Hamilton fended off Rosberg throughout in Bahrain under the lights, in what
must have been an enormously nerve-racking 57 laps for their Mercedes team.
Paddy Lowe, executive director (technical), said it was almost the team’s duty
to allow their drivers to race, particularly given their dominance over the
rest of the field.
“Imagine if we had imposed team orders from lap two or something – what a
terrible thing that would be for F1 and for the philosophy of Mercedes
in motorsport,” Lowe said.
“It is something that we owe to ourselves; we owe to the sport and owe to the
drivers.
“They are professionals and you want to give them the opportunity to race,
which is what they do.”
Hamilton suggested if every race resembles Bahrain – in which the usually
attacking Briton showed his supreme defensive qualities as a driver – he
could not “guarantee” that both he and Rosberg would emerge unscathed.
Meanwhile, after unanimous agreement broke out among the sport’s major
stakeholders on the need to address the engine noise, Formula One’s 900th
race was an enormous boost after the criticism this season’s regulations
have received from Bernie Ecclestone and Luca di Montezemolo, the Ferrari
president.
One rule which will be changed for 2015 is the minimum weight limit,
increasing from 691kg for car and driver to 701kg.
The restriction prompted severe criticism over the weekend, as Adrian Sutil
said he was putting himself in danger by racing without a water bottle to
save weight, while Jean-Eric Vergne said he was admitted to hospital between
the first two races after following a strict diet.
However, Jean Todt, the FIA president, rejected suggestions the weight limit
is unsafe.
The Frenchman said: “Honestly, I don’t know why a driver – I think normally
you can do a good diet and not have to go to hospital because you have been
losing some kilos.”