McLaren Deny Using Team Orders at British GP

McLaren team boss Ron Dennis said today that his team did not use team orders during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone to aid title challenger Kimi Raikkonen.

Ferrari's World Champion Michael Schumacher suggested that McLaren driver David Coulthard had been asked to allow teammate Kimi Raikkonen to pass him at Silverstone two weeks ago, with the pair on different strategies.

But Dennis said he had not implemented any team orders, which were outlawed after Schumacher's Ferrari team manipulated the result of the Austrian Grand Prix in 2002, or discussed anything before the race.

"There were no team orders during Silverstone, very simple," Dennis said. "Our drivers were on different strategies. Kimi, at the point, came out (of the pits) behind David and was on new tyres. David was told that Kimi was on new tyres, they were on different strategies and David let him past, which is what teammates do.

"There was no instructions at all from the pitwall, and there was no pre-race discussion which would constitute as instructions At the end of the day, these guys are teammates, Kimi is a better position to win the Championship, they were on different strategies and that's what took place."

Mercedes motorsport director Norbert Haug backed Dennis and insisted Schumacher made his comments to raise the point - and not to accuse McLaren.

"One fundamental point - Michael made the point [to clarify to us] that he has not the slightest problem with [what happened at Silverstone]," Haug said.

"He only mentioned it - and this is my understanding - in order to say that if the same would have happened with [Ferrari] there would have been a lot of discussion about it. He might be right. But he has not a problem with the actual move, which is important to know."