During the Miami Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz expressed frustration towards their respective teams over team radio, particularly, Sainz faced a team orders mix-up that cost him positions to his teammate.
Sainz felt “stupid” and “powerless” after being passed by his teammate Alex Albon despite assurances he wouldn’t be, Hamilton also criticized Ferrari for poor teamwork during the race.
Meanwhile, McLaren decided to let their drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, race each other without team orders, as they lead the championship standings and want to avoid harming their future chances.
McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown supported this decision, echoing team boss Andrea Stella’s warning that enforcing team orders could be detrimental.
These incidents showcase the complex relationship Formula 1 has with team orders, a dynamic that has been present in the series for decades.
In comparison, Williams’ decision to hold positions was relatively mild, as past instances of team orders in F1 history have been much more controversial, such as the McLaren team orders in the 1998 Australian Grand Prix.
In that race, McLaren orchestrated a first-corner pact between Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard, resulting in a controversial strategy that saw Coulthard giving up the lead to Hakkinen towards the end of the race.
