Austria Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro sporting director Jean Todt has fiercely defended the Maranello team's use of team orders at the Austrian Grand Prix. The team did this to ensure that Schumacher maintained as much of a lead as possible over race winner David Coulthard in the World Championship. Numerous drivers have criticised the decision to bring team orders into play so early in the season, with Juan Pablo Montoya, for example, citing it as a reason not to go to Ferrari while Schumacher is there. Barrichello himself reportedly ignored the order for several laps before making a point of allowing the German to pass only at the final corner. But Todt is bemused by the fuss.
Every team have their own way of managing a race.
Our decision was based on the situation, even if it was only the sixth race of the year. It is not easy to ask a driver to let the other one pass, but we are a team. We have to act according to that. We decided that six points could be crucial for Michael.