Debate | Ferrari gives up drivers' title by not choosing Leclerc

Ferrari has made it clear that Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will be treated equally in the Austrian Grand Prix. That is fair, but is it wise?

Team orders are never a pretty sight and it is not without reason that after the 2002 Formula One season, the FIA decided to ban their use. However, it proved impossible to eradicate them altogether and F1 teams continued to use them regularly, albeit in a disguised fashion. One of the most famous versions of this came from Ferrari itself, which informed Felipe Massa that Fernando Alonso was 'faster than him'. The Brazilian understood the message and let his teammate pass.

In 2011, the FIA decided to remove the ban from the regulations and today teams are still allowed to issue team orders, but it continues to cause outrage when the tool is used. Ferrari does not want to stir up controversy and is sticking to its promise from earlier in the season: both drivers will have equal opportunities.

The question is whether it is wise. Max Verstappen has built up a substantial lead in the championship and will continue to do so if Ferrari continues to distribute the points equally across its drivers. Moreover, Leclerc would probably have had a much bigger lead over his teammate if he had not had to deal with a number of breakdowns and poor decisions by his team.

The Italian team, on the other hand, has chosen to play the game fairly, as opposed to taking team orders. It is possible that this approach will win the team the constructors' title, but that remains to be seen. Is Ferrari making the right choice or has it all but given up on the drivers' title?