Fernando Alonso has downplayed the team orders saga at Mercedes, saying it won’t make any difference as either Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg will eventually win the title.
The Spaniard said that it was good for the sport that the team has decided for now to let its drivers race.
“It’s something that is probably up to them, and only they know what is the situation inside the team,” said Alonso. “From the outside definitely they have enough advantage to do whatever they want, they will finish the championship first or second whatever they do.
“At the moment they are racing, I read that they will keep racing free, that’s good probably for the fans, for everyone, because the sport is about competition. If one day they need to police this, probably it’s also normal.
“At the end of the day there is one team principal, there is one owner, there is one president of a car company, that they want to see both cars on the podium, not both cars on the gravel. It’s something that as I said from the outside is not a big thing, or even on the inside is a big thing, because they will finish first and second in the championship anyway.”
When asked about being in the same situation himself Alonso joked that he never had a car that was a step ahead of the field: “I don’t think I ever had a car that is one second faster than everyone! So I don’t agree that I was in that situation, ever…
“With your team mate normally you have extra care, you have your bosses and your team waiting fort you in the garage. That’s something that you need to take a little bit more. Sometimes when you are that close and fighting for a championship, sometimes you forget that.
“It’s something that is inside any driver, inside the competition. I don’t think it’s a big thing. I know it’s a big thing for media, because the championship is terribly boring, and they are winning every race, and it’s good to talk. But I don’t think it will change anything for them, or anything for the championship. Life will still be the same after Austria.”
Alonso said that problems were inevitable.
“It’s something that will happen. They crashed in 2014 in Spa, and this has been going on and on, in Austin last year, in Suzuka, and some races, this year it’s Austria, maybe it’s Austin again in 10 races time. They’ve been three times World Champion [including 2016].
“Nothing will change, it’s normal. They are close, they don’t have battles with Red Bull, because they are 30 seconds ahead, they don’t have battles with Ferrari, because they are one minute ahead, they have battles with their team mate. Sometimes they crash, in 50 races they crash three times, it’s normal.”
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog 