MERCEDES will let Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg race freely for the rest of the season without team orders following a thrilling battle at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hamilton held off Rosberg at Sakhir on Sunday, and the only demand from their team was that they did not crash.

And that is only right.

It’s little wonder that F1 has become a snore-fest when the men in the pit lanes have had the ability to decide who wins a race.

No sport should feature team orders. They make a mockery.