The Mercedes drivers' charge for victory in Melbourne will be unfettered by 'team orders'. 16 years ago, McLaren enraged the spectators at Albert Park, having arrived for the 1998 season opener with its totally dominant car.
Now, the similarly-silver Mercedes cars are the class of the early 2014 field, but Nico Rosberg insists there will be no McLaren-style controversy this time. "Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard had a deal in place in whichever driver got to the opening corner first would be allowed to win the race," he wrote in a column for the Daily Mail newspaper.
So when Hakkinen ran into mid-race trouble, Coulthard pulled over on the straight to let him back into the lead. "I wouldn't like that," German Rosberg added, "and I don't think the team would either, so we are going to try and avoid such measures."
Team chairman Niki Lauda agrees that Rosberg and his teammate Lewis Hamilton will be free to race throughout the 2014 championship. "They can race against each other and collect as many points as possible for the team," he told Germany's Sport1.
There have already been some signs of strain between the silver-clad duo, but Briton Hamilton insists he and Rosberg will cope with a heightened rivalry in 2014. "Nico and I have known each other since we were 13," he is quoted in Melbourne by the Mirror. "We've raced and won and lost championships together. We will remain professional," he insisted. (GMM)
Hamilton and Rosberg free to race each other in 2014
- Published on 14 Mar 2014 08:46
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
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Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
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Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Driver profile
- Team Ferrari
- Points 3,566
- Podiums 133
- Grand Prix 234
- Country GB
- Date of b. Jan 7 1985 (41)
- Place of b. Tewin, GB
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.74 m
- 482,248 comments on Ferrari
66 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Lewis Hamilton
Team profile
- Team name Mercedes
- Base Brackley, Germany
- Michael Schumacher 3
- Nico Rosberg 4
- Nico Rosberg 6
- Michael Schumacher 7
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 9
- Lewis Hamilton 10
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli 12
- Lewis Hamilton 44
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- 632,743 comments on Mercedes
- 59 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Mercedes
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