Zee Media Bureau/Jayanta OinamNew Delhi: Red Bull Racing boss, Christian Horner sympathises with Lewis Hamilton over the Briton`s ignoring of Mercedes team order during the recent Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hamilton admitted that he was “shocked” to be asked to move over for his team-mate Nico Rosberg as they duelled over third place at the Hungaroring circuit. After the Hungarian GP, Rosberg at 202 points is leading Hamilton by 11 points, and they are in a direct fight for the Drivers` Championship title.
Horner, who helped RBR to multiple championships, said that "Inevitably it is very difficult, because you have the objective of the team and the objectives of the drivers."
"You can understand Lewis. He is fighting Nico and if he lets him run his fastest strategy, it puts himself under pressure... so it is entirely understandable from Lewis` point of view to say `not today thanks`,” added the 40-year-old team principal of RBR.
Justifying his stand, Horner added that “they (Mercedes) have let the guys race openly this year, so it is strange when they are racing again to let one run their fastest strategy."
Having seen his share of row over team orders last season when Sebatian Vettel denied Mark Webber at the Malaysian GP, the former race car driver admitted that “the interesting thing at Mercedes this year is that because they have such an advantage they have let their drivers race, and they are not under threat in the constructors` championship.”
Despite winning the last four titles in both the Drivers` and Constructors` championships, RBR are sitting at a distant second behind Silver Arrows with a gap of 174 points in the team fight, while their drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel are at third and seventh positions respectively.
First Published: Thursday, July 31, 2014, 12:44
