One of the questions that has cropped up several times in the last couple of days is why didn't Massa, or indeed any driver who looks all sullen and sad after being told to move aside for his team mate, turn around to his team and say no.
This thread looks at 3 drivers drivers who did just that and the consequences of those decisions. If anybody knows any other incidences where a driver has given it "sorry, say again, you're braking up. I can't here you, we seem to be having radio problems........." in response to a team order. (or words to that effect) then add them to the list.
Carlos Reutemann - 1981 Brazilian GP: Given that 6 years later Williams would let Piquet and Mansell knock chunks out of each other on the track it would seem that this team order was out of character coming as it did, in only the second race of the season. Alan Jones had already won the opening race of the season and at Brazil, Jones was sitting in second place behind his team mate when the call came through to Reutemann to let him through. Reutemann ignored the order and went on to win the race while Jones came home in second. The relationship between the two drivers fell apart and was arguably responsible for neither winning the drivers title that year. That said if nothing else changed the result of the team order had it taken place would have seen Jones instead of Reutemann finish runner up in the championship to Nelson Piquet by a single point.
Didier Pironi - 1982 San Marino GP: This race saw the mother of all team order disobeying and forms part of one of Formula One's biggest "What If's". The 82 San Marino GP saw the bulk of the FOCA backed teams boycott the race in the on going dispute with FISA for the control of F1. As a result there were only 2 cars likely to win the race and that was either Didier Pironi or Gilles Villeneuve in the Ferrari's. With a handful of laps to go and with Villeneuve leading a Ferrari one-two, the Ferrari pit wall hung out the "Slow" signs in order to get their drivers to back off and bring the cars home. Villeneuve duly slowed however Pironi kept on going like a freight train and eventually passed Villeneuve for the lead. Gilles is said to have believed that Pironi was putting on a show in the last few laps for a crowd that had been denied a race. Giving it a lap or two Villeneuve re-passed Pironi and once again the Ferrari pit wall hung out signs telling their drivers to slow which again Villeneuve did, quite considerably. Once again and with a lap to go, Pironi re-passed Villeneuve and vanished up the road. Gilles had no opportunity to re-pass and that was the order at the chequered flag. As we know Villeneuve vowed never to speak to Pironi again and just two weeks later was killed while on a banzai lap on a rapidly dampening track at Zolder in what was believed to be a red mist attempt to out qualify Pironi. It's almost impossible to speculate what would have happened if Pironi had obeyed the "Slow" sign and held station behind his team mate. Would Villeneuve have won the title?? It's impossible to say. Pironi survived a huge shunt that ended his racing career later that season and as a result of missing the last 5 races slipped from the lead to second in the championship.
3. Rene Arnoux - 1982 French GP: As we know the 1982 Formula one season was a season like no other. Any number of drivers were in a position to take the title with 11 different race winners. Arnoux and Prost were in their second season together at Renault and where once Arnoux could consider himself to be the team number 1, since the arrival of Prost it was clear who the actual number one in the team was. Prost had won the opening two races of the 1982 season but thanks to the woeful reliability of the Renault Turbo he'd only managed one further points finish prior to the French GP. Arnoux had only one third place to his name and no other points finished. With Arnoux on poll for the race and Prost second and with Prost still mathematically in with a chance of winning the title it was alleged that the team agreed Arnoux should cede the win to Prost if they were in a position to do so. The two cars lapped one and two for almost the entire race while Prost waited for Arnoux to move over. Of course Arnoux never did and after scoring the first 1-2 finish in Renaults history he denied there had been any conversation about team orders between the two of them. A fact that Prost disputes to this day. If the team orders had stood and Arnoux had let Prost pass the result on the final championship table would still see Prost in 4th however he would have been 2 points of 2nd not 5.
Anyone know of any other drivers who have said "NO!" ??
This thread looks at 3 drivers drivers who did just that and the consequences of those decisions. If anybody knows any other incidences where a driver has given it "sorry, say again, you're braking up. I can't here you, we seem to be having radio problems........." in response to a team order. (or words to that effect) then add them to the list.
Carlos Reutemann - 1981 Brazilian GP: Given that 6 years later Williams would let Piquet and Mansell knock chunks out of each other on the track it would seem that this team order was out of character coming as it did, in only the second race of the season. Alan Jones had already won the opening race of the season and at Brazil, Jones was sitting in second place behind his team mate when the call came through to Reutemann to let him through. Reutemann ignored the order and went on to win the race while Jones came home in second. The relationship between the two drivers fell apart and was arguably responsible for neither winning the drivers title that year. That said if nothing else changed the result of the team order had it taken place would have seen Jones instead of Reutemann finish runner up in the championship to Nelson Piquet by a single point.
Didier Pironi - 1982 San Marino GP: This race saw the mother of all team order disobeying and forms part of one of Formula One's biggest "What If's". The 82 San Marino GP saw the bulk of the FOCA backed teams boycott the race in the on going dispute with FISA for the control of F1. As a result there were only 2 cars likely to win the race and that was either Didier Pironi or Gilles Villeneuve in the Ferrari's. With a handful of laps to go and with Villeneuve leading a Ferrari one-two, the Ferrari pit wall hung out the "Slow" signs in order to get their drivers to back off and bring the cars home. Villeneuve duly slowed however Pironi kept on going like a freight train and eventually passed Villeneuve for the lead. Gilles is said to have believed that Pironi was putting on a show in the last few laps for a crowd that had been denied a race. Giving it a lap or two Villeneuve re-passed Pironi and once again the Ferrari pit wall hung out signs telling their drivers to slow which again Villeneuve did, quite considerably. Once again and with a lap to go, Pironi re-passed Villeneuve and vanished up the road. Gilles had no opportunity to re-pass and that was the order at the chequered flag. As we know Villeneuve vowed never to speak to Pironi again and just two weeks later was killed while on a banzai lap on a rapidly dampening track at Zolder in what was believed to be a red mist attempt to out qualify Pironi. It's almost impossible to speculate what would have happened if Pironi had obeyed the "Slow" sign and held station behind his team mate. Would Villeneuve have won the title?? It's impossible to say. Pironi survived a huge shunt that ended his racing career later that season and as a result of missing the last 5 races slipped from the lead to second in the championship.
3. Rene Arnoux - 1982 French GP: As we know the 1982 Formula one season was a season like no other. Any number of drivers were in a position to take the title with 11 different race winners. Arnoux and Prost were in their second season together at Renault and where once Arnoux could consider himself to be the team number 1, since the arrival of Prost it was clear who the actual number one in the team was. Prost had won the opening two races of the 1982 season but thanks to the woeful reliability of the Renault Turbo he'd only managed one further points finish prior to the French GP. Arnoux had only one third place to his name and no other points finished. With Arnoux on poll for the race and Prost second and with Prost still mathematically in with a chance of winning the title it was alleged that the team agreed Arnoux should cede the win to Prost if they were in a position to do so. The two cars lapped one and two for almost the entire race while Prost waited for Arnoux to move over. Of course Arnoux never did and after scoring the first 1-2 finish in Renaults history he denied there had been any conversation about team orders between the two of them. A fact that Prost disputes to this day. If the team orders had stood and Arnoux had let Prost pass the result on the final championship table would still see Prost in 4th however he would have been 2 points of 2nd not 5.
Anyone know of any other drivers who have said "NO!" ??
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