Webber backs rivals Ferrari in team orders row

[steelstallions]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...3rZQPCAaw93I6w

Australian Mark Webber has said Ferrari were right to initiate team orders during the German Grand Prix and that Fernando Alonso fully deserved to win the race.

Ferrari driver Felipe Massa handed the Hockenheim victory to teammate Alonso after being told over the team radio that the Spaniard was the quicker driver.

Ferrari have since been fined 100,000 dollars for breaking the rules banning team orders, and the matter will be brought before the FIA's World Motor Sports Council

But Red Bull driver Webber believes that Massa, who had led for the majority of the race, was given every chance to win.

"They gave Felipe a good opportunity to win the grand prix as well," said Webber ahead of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix.

"They gave him the chance to win the race up to the point where he couldn't pull away from Fernando.

"Obviously they had a decision in the team where the fastest guy in the team wins the race. The fastest guy on that day won the race.

"I still believe Massa has a chance to win this race here - a real chance to win. If he is fast enough to disappear, he will win the race. That was the opportunity he also had at Hockenheim.

"His first stint at Hockenheim was incredible, a very good first stint. The second stint obviously just wasn't quite fast enough to avoid the positions being moved around because they wanted the faster guy to win the grand prix."

Webber added that team orders are commonplace and would rather see teams implementing them openly rather than slow pitstops or pre-arranged overtakes.

"Very, very, very difficult to control team orders. They've been happening for 40 years in the sport and they'll happen in the future," he said.

"Obviously for the fans, you can understand it was a different thing, but it's happened so many times since 2002. For the victory it's a different thing, but the people who think it's the first time it's happened are absolutely dreaming. It's not the only time."

"That's the way it is. If you have a two-car team, three-car team, four-car team, there's always going to be certain situations at certain tracks and certain points in championships where one car is going to need to be in a definite position and the team can influence that - so they will.

"It's better than doing a deliberate bad pitstop, or whatever. You can do so many things to make it hard, so to try and have a rule which says that you cannot manipulate or have a team order in a grand prix is virtually impossible.

"I could agree something tonight between you and me in the hotel and it would be done.

"Much better to do something like this than something that's hidden from everyone. In this case, this team got the maximum result."

Well he just went up in my estimations. No bull about no teams doing it and no hypocrisy.

[Ste]

Yea Mark is spot on with everything he said.

[Alonsomaniac]

Like most Australians Mark Webber is quite straightforward in his opinions.

[Tifosi]

I like the fact that it goes against his Boss's public stance too. Quite straightforward yet cunningly antagonistic

[Alonsomaniac]

Webber doesn't care about what Horner says about it , Mark has his own opinion and is not afraid to ventilate that.

[Tifosi]

Webber doesn't care about what Horner says about it , Mark has his own opinion and is not afraid to ventilate that.

Damn these drivers with their own opinions

[Sianellen]

I like the fact that it goes against his Boss's public stance too. Quite straightforward yet cunningly antagonistic

Webber doesn't care about what Horner says about it , Mark has his own opinion and is not afraid to ventilate that.

Funny how Rob and Felipe get hung for doing that

[Tifosi]

Webber doesn't have to be a teamplayer apparently cos he's an underdog!

[bkircher]

Ive always liked Webber. He is correct with everything he said in my books.

[Hornet]

Funny how Rob and Felipe get hung for doing that

Can't remember Massa having any public outburst against Ferrari. I thought he handled the situation quite good actually.
Well, I'll just take Massa's dad as an example.

Webber's just having a different opinion, not going against his own team. There's no consequences.

Lets say if Massa's dad was working for Ferrari, will such public outburst be any good for the team? When you are in a team, you don't simply go rogue and do something that will bring negative consequences to your team.

I'm sure as honest as Webber is, he will never say anything that will bring the wrath of the FIA down on his own team, like for example saying "Hey, everyone's wing flexes. Ours just does more of the same."

[NJB13]

Webber is spot on and, I don't think what he says will actually upset the team bosses. We all know Horner does exactly the opposite to what he says in relation to team orders. He made his recent public statements against team orders to capitalise on public opinion and win more fans. But, in reality he wants team orders as much as the next team.

[Aussie]

Like most Australians Mark Webber is quite straightforward in his opinions.

Yes we are

[Brakefade]

Webber is spot on and, I don't think what he says will actually upset the team bosses. We all know Horner does exactly the opposite to what he says in relation to team orders. He made his recent public statements against team orders to capitalise on public opinion and win more fans. But, in reality he wants team orders as much as the next team.

Too bad Mark will just tell him to shove it.

[ferrari4life]

Funny how Rob and Felipe get hung for doing that

I personally think that Webber is an idiot for all his anti team comments. When you drive for the team you keep it behind closed doors. In the real business world that most of us make a living in you learn to not slag off your employer in public. These spoon fed babies should learn to just shutup and drive.

[goferrarigo]

I think Mark is probably trying to get his way into ferrari by saying all the right things.