SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND // Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will be free to race for the remainder of the Formula One season, Mercedes-GP have said in a statement.
Hamilton and Rosberg, who crashed on the final lap of the Austrian Grand Prix, were hauled in front of Mercedes executives Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe at the team’s Brackley headquarters for crisis talks yesterday.
A furious Wolff had threatened to impose team orders following their third collision in five races, but Rosberg and Hamilton, who the German leads by 11 points heading into Sunday’s British Grand Prix, are now set to continue their battle on the track.
Mercedes did stress, however, that team orders could still be used as a “last resort”.
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In a statement issued on the eve of the 10th round of the championship, Mercedes, who lead both the drivers and team championships, said: “Our drivers were informed that they remain free to race for the world championship. We believe this is the essence of Formula One, including between teammates.
“As passionate racers, we want to see them racing, and so do the fans of Formula One.
“However, this freedom comes with a duty for our drivers to respect the values of the team. In the past five races, there have been three incidents which have cost us over 50 points in the constructors’ championship.
“We have therefore strengthened our rules of engagement to include much greater deterrents to contact between our cars. With these in place, we will trust our drivers to manage the situation between them on track. Their destiny is in their own hands.
“If the drivers do not honour the revised rules of engagement, we may impose team orders as a solution of last resort.”
With nearly 140,000 fans expected on Sunday – the majority of whom will be here to cheer on home favourite Hamilton – the decision to introduce team orders will have been viewed as a public relations blow for Formula One’s all-conquering team.
Mercedes refused to elaborate on what the “greater deterrents” now in place were.
Earlier this week, Hamilton pleaded with the Mercedes hierarchy not to “rob” the British fans who have paid good money for a ticket by issuing team orders.
“It goes against all of your racing values, rules and the foundation of what racing is about,” Hamilton said.
“I didn’t come into this sport to be in that situation, so I will pray and hope that that’s not the case.
“Firstly, for myself because that would take the joy of racing out, and secondly for the fans because that will rob them of what they pay so much money for.
“They save up all year to go to the British Grand Prix. Team orders are not something that should deprive them of their excitement.”
Just three days after his dramatic win in Austria, Hamilton will aim to complete a home hat-trick with a fourth Silverstone victory, after wins in 2008, 2014 and 2015, to go top in this year’s title race.
Only Briton Jim Clark and Frenchman Alain Prost (both five-time winners) and Briton Nigel Mansell (four) have won more British Grands Prix at Silverstone than Hamilton.
Rosberg leads the championship with 153 points, 11 ahead of Hamilton on 142, but both know that Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, on 96, represent a serious threat to their hopes.
Ferrari have won only twice at Silverstone in 11 years since 2004, Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso triumphing in 2007 and 2011 respectively, and are under pressure to register a first triumph in 2016.
Red Bull are also expected to be strong contenders on home soil together with Force India, whose headquarters are only 100 metres from the circuit’s main entrance, and Williams.
But the focus will be on Mercedes as their period of strife continues.
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