Nico first to use off limit MGU setting in Bahrain GP

[John S]

No wonder Lewis thinks everything's dirty tricks since.     

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.   
I also love the reference to all ending up blind in the piece below.

 However further light was shed when it was also revealed that Monaco qualifying, escape roads and all that, wasn't the start. It was simply the point at which tension that had been building anyway was released; the mistrust between the two was well underway. Lewis apparently used an MGU setting he shouldn't have done in the Spanish race which helped him defend his place against Nico. Nico it transpired later had apparently done similar himself before that in Bahrain. One is put in mind of Mahatma Gandhi's maxim that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. The similarities between F1 and the primary school playground are often striking.

Piece taken from a blog post on talkingaboutf1.com, Mon 26th May.

[Scott]

If they're not supposed to use it, why is it available to them?  We all know any racer is going to use whatever tool they have to gain, or keep their place in a race.   

[John S]

My best guess it's there to use strategically on other team's cars, not to gain advantage on your teammate. Probably there is some worry about doing damage to the engine/car if this setting is used all the time, or maybe Merc just don't want to give away to the rest just what they have in reserve.   

However using it against team instructions is just like when Vettel kept his engine power up in Malaysia after they had been told to ease off, we know the result and PR disaster of that one don't we.   

[Scott]

Might be fuel flow or usage issues too...but like I said, I think if a racer knows it's there, they will use it against anyone - teammate or not, if it means gaining or not giving up an advantage.

So now that they've both used it when they weren't supposed to, Merc can either remove it from the software or figure out a way to stop the drivers from using against each other - and good luck with that!   

Dieter Zetsche has come out and said the drivers are free to race one another, so lets hope the sparks keep firing at Mercedes, especially as they are fizzling out in the battle at Ferrari, which I think most of us thought would be the real battle of teammates this year.