018 and driver contracts, preferring to focus fully on the job in hand, the 2017 titles, Maurizio Arrivabene was willing to address the subject of team orders in Montreal today.
After weeks of the British media hounding Mercedes to throw all its efforts behind Lewis Hamilton, there was outrage when pole-man Kimi Raikkonen lost out to teammate Sebastian Vettel in Monaco.
Claiming that Ferrari had used team orders to allow the German to win, Hamilton too joined in the chorus of disapproval claiming that clearly the Italian team had made its choice.
Speaking at today's press conference, Arrivabene admitted that the media claims that followed Monaco left him amused.
"I was reading after Monaco and hearing all the speculation about number one and number two," he told reporters, "I always said that the situation is that we are looking forward in the championship to do our best for the Constructors' Championship.
"If you do well in the Constructors' Championship, you need two drivers," he continued, "and this is better at the moment for Ferrari. It is the only trophy that if you win, it stays at home. The drivers' trophy goes to the drivers... of course.
"I was very clear since the beginning of the season that until the numbers are going in one direction or the other direction in the championship, there will be no team orders," he insisted. "I am very, very clear. The drivers know all about this, they accept it.
"I think, what has happened in Monaco, I was a bit laughing when I heard the stories," he admitted. "It is not the reality. We are looking for the Constructors' Championship, but in the Drivers' Championship they are free to do it until the numbers are clear in one direction or the other."