Since I've played organized sports most my life heres my take!
In most sports there is ONE title! Goals,assists,touchdowns are statistics! at he end the WHOLE TEAM LIFTS THE CUP!
In F1 every race some1 gos to the podium,in the end some1 gets crowned WDC! I DIDNT SEE WEBBER JUMPING IN JOY FOR SEBS WDC! F1 teams have 2 cars 2 teams 2 drivers under 1 BRAND! SO forget the notion it's a team sport! I dont know anybody in their right mind going every week risking their lives,so their teammate can win! NONESENSE!!!!!!!!!!
Some sports where team mates take risks for their fellow team mates:-
Australian Touring Cars. Actually you can add just about all other team motor sports here. I posted a quote from a round of the ATC where the Vodafone team, explicitly told one driver to move over and let their other driver pass. It was done on TV, and the only comments from the media was why did it take them so long.
Another sport where teammates take big risks to help their other teammates win - ITF Taekwon-Do team sparring.
F1 apart from recent history - team orders were a total given. The example has been quoted here before of Fangio, who won a WDC by changing cars mid race. His car died, so the team called the other team car in, told the driver to get out and let Fangio take over.
I do actually understand your view, because you've explained that you have no interest in teams, just drivers. Nothing wrong with that, and it explains a lot.
But, you cannot deny that F1 is a team sport. Let me give you some information:-
This is from an official FiA press release from the 2007 Monaco GP. It arose from their investigations into McLaren as to whether they used team orders.
"The primary objective of any team is for one of their drivers to win. If this can be achieved they will try to ensure their other car finishes second."
Here is a quote from Ferrari's team boss Stefano Domenicali at the Bologna Motor Show yesterday.
"For us, Formula 1 is a team sport and we have always maintained that viewpoint and it should be treated as such."
Link
hereLastly, you raised the question about why would Ferrari bother to swap Fernando and Felipe at Germany, if Felipe was already in front?
It had nothing to do with Fernando or Felipe being #1 driver. It was because Ferrari were trying to ensure that they won the race. The circumstances as they saw them were that Felipe was first on track, Fernando was 2nd and right behind Felipe. Fernando showed he had more speed (perhaps because he could run a higher mixture, but he had done a better job of driving fast and conserving fuel, so he could run higher mixture). Sebastian was catching both Ferrari's. In the communications before being told "Fernando is faster than you" Felipe was urged to go faster and keep the gap. Unfortunately, on the harder tyres he couldn't do that at that track and time. So, Ferrari didn't favour Fernando, they were just ensuring they won the race. Somewhat like on a rugby field, if you have the ball and a defender is catching you as you run to the try line, if you have the option to pass to a teammate in a better position - well, you do it.
A lot of people don't want to accept that Ferrari apply team orders to win the race on the day, they prefer to portray it as promoting a #1 driver. Anyone that knows Ferrari's ethos will understand the truth of the matter. Every driver who comes to Ferrari is given a clear understanding, you drive for the team. The team comes first and foremost. Drivers that don't accept this either don't come or don't stay in the red car.