Ferrari fined, German result stands
Ferrari were fined 100,000 dollars today for breaching sporting regulations at the German Grand Prix where their victory was overshadowed by allegations of using team orders.
The sports governing body the FIA said the result, which saw Fernando Alonso take victory after teammate Felipe Massa allowed him to pass, would stand.
However, the team will be summoned to appear before the FIA's world council at a date to be set.
The Italian stable denied ordering Massa, who was leading the race, to slow down and allow Alonso to overtake on lap 49.
Team orders were banned by the FIA eight years ago after the infamous incident at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix when Ferrari instructed race leader Rubens Barrichello to pull over and allow Michael Schumacher to pass and win the race.
Today, Massa was effectively ordered by race engineer Rob Smedley to let Alonso through as the Spaniard was the quicker driver.
"Ok, Fernando is faster than you," said Smedley. "Can you confirm you have understood this message?"
Massa reacted by letting Alonso pass him on the exit of turn six with only 18 laps remaining.
Following the controversial move, Smedley was again on the radio apologising to Massa.
"Good lad - just stick with it now, sorry," he said.
Ferrari went on to secure the one-two victory.
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali insisted that there were no team orders and that it was Massa's decision to let two-time world champion Alonso past.
"We gave information to the driver and it was his decision to decide how to react" he said.
Domenicali added that Smedley's apology was simply due to the fact that Massa's car was not as fast as Alonso's.
"You have to consider that fact that he gave the information to Felipe to help him, and was sorry that his car was not as fast."
Massa clearly upset by the incident, bit his tongue and claimed that it was his decision.
"I didn't have a good pace on the hard tyres and Fernando was quicker," he said. "It was my decision.
"You always need to know that we are working for the team and there were no team orders in the race. I made the decision because Fernando was faster than me."
Alonso said there were no team orders, but admitted that he was surprised to see Massa slow down and claimed he thought it was due to a gear problem.
"There are no team orders," said Alonso.
"I was suprised when I saw Felipe having a problem - I thought it was a gear problem but after hearing Felipe, he was struggling with the hard tyres."
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D. Farrugia
Jul 26th 2010, 23:10
The same British website continues to demonstrate past incidents where team orders were delivered-and surprise surprise-the first 2 instances show a team which was caught in the largest ever scandal in F1 - illegally using Ferrari's technological data in a desperate attempt to try and copy their technology:
Jerez 1997: McLaren order David Coulthard to let Mika Hakkinen past to win
Australia 1998: McLaren order Coulthard to let Hakkinen past to win
Belgium 1998: Jordan order Ralf Schumacher not to race Damon Hill for the lead
Austria 2002: Ferrari order Rubens Barrichello to let Michael Schumacher past to win
Monaco 2007: McLaren order Lewis Hamilton not to challenge Fernando Alonso for the race win
Brazil 2007: Ferrari manipulate Felipe Massa's pit stop to put Kimi Raikkonen into the lead so he can win the world title
Germany 2008: Heikki Kovalainen lets McLaren team-mate Hamilton through so he can win the race following an error in team tactics
Singapore 2008: Renault order Nelson Piquet to crash to cause a safety car period that helps Alonso win
China 2008: Raikkonen hands Massa second place behind Hamilton so he is in a better championship position heading into the final race
Adam Calleja Urry
Jul 27th 2010, 09:24
@D.Farrugia, again your are missing the point. Team Orders were banned after Barichello let Schumi pass him on the pit straight! Which means that Incidents before that were technically legal. I never condoned team orders, I would have equally been disgusted had this been between Hamilton and Button. But it wasn't, there's a big difference when in the last race your team mate has no chance of securing the world title allows you to pass, there are generally no team orders done there just a common understanding between drivers with the knowledge that one day the favour might be returned, as Kimi did to Massa.
I nearly spilt my coffee when you referred to the biggest F1 scandal in History. You mean biggest conspiracy! I'm sure that if you watch and follow F1 you know that nearly all teams copy everything one does. Diffuser comes to mind. How did everyone start to have a diffuser after Brawns was deemed legal? F-Duct? Shark Wing? Ever seen the drivers stare at one eachothers car trying to see their setup??
Perhaps you should think of those little details before coming up with such a remark.
D. Farrugia
Jul 26th 2010, 23:07
@ Adam Calleja Urry and all anti-Ferrari 'supporters' : POST 1
Your jealousy is downright funny. The way you are so biased to say that only Ferrari do these things says it all - you cannot be taken for seriously. To prove my point I am going to refer you to a BBC article, in which Ferrari President called everyone who attacked Ferrari for yesterday's dominance on the track as hypocrites, and he is obviously right, because a move such as Massa's has always been happening.
