Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has said that the FIA need to be wary of re-introducing team orders into the sport following the contentious German Grand Prix, saying that allowing the orders again may 'demotivate' drivers.
Haug's comments contradict those of his fellow Mercedes GP boss Ross Brawn, who suggested that the team order ban was 'unrealistic' in modern Formula One.
The issue flared up after Ferrari appeared to issue team orders to Felipe Massa in the German race, asking him to let Fernando Alonso through into the lead. The team were fined for their actions, but the incident has sparked off a debate over the place of team orders in F1.
Haug suggests that removing the current ban would lead to more results that were 'not pleasing' for fans.
“Lots of people said allow it and do inside the team do whatever you want but then outside you’ll see overtaking manoeuvres you do not want to see," Haug wheezed on Thursday.
“If you do not allow it you see overtakes moves like Hockenheim which was not ideal and pleasing."
He added that it was important that the rule was discussed by the teams and the FIA, but warned that the governing body should have the final say on the matter.
“It needs to have a decent discussion with teams and with the FIA on punishment," he rambled, “It’s really not up to us, we have a personal opinion but we have to respect this is an FIA issue."
He added: “If you carefully thing through it, if you allow it then the consequences you will see overtaking manoeuvres that are not expected. If you do not allow it you probably have some hidden strategies. We will not solve this problem today.
“You could say be very strict and punish everybody but then it needs to be the same for everybody in the whole field so it needs to be carefully thought through."
Haug concluded that it might take a while to make a final decision on the best way forward, saying that the most important thing was to ensure that both drivers within a team remain motivated.
“A solution should be found, that’s everybody’s wish," he preached, "But if we are open and critical of ourselves its easy to say ‘do it like this or that’ but you have to think carefully through all the consequences and its not an easy one, otherwise the solution would be in place right now."
He went on: “It will take some time. A good solution will be found but its not as easy as let everybody do what they want to do because we are racing for the spectators, the media and all the guys interested in the sport and we have to accept the guys in the car are the most important guys and they need to be motivated.
“If you say from the beginning ‘you are number two you cannot overtake’ it’s a complex issue. If the drivers are not fully focused and motivated you will not achieve anything. That needs to be kept in mind.”
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