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Team orders not at all a topic of discussion at Ferrari, says Mekies

Team orders not at all a topic of discussion at Ferrari, says Mekies

13-08-2022 11:53 Last update: 12:01
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GPblog.com

At Ferrari, the first half of the season has seen some controversy over team orders. The management of the Italian team has always spoken out loud not to favour one driver over the other, but still we saw some remarkable moments on track. And shouldn't Ferrari have put all their balls on Charles Leclerc when he was so far ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz?

After several Grands Prix it appeared to be the talk of the day, but at Ferrari itself they are not so busy with it. Laurent Mekies finds it remarkable that the outside world talks so much about this subject, because internally it is not a theme at all in Maranello.

"You are right when you say that it is discussed more outside than inside Ferrari," said the Italian chief, who went on to say that Ferrari has always been very clear in saying that the goal is to get the best result for the team. Ferrari comes first, Mekies stressed in an interview with Motorsport.com.

A number one at Ferrari?

The current number two in the Constructors' Championship, however, also knows that choices have to be made as the season progresses. Mekies acknowledges that in the second half of the season there will come a moment, if the position in the championship requires it, when a driver can be given preference. Ferrari says they will anticipate this in time.

Possibly that moment will come soon for Ferrari. Max Verstappen is eighty points ahead of Charles Leclerc in the world championship. The difference between Leclerc and Sainz is manageable with 22 points, but in order to close the gap to Verstappen Ferrari cannot afford for Leclerc and Sainz to win as much. With nine Grands Prix to go, the season is too short for that.