Read the article yourselves: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8856761.stm
Chris.Borg
Jul 26th 2010, 21:35
In view of what happened in yesterday`s German Grand Prix, I am of the opinion that the actions by Ferrari were totally out of order to say the least.....Intolerable, Despicable, and Diabolical!!
http://pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_feature_item.php?fes_action=&fes_art_id=41583&fes_page=2
This sums it up.
david calleja
Jul 26th 2010, 20:21
@Maurice Aquilina Clearly we're watching different races - if you haven't seen any overtakes on top drivers so far, either your definition of a top driver is different to the rest of us - or you're so disappointed that the only overtakes Alonso can make is on his own team mate (as ordered) - that you can't see the woods for the proverbial trees!! Regarding the now so passe remarks re Glock - if you're so sure of what you're saying - I dare you to write a signed letter to Timo Glock and repeat what you insinuated here - that he was bribed to let Lewis overtake him. Yesterday the whole world heard a subdued Smedley tell massa that Alonso was the fastest on the track.. repeated twice for good measure - and you only had to look at Massa's face and hear his comments... but you won't will you... change the badge to prancing donkeys why don't you - same old same old!!
dvella
Jul 26th 2010, 14:00
Formula 1!! What a banal expensive Sport!!!!! No wonder it's losing interest with the speed of a formula 1 car!!!
Adam Calleja Urry
Jul 26th 2010, 11:08
Dear Mr.Grillo, I don't know whether to laugh or cry after reading your comment.
What happened yesterday was disgusting but lets say not surprising in the least bit. It was Ferrari afterall. Without the stupid decision yesterday, both Ferrari drivers would have still finished 1-2. But Instead the 'double' world champion yet again Moaned his way past it. Massa defended beautifully, overtook and shot into first place before the first corner. If Alonso was faster, he should have had no problem in overtaking him, thats what the real drivers do Mr.Grillo, thats what Hamilton/Button/Vettel/Webber have been doing all season. You're in it to win!
The rules are clear, what happened yesterday was illegal, and Ferrari got a slap on the wrist.
But instead, Ferrari treat their driver who this time last year was fighting for his life please note like rubbish..and to the very intelligent posters saying there is no F1 without Ferrari...give us all a break...No team is bigger than any sport...if they leave its good riddance to bad rubbish!
Maurice Aquilina
Jul 26th 2010, 13:38
@Adam
No need to say much really..
'If Alonso was faster, he should have had no problem in overtaking him'... shows your true understanding of the sport.
' thats what Hamilton/Button/Vettel/Webber have been doing all season'... are you serious?? have you watched a single race this season? Name the overtakes they did on top drivers. You would be lucky to mention 6... in total.
'The rules are clear': No team can instruct a driver to give up his position. Prove it. You can't? Thats what lawyers are for. Prove Glock was not paid to let Hamilton pass in the last corner of the last lap of the last race of 2008. I can't prove that.. should I blame? NO
Finally you are right about one thing:
'No team is bigger than any sport'... and I add../ 'No driver is bigger than his team'
THE END! :)
Adam Calleja Urry
Jul 26th 2010, 15:09
@Maurice Its your lack of knowledge which bemuses me actually, Alonso was faster, attempted a move on Massa and Failed. Twice. Instead of trying again, he threw his toys out of his pram and the 'Team' - if you can call it one, told Massa to bend over. Some World Champion!
Clearly one of us has been watching a different set of motorsport this year. Agreed that there are races which are a bit procession-like and overtaking is hard....but perhaps you missed the Turkish GP and Canadian GP (2 off the top of my head) where positions between Button/Hamilton in Turkey were swapped twice (no team orders there) and you're forgetting the intra-team battle going on at Red Bull between Webber and Vettel.
Instead we have people like Domenicali saying Massa missed three gears and Alonso didn't know what was happening! Please!
One last thing, I'm sure you or any other driver would find it easy to drive in the downpour in Brazil on Slicks the way Glock did, if you even bothered to check that day Trulli his teammate, further down the grid, had identical lap times... Thats the End. :)
Maurice Aquilina
Jul 26th 2010, 19:16
@Adam, you just proved you have no idea what F1 racing is all about.... Alonso took two takes on Massa? The two takes on Massa where actually one and the same action prolonged over a series of corners where Alonso took advantage of backmarkers to get close to Massa and take advantage of an aerodynamic tow. Is that your idea of an F1 overtake? Using backmarkers?? Once Massa defended that, Alonso could not ever get closer because of turbulence created by the preceding car. Only if you are over a second faster can you attempt a real overtake and you cannot be a second faster than a car the same as yours! As to your lots of overtakes this season, you havent actually arrived to the 6 I asked, mentioning Hamilton and Button in Turkey and the wonderful spectacle Vettel and Webber gave when they crashed into each other. Wow that was so amazing! What a spectacle! I agree with you that the excuses given by Ferrari are unreal. They should learn from McLaren and disguise them as 'Running low on Fuel, keep your position, do not attack'. Domenicali will take note of that one.
