team order

In motor racing, team ordersis a motorsport term for the practice of teams issuing instructions to drivers to deviate from the normal practice of racing against each other as they would against other teams’ drivers. Prime examples of this were the team ordersissued by Formula One teams to their drivers. This may involve instructing a driver to let his teammate overtake, or instructing both drivers to hold position in order to maintain a good position without the risk of collision.

This is generally done when one driver is behind in a particular race but ahead overall in a championship season. The team will then order their drivers to rearrange themselves on the track so as to give the championship points to the driver who needs them most. A good example was at the2007 Brazilian Grand Prix, with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in no position to win the Drivers’ Championship or move up from fourth, so at the second pit stop he yielded the lead to team mate Kimi Räikkönen, who went on to win the race and take the title by just one point. The very next year at the Chinese Grand Prix involving the same two drivers, Räikkönen wasn’t in a position to win the title and moved over for Massa who was in position to win the title.

Another reason for team orders is where both drivers are in a position far ahead of the field, being all but assured of the win. Team orders are issued to preventthe drivers from racing each other; the aim is to have them drive cautiously in order to save fuel, reduce the chance of mechanical problems, and avoid a collision.This has happened on countless occasions in the history of the sport, sometimes causing great a crimony between the team and the second-placed driver. At the1998 Belgian Grand Prix, when Ralf Schumacher was ordered not to overtake Damon Hill, in order to assure Jordan of a 1-2 finish.

from wikipedia (search : team order)