Williams consider strategy change

[AZ325Ci]

Williams boss Patrick Head has revealed that he may ask one of his drivers to help the other in the final weeks of the Formula One season.

Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher are still both in title contention with four races remaining.

But Head confirmed that he could ask one to "assist" the other at some point providing that driver had fallen out of championship contention.

"Our agreement with both drivers is clear and accepted by both," said Head.

"They are free to race each other, but not in a manner which puts the team result at risk, until one has no numerical possibility to win the championship.

"Then we request one to assist the other."

Head accepted that the scenario was not ideal, however.

"This is not an ideal position for the team, but it is the basis on which we employ our drivers."

However Head stopped short of saying that Williams would invoke 'team orders', which have been banned in Formula One this season.

[DesmoBob]

i have mixed feelings about team orders. it's one thing to go into conservative mode and allow your points leader to pass, but it's ridiculous what ferrari did last year at austria.

i used to be a schumacher fan, i was rooting for him when he reclaimed the title from hakkinen, then when hakkinen retired there was no real challenge or antagonist, so my tifosi-ism waned. then came raikkonen and montoya, oh boy i liked them both from the beginning. last year and this, i am a full supporter of kimi and jp, i do not like ms, the stunt the scuderia pulled at a-1 last year cemented it. though ms probably had little to do with the team decision, i felt completely betrayed, rubens pwned that whole race.

so, with williams toying with the idea of team orders... if it comes down to it, so be it, especially since i have much more respect for Sir Frank than todt/brawn; i doubt he'd be so underhanded as to pull something as blatantly foul as ferrari did last year; at least he'd have a little more tact.

[lwebb12]

it is horseshit. why would any competitor want to give up the lead regardless. barichello definately shouldnt have backed down to schmomacher.