WilliamsF1’s engine supplier, BMW, says the team must devise a strategy to help Juan-Pablo Montoya win the world championship – even it is at the cost of team-mate Ralf Schumacher.
WilliamsF1’s engine supplier, BMW, says the team must devise a strategy to help Juan-Pablo Montoya win the world championship – even it is at the cost of team-mate Ralf Schumacher.
Following his win at the German Grand Prix last weekend, Montoya is 12 points ahead of team-mate Ralf with four races remaining. According to , BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen is behind the call for team strategy that favours Montoya to be considered for the remaining races.
“I think we have to sit down now and see what the situation is,” he said. “We have a chance in both championships, and certainly Frank [Williams] has got to think about it. It’s going to be harder running two cars at the front.”
Even if Ralf’s 10 grid-slot penalty at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, which FIA officials slapped on the German for his part in the first corner accident at Hockenheim, is overturned – the fight for the 2003 drivers’ title is effectively a three-way battle. Thiessen wants to ensure that Montoya has suitable back-up, similar to that likely to be enjoyed by Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher, courtesy of Rubens Barrichello, and McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen, who will be supported by David Coulthard.
Team orders may have technically been banned by the FIA, but the rule remains difficult to enforce. Chances are that teams may put their drivers on different race strategies to interfere with those of opposing teams.
In July, Williams-BMW team boss Sir Frank Williams and the team’s technical director Patrick Head said that there would be no team orders within the BMW WilliamsF1 Team, even though it runs the risk of its drivers taking points off each other with the championship fight being so close between Williams-BMW, Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes.
Is there a possibility that the team may choose to temper its hard line approach? Not likely, says Williams’ chief operations engineer Sam Michael.
“We will go into Hungary the same way we came to Germany. When we come out of the other side we’ll see what happens. There won’t be any instructions for the drivers. They are free to race to the end of the season,” he said this week.