By Sam Cooper
March 21 2007

The Aligations come after onlookers instantly suspected after the race had finished that McLaren had used team orders that would allow Fernando Alonso an easy way past the faster Lewis Hamilton, Alonso being paid more out of the two.

The situtation that caused many people to think this serious condition was due to team orders, was when Britain's Lewis Hamilton managed to lose two to three seconds of time during his pit stop.

McLaren's reason to this was backmarkers, and their explination isn't without good evidence. On coming to Lewis's pit stop he unfortunatly came across a Super Aguri- which is known from previous grand prix back in 2006 to slow other cars down, and not make it the easiest of situations for the passing driver.

Could Lewis of lost the best part of three seconds due to a backmarker in the space of a couple of turns and half a straight? It's unlikely. There are another few circumstances to include into this was the extra fuel that Lewis would of being carring, up to and after his stop.

Even with this and the extra time that it would of cost him to put a few more laps worth of fuel that Lewis would of have to have carried to finish the race. Nevertheless, if McLaren did something that cost Lewis a second or two, it didn't change the obvious fact. Lewis was marginaly faster than Alonso during the weekend.

Do I think McLaren used team tactics, that would of seriously dented Lewis's chance of finishing ahead of Fernando? No! McLaren are not Ferrari! To McLaren, it wouldn't of mattered who finished ahead of who, admittadly it would of been incedibaly embarrasing for Fernando, but even that isn't a good reason to hold Lewis back, although... as Lewis gets better Team tactics may not be enough to stop Lewis winning Fernando!