Nico Rosberg reflected on Mercedes’ decision to implement team orders during the Formula 1 Dutch GP last Sunday (23).
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George Russell was ordered to make way for Kimi Antonelli and give the second position to the driver. The Italian soon closed in on the Brit, who complied with the order and let his teammate pass.
Initially, the now championship runner-up questioned the call, showing concern about becoming vulnerable to the Ferraris, but later said he agreed with the decision. Rosberg, a former Mercedes driver, also defended the Brackley team’s decision.
“The team was under threat, and both drivers need to race for the team. In my time, I also had to let Lewis [Hamilton] pass once in Monaco, even though we were competing for the championship against each other. Here the situation is the same: the team’s result was threatened by the two Ferraris coming from behind; so, team orders need to be applied, and the drivers need to follow them. I think it was a fair move. George did a fantastic job holding that third place,” he told Sky Sports F1.
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“The expectation at the time was that George would have a lot of difficulty with the pace and that, consequently, the Ferraris would threaten not only his position but also Kimi Antonelli’s, if Kimi got stuck behind George. This really puts both positions at risk at the same time. It’s a complicated situation; it’s a very difficult decision to make. I wouldn’t want to be in their place. And if I were in George’s place, it would hurt a lot. It would be a disaster,” he continued.
“But it’s understandable, because I know the team rules very well,” he added.
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