Sunday, October 26, 2008

Di Montezemolo seeks team orders change

Di Montezemolo seeks team orders change

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo wants to speak with FIA president Max Mosley about changing the sport's rules on team orders.

After the furore caused by Ferrari switching Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello on the final lap of the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, team orders that influence the outcome of a race were outlawed by the sport's governing body.

The rule has been accepted for some time and caused little controversy since. However, the fact that Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa's understandable decision to swap places in China was cause for post-race discussion, questions have again been raised about whether the rule needs a tweak to prevent teams being put in awkward positions.

And di Montezemolo has said that he will bring the matter up with Mosley when they next meet.

"I'll talk about it with Mosley, we need to get rid of this hypocrisy," di Montezemolo told Gazzetta dello Sport. "The important thing is not to damage others. Besides that, team work, in a team sport, is one of the best things. Think of a cyclist leading the sprint for another."

Di Montezemolo also acknowledges that there has perhaps been too many stewards' decisions affecting races this year - although thinks in part matters are not helped by the kinds of circuits being raced on.

"Perhaps they've been a bit too picky, but I agree with them, otherwise the grands prix become a mess," he explained. "But the problem is the new circuits - they don't allow for the spectacle. It's enough with one Monaco."



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