Theissen - No team orders

Status quo to remain "for the coming races"

Last updated: 13th June 2008

mario theissen robert kubica bmw sauber 8/6/2008

Maiden victory: Theissen and Kubica

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BMW Sauber team boss Mario Theissen has ruled out any suggestion of handing new World Championship leader Robert Kubica number one status.

Kubica clinched both his and BMW Sauber's maiden victory in the Canadian Grand Prix last weekend, elevating the Polish driver to the top of the Drivers' standings.

After seven races he holds a four-point advantage over Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa, with defending World Champion Kimi Raikkonen a further three points adrift.

Kubica's BMW Sauber team-mate Nick Heidfeld currently lies fifth in the standings, 14 points off the pace.

After taking victory in Montreal, Kubica publicly asked BMW Sauber to place their efforts "100 percent" behind him from now on.

"We are leading the Drivers' Championship, so I hope the team will give me 100 percent support to try to maybe defend it until the last race," he said on Sunday.

Equals

However, Theissen has ruled this out, saying that both Kubica and Heidfeld will continue to receive equal treatment within the team.

"For the coming races I think we won't switch our strategy," he told Autosport.

"Both drivers get equal treatment in terms of car, in terms of the team. Then we look at what they can do in qualifying and then on that basis we decide on the race strategy."

Theissen added that, in his belief, it is premature to adopt team orders with 11 races remaining this season.

"Let's talk about it if and when the situation arises. It would be speculation," he said.

"But even then you have to deal with it on a race-by-race basis. If one driver fails in qualifying then there is no point in keeping the other one behind."