Team Orders Ban Lifted

[scotty86]

From autosport.com:

The ban on team orders in Formula 1 will be dropped from next season, the FIA announced following its World Motor Sport Council meeting on Friday.

A number of changes were confirmed in the sporting regulations from 2011, and the governing body said the "article forbidding team orders (39.1) is deleted."

The FIA said, however, that there would still be a rule to allow it to punish teams if it considers they had brought the sport into disrepute with their actions.

"Teams will be reminded that any actions liable to bring the sport into disrepute are dealt with under Article 151c of the International Sporting Code and any other relevant provisions," it said.

A team orders row erupted following this year's German Grand Prix, where the Ferrari team asked Felipe Massa to give way to Fernando Alonso to win the race.

Ferrari was fined $100,000 for its actions, although no further punishment was imposed, with the FIA vowing to clarify team orders rules.

The FIA also said on Friday that all team radio communications will be made available to broadcasters from the 2012 season.

So, it seems one grey area has simply been replaced with another much larger and more subjective one (bringing the sport into disrepute).

[wesley123]

seriously they should stop formula 1 right now, the whole sport became one ridiculous joke where nothing is allowed at all, and the things that actually are good rules are used as a joke and unbanned.

This is simply ridiculous and we pets are treated like we are a bunch of dogs.

[Gerhard Berger]

The team orders ban did very little in the first place. Teams still used team orders, but in the form of coded messages instead. We will have greater transparency now. Hopefully the teams are smart enough to know when and when not to use them.

[gridwalker]

"Bringing the sport into disrepute" = "If the fans don't like it, we can slap you with whatever sanctions we see fit"

I never realised that Bernie had sold F1 to Vince McMahon ...

[Intego]

With good will I read: "Team orders are allowed, an odd slowly driving team mate holding up the persecutors is not."
If that, I like it.

[flattyre]

I think Intengo's got it. I think they're just backing themselves up when they talk about "bringing the sport into disrepute". As team orders are now allowed, it shouldn't be bringing the sport into disrepute if they allow a teammate through. I think they're referring more to instances like Jerez 1997, where Ferrari allegedly ordered Sauber (Ferrari supplied Sauber's engines) to block Villeneuve to allow Schumacher to win the championship.

[Pandamasque]

The "bringing the sport into disrepute" rule has been around for some time. They just excluded the one about team orders. Amen.

[Formula None]

...any actions liable to bring the sport into disrepute...

Wow, the FIA will begin fining itself? How progressive.

[strad]

Gotta agree with Wesley and Scotty...
Gridwalker...F1 has been the road going form of WWF for some time now.
Bernie has said, it's all about the show. Which leaves unsaid it's not about the racing.
They sell the circus and the glamour not the racing...If not do you think anyone on this board would be arguing about whether the proposed new engines will sound cool enough. HAHAHAHAHA...What a Joke.

[Dragonfly]

Good. I have always defended the idea that teams should have more freedom. Even the freedom to choose whether to become a laughing stock and devalue their victories or fight in a sporting manner until at least one of their drivers loses even the theoretical possibility to beat his teammate or win a title.

[ajdavison2]

Personally I think it's a disgrace that team orders are allowed now. Fans don't want to see artificial results and races. If a team mate can't overtake then that's his and the teams problems. Obviously I am aware that it is not this black and white and weather or not they are permitted, team orders will happen, but still I think it makes a mockery of F1. And I also believe it will cause massive upset in the teams with both drivers wanting to be prioritised, I think this could lead to more situations like what happened in Turket with the RBR drivers.

[autogyro]

I wonder if it had not been Ferrari, if the result would have been the same?

[wrcsti]

Im sure they were using team orders all these years. For example they could tell webber that hes low on fuel and save fuel to let vettel pass and win (hypothetical scenario). Now they can just straight out say let vettel pass you.

[Tomba]

[...]

[Tomba]

From Pitpass

The re-introduction of intermediate tyres for 2011

What, exactly, does this mean? A third wet tire? Three choices per race? Five different compounds Pirelli can choose to bring to any race?