- AFP
MONTREAL: Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene on Friday denied that the Italian team used any team orders at last month’s Monaco Grand Prix where Sebastian Vettel triumphed after‘jumping’ team-mate Kimi Raikkonen in the pit-stops.
As Finn Raikkonen topped the times again in Friday’s practice for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, Arrivabene faced reporters at a news conference where he stressed that Ferrari were focused on winning the constructors’ title.
”I always said that it’s not that situation in the team,” said Arrivabene. “We are looking forward to the championship. We do all our best for the Constructors’ Championship and to be able to do well you need two drivers.
”This is very important for the house -- this is very important for Ferrari.”
He added: “I was very, very clear since the beginning of the season, about our rules of engagement. Our team is above everything, but we’re not going in one direction or the other.
”There are no team orders. This is very, very clear. The drivers know about this and accept it.”
He said he laughed when he read reports of what was believed to have happened in Monte Carlo.
Raikkonen also shrugged off the controversy and made light of his form on Friday when he was fastest again.
”I’m happy,” he said. “But it’s only Friday. I don’t try to make a big story out of it. Things went smoothly, it was a very normal Friday in which I had very good feeling with the car.
”We still have work to do, we’ll try to improve and fight for pole. Let’s see.” - AFP
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