Massa:I did the right thing

[Dare]

Ruebens and then Pastor and now Williams
Maybe Frank will learn from this and Massa must remember
it's not his team and he's paid to do what is ordered,like it or not

http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/9240486/Massa-I-did-the-right-thing

[Jericoke]

I'm not sure that I agree with Massa's reasoning, but I can hardly blame him.  He's got one chance to be the big dog at Williams, and he had to take it.  If he pulls over now, he's just another #2 driver.

Hope it's worth being an unemployed driver next year 

[vintly]

More in-fighting / drama = more chance of an on-track incident. Works for me.

[Scott]

    What's with Claire Williams claiming that Massa didn't ignore the team instruction?  Seemed pretty clear when they broadcasted it.

Whatever, as I said on the other thread, I think it was WAY too late for Williams to give a team order.  They could have sorted things out at the final pit stop - even drop a nut while changing one of Massa's wheels - if they wanted to change the finish order or give Bottas a chance to go after Button.  There was no way with 3 laps left that Bottas would have time to catch AND pass Button, so the result wouldn't have changed aside from the drivers points.

[Vince]

Sorry Felipe - I've always been a fan and I understand your frustration carried over from previous races... However this time you're wrong! Bottas was on fresher tyres and was all over your tail-pipe! You should have moved over... If Bottas didn't manage to overtake Button, then you could have asked the question 'Why?'... Now we'll never know if it was a legitimate call..

[John S]

Massa was just wrong IMHO.  Ignoring a team order is never a good idea unless you can show a far better result once you've ignored it.

I guess Felipe's still stuck in distrust mode from all his years at Ferrari, he just can't comprehend that the team will play fair and switch them back if Bottas fails to improve the teams points position.

I reckon Frank will swallow this disobedience once from Rubens, but Felipe better not think he has free reign - too many drivers have found Frank to very unforgiving, even when they're race winners.

     

[Scott]

Why would the result have to be 'far better' for a team order to be ignored?  Why not just a little better, or why not just the same? 

I don't know about that John, I think if Williams had chosen to change the leading driver mid-race, or around the last pit stop, then it would have made a difference.  Not with 3 laps to go.  I suspect Felipe has not allowed any sort of team order instructive to be added to his contract at Williams, and don't forget as well, Felipe is bringing much needed cash to Williams, and probably quite a bit of tech experience along as well. 

Some years ago Williams may have been in a position to discipline drivers, when they had drivers begging to drive for them, but when the drivers are bringing funds, I suspect the relationship may have shifted to a more passive stance.

[cosworth151]

Does anybody think that Massa is a better driver than Button? If not, then why think that a driver that couldn't pass Felipe could make quick work of Jens?

[John S]

I don't know about that John, I think if Williams had chosen to change the leading driver mid-race, or around the last pit stop, then it would have made a difference.  Not with 3 laps to go. 

I'm not sure it was only 3 laps to go when they gave the instruction, radio messages are usually delayed so as not to give advantage to other teams. 

Why would the result have to be 'far better' for a team order to be ignored?  Why not just a little better, or why not just the same?

Disobeying your employers orders usually requires a clearly better outcome to be any defence at all - well that's what I've always found.

[Vince]

Does anybody think that Massa is a better driver than Button? If not, then why think that a driver that couldn't pass Felipe could make quick work of Jens?

Good point. I hadn't thought of that.. Maybe Bottas was deliberately staying behind Massa in case he took them both out whilst passing...

[J.Clark]

John, the radio couldn't have come earlier, as Bottas had not caught up with Massa until Massa backed off a bit from his assault on Button which was about 4 or 5 laps from the end.

The team "order" to not hold Bottas up was a lot of BS at that point.  As was pointed out, if he couldn't pass Massa, how in the world would he have gotten around Button, when Massa had failed to do so a few laps earlier.

Williams would do well to let it slide.  The team's point total is the same.  Massa has two more points in his account from this race than Bottas, who is still ahead overall; although, with the mental boost Massa takes from this (if allowed) will pay huge dividends to the team as the season progresses.

[Jericoke]

Massa was just wrong IMHO.  Ignoring a team order is never a good idea unless you can show a far better result once you've ignored it.

I guess Felipe's still stuck in distrust mode from all his years at Ferrari, he just can't comprehend that the team will play fair and switch them back if Bottas fails to improve the teams points position.

I reckon Frank will swallow this disobedience once from Rubens, but Felipe better not think he has free reign - too many drivers have found Frank to very unforgiving, even when they're race winners.

   

Just as driving a race car requires more finesse than mashing the gas pedal to the floor, managing a race car driver requires finesse too.  I assume we didn't hear the entire radio exchange, but I also assume a veteran F1 driver needs some convincing to pull over for a teammate. 

Simply saying 'please pull over' doesn't cut it.  Especially not for a guy who has a history of fantastic speed and a shattered confidence.  Massa is reborn at Williams, and throwing that away in race #2 seems like poor driver managment.

Was there more to the conversation that we didn't hear?  Was the order countermanded by Ms Williams?