Team Orders

[drivacee]

I have just read through the thread about the team orders regarding team orders with the Ford Team. Malcolms decision to try to keep Mikko Hirvonen in as high a points position as possible,in the hope that if Loeb had an accident or retired they were still in a good position for the championship.As we all know by now it made no differance to Loeb winning the championship.We must congratulate Loeb as the best rally driver out there.
BUT team orders have been going on for many years.One that sticks in my mind involved Loebs Citroen team boss (maybe ex ) Guy Frequelin.
In i think the 1980 Corsica rally,Frequelin was leading ,but it started to rain and his team mate in the Talbot Sunbeam Henri Toivonen was catching him fast in conditions that Henri loved.Des O,dell then told Henri ,to slow ,he said Henri ,this is a French event,we want a french driver in a French car to win.If you take the win from Guy there will be no car for you for the next event.SO at the start of the last stage Henri was within about 4 seconds of Guy.SO when they counted him down to GO,BUT he sat with arms folded,the marshals were shouting GO,GO, you fool, but he said NO I sit here,which he did for more than 30 seconds,before starting the stage .He lost the rally by a mere 2 or 3 seconds to Frequelin,and went straight home to Espoo.He refused to do the next event in disgust.Des rung him in Finland and said come and see me,but Henri said if you want to see me you come here,.So Des flew over and promised Henri the best car and service he could give him for the RAC.So he agreed to do the RAC on that promise and became the youngest ever winner in 1980 of any world championship event.

[tmx]

Great story.

[Zeakiwi]

I will admit I looked up the above story in World Rallying 3. The event is more likely to have been San Remo 1980. Toivonen slowed to finish a minute behind Frequelin. Frquelin went off the road in Corsica. On the RAC was Hannu slowed by the time he had spent Quattro testing ?
With the revo-knuckle/ fancy front diff in the new Focus maybe there could be two wheel drive world rallying again................

[Lousada]

I heard this story before, only then it was Waldegard and Munari in Sanremo in 1976. Waldegard was 4 seconds ahead before the last stage, so they/he decided to wait 4 seconds at the start to make it equal. In the end, they both drove exactly the same time, but because Waldegard had waited, he was the winner.

[jonkka]

I heard this story before, only then it was Waldegard and Munari in Sanremo in 1976. Waldegard was 4 seconds ahead before the last stage, so they/he decided to wait 4 seconds at the start to make it equal. In the end, they both drove exactly the same time, but because Waldegard had waited, he was the winner.

In fact, Lancia team boss Cesare Fiorio held Waldegard in the startline of the final stage so that the Swede would be on equal time with Sandro Munari, another Lancia driver. Bjorn was furious, completing the stage four seconds faster than Munari and won with that margin.

[drivacee]

hello Zeakiwi I thought it was a french event and sure San Remo is Italy,BUT I have the Motorsport Magazine of the event in 1980 in my attic ,so I will get it down and then put it on the site.ON the 80 RAC that Henri won Hannu knew he could not catch Henri AND Pauli Toivonen helped Hannu a big amount in Hannus early Years SO i do believe Hannu wanted Henri to win his first World championship event as pay back.What is not common knowledge is that Hannu used to take Henri out in Finland to teach/coach him as payback to Pauli.Henri himself told me personally about the French event

[Tomi]

Team orders has always been a part of motorsport and will be in the future as well, in the past maybe Lancia was the worst, and in a way Audi as well by giving some of their top drivers more events that others.

[jonkka]

hello Zeakiwi I thought it was a french event and sure San Remo is Italy,BUT I have the Motorsport Magazine of the event in 1980 in my attic ,so I will get it down and then put it on the site.

It was not 1980 Tour de Corse because Henri wasn't even entered and Frequelin retired on SS13.