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Should McLaren introduce team orders ?

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Ron Dennis has ruled it out but McLaren could risk giving away one or even both the championships if they don't.
Of the 10 races so far this season, 5 races have been won by Michael Schumacher, 3 by David Coulthard and 2 by Mika Hakkinen. There are 7 races to go with 3 drivers fighting for the title. While the lack of team orders makes the racing more exciting and less predictable, it could cause team-mates to take each other out as we saw Senna and Prost do in the past. On the other hand team orders will go a long way into ensuring that the team and 1 driver gets maximum points while the other driver helps by taking away points from the competition. However, it is not good for the fans who would prefer racing over holding tactics!.

Ferrari have and will continue using team orders to maximise their chances, shouldn't McLaren do the same ? Or is it better to see competition between team-mates on the track ? Should team orders be banned or regulated? and how ? What do you think ?  (What others are saying)

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What others are saying:

We ( my friends & me ) think that McLaren should introduce team orders if the situation so demands it, of course if one of the drivers is out of the race like today its a different picture.

McLaren needs to make a last minute attempt at the constructors however all help must be given to DC by Mika for a bid at the championship. Mika we're sure would not be like other drivers would co-operate . We love Mika to death however it is a team sport & thats the way it is - Pranav - India


Team orders are a must for McLaren if they want to win. Their drivers are on equal points. David helped Mika in 1998 it should be Mika's turn - Boomer - Australia


I agree that if McLaren want to win the championship they should have team orders like Ferrari, I think Mika is the best chance for the title, David is a second driver - Charles - Malta


The driver who have a better starting place should be the one who receive the support from the other driver no matter if he is the Nș1 or 2 - Tomas L  - Venezuela


I think they should let the best man win because both of them are only where they in the championship ladder due to superior equipment and not driving ability, they both can only win if Schumacher breaks down!! They both have to keep hoping for Ferrari will continue to have reliability problems otherwise neither of them have a hope in hell of being world champion for 2000!! - Brown Dog  - Arabian Gulf


I sympathize with Ron Dennis, I say I sympathize with him because lets assume
(for arguments sake) Hakkinen wins the next race with Coulthard 2nd this would leave them 2 points apart lets say they have a similar margin between them towards the end of the season which way should Ron go?
Should he back Hakkinen who has been so consistent for the last 3 seasons, pole position after pole position (except for that tiny lean patch) and so dominant
at the front of the race, team orders in his favour would help him become the member of a very exclusive club (3 championships in a row).
                                                     OR
Back David, who has looked so good so aggressive so brilliant all season, Team
orders in David's favour would give him the chance to win his first drivers' championship.
Make Mika pay back for all the times David helped him on his way to 2 titles. Even though I am a Hakkinen fan, David has looked so much better than Schumi or Mika all season (How many times have Michael or Mika passed David on the race track this season?). I would hate to be in Ron's shoes, but the stage is set for an epic 3 way battle for the driver's championship - Notorious_BIG_IC  - Australia


No! I don't think that McLaren should introduce team orders.Hakkinen and Coulthard are two very aggressive and competitive drivers. They are good friends as well as worthy opponents between them and as well for other opponents. They are really doing very well especially Coulthard. I think McLaren should give them a break at the moment and allow them to drive to the fullest.
Let them ride FREE!!! - Galdiator


I think David and Mika Should work together to win the race.Who take the championship is not important - Liew S.Y. - Malaysia


A team event should have appropriate strategy, and the execution of it should be the responsibility of its team members, and team-work is paramount in winning.
Whether a team is evenly matched between the 2 drivers or not, team orders are critical to the success.  Let us go back to last year's Sepang Grand Prix in Malaysia. Without team orders, Mika Hakkinen would have won outright.  Michael Schumacher has to let Eddie Irvine overtake twice.  Now that brought the Grand Prix to its climax in Suzuka, Japan. 
Who said the fans were not thrilled by that final race, where competition between the two, Mika and Eddie went full rounds. McLaren should plan well and give team orders to maximise its winning both in Driver and Constructor's awards
Competition should be with the other teams - not within its own team - Joseph Y - Singapore


Would Schumacher have spun in Austria had he and Barrichello taken the first corner 'properly' instead of Rubens feeling obliged to let him through ?, I think not.

Let Hakkinen and Coulthard fight it out for the next three or four races, if Schumacher is still a threat, THEN decide the pecking order - Dunder - Hong Kong


F1 is about money, it ceased to be a sport a long time ago. Teams are the basis of the business and winning the Drivers Championship is the source of the funds.

McLaren could win 6 of the next 7 races and lose the championship. One win and six seconds would give Schumacher the championship if Coulthard and Hakkinen win three races each. This would result in a runaway win in the constructors and a second and third in the drivers for McLaren and an ecstatic Schumacher as World Champion, again. Ferrari I am sure would "settle" for a Drivers Championship.

Ron Dennis needs to make a call within two races as to who in McLaren should be the front runner. Coulthard is driving better than ever but another Hakkinen year would be better for the McLaren coffers. Unless Coulthard beats Hakkinen in both the next Grands Prix Dennis has to back Hakkinen and give Coulthard his chance on another day - Geoff H - Australia


why should McLaren do that? they are winning anyways - Karthik - India


Team orders would have made sense if one of the drivers seems to be clearly dominant, like in Ferrari. With 7 more races to go McLaren can possible wait 2 or even 3 more races (depending upon the outcome of the races) before determining the dominant driver/the driver with best chance. The only team orders that should be given now is if the McLarens are going 1 and 2 then they should retain the order. No overtaking on track and when overtaking does happen it should be on explicit command from the pits. I believe this would be in the best interest of McLaren as well as sport - Grandhi V.R. - Canada


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