Adam Calleja Urry
Jul 26th 2010, 20:27
I'm afraid you've got it wrong again Maurice. Every corner is an oppurtunity for an overtake regardless if its prolonged or not! Cars have swapped positions five or six times in the same lap! (Massa and Kubica in Japan 07) Thats just an example people might actually remember. I just mentioned the top six drivers, Schumacher has been overtaken at least three times every race so you've got more than enough there! You're correct about turbulent air but once a driver as was described by Ferrari was 'Much' quicker than Massa...he should have....he infact did....get into his slipstream and attempt to overtake. This is done every weekend I dont know why you're finding all the excuses in the world to back it up. Quick note on the McLaren running low on fuel....thats true....but both drivers overtook each other (Button on Hamilton for P1 and Lewis again on Button) no team orders there....thats what racing is all about...not moving over and letting him past...but then again what do I know about real racing correct? I'm no double world winning champion am I? =)
Joseph Aquilina
Jul 26th 2010, 08:37
Yesterday actions meant that Ferrari FIXED the race! It also stole a potential show from all those who bought the ticket to watch the race and those who watched the race on TV (maybe paying SKY, or some other service provider)! The FIA should not let Ferrari skotch free and should show to the world who is the real boss of the sports. Ferrari already showed how scared they are by not appealing the FIA decision ... if they where so sure they did not break the rules then they would have definitly appealed the fine, but I guess when facing the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) for breaking Article 151c of the regulations, Ferrari stops being so much of a bully!!
Charles Grima
Jul 26th 2010, 12:10
You seem to have forgotten two races ago when Button was challenging Hamilton for the win... and from the McLaren box came the coded message. 'Running low on Fuel' to Jenson.
Ah...people do it differently. I agree that Massa should have done it differently, but the end result would have been the same.
All in all though, people talking about no team orders are nothing but hypocrites.
What would McLaren do if Hamilton was second and he needed to win the race for the Championship? Would they let Button win?
You believe that?
If you do I thought people were more sensible!!!
Imagine the stands without Ferrari fans!!! F1 is nothing without the REDS!
John Gatt
Jul 26th 2010, 08:35
Oh look!! The ferraristi has came out again of the woodwork!! i thought you didn't like F1 anymore....!!!!
J Camilleri
Jul 26th 2010, 08:23
Well both Ferrari supporters here are trrying to makr like with like but it seems that even to Alonso last race was given the advantage like hamilton but did not capitalize from it.
Well the double dealing with Ferrari are legendgry to say the least and this was conformed by Mosley him self when he exposed the money deal made nehond the all the other teams.
Massa is paying the price for the renewed contract but this he has to accept that with Alonso on his side he will never have the chance to win a world champion ship.
as for the result that is still has to seen by the world motor council.
This is the true performance of Ferrari without the help of of the greater gods in FIA like few years back and they have to accept it.
Congrats to them to have made a good race last weekend but no guarantee for the coming once and that is how it should be.
Ferrari have turned the page when they changed all the top managment staff these last 2 years and try to distance them self form all the dirty deal have made in the past.
E Apap
Jul 26th 2010, 07:47
@ H Grech
Yesterdays race brings back memories of all the dirty,low tricks Schumacher used when he was a Ferrari driver. Ferrari's motto is Win at all costs, even if you have to hit your own driver below the belt!! Shame. It just goes to show that money rules this sport too!
R. Caruana
Jul 26th 2010, 08:02
At least Ferrari do team orders with little or no coverup, unlike other teams. When Red Bull hinted to Webber to let Vettel pass a few races ago the two clashed and both ended losers. So much so that during the previous race Webber let himself go with 'Not bad for a No.2 Driver' as he passed the finishing line! This is really food for thought.
Maurice Aquilina
Jul 26th 2010, 08:56
'Ferrari try to win at all costs' ... i like that motto! :)
Having said that I prefer for Ferrari to manage its own team and drivers and issue rules which would put the team in the best advantage...
rather than having the FIA do that... by sparing Hamilton time after time, real penalties which mean nothing. I wonder where all of you were when Hamilton got away with zig-zagging dangerously on the main straight, or overtaking a safetycar!
...not to mention that he won his only championship by one point... in a season in which a race was fixed (Nelson Piquet being told to crash to favour Alonso). If the results of that race were adjusted excluding Alonso and promoting Massa one position.. Massa would have won the championship and McLaren would have won nothing for the past 11 years... what about that for favourism???
H.Grech
Jul 26th 2010, 09:15
I agree with you that Schumacher is not a saint in heaven but your reply brings to my mind other things. Firstly please remember that the unassailiable record of 4 consecutive constructors' title obtained by the great McLaren Honda (because it was a great car!) has been wiped out by Scuderia Ferrari 1999 - 2004. Secondly, Ferrari are condemned to win. In F1 the satisfaction is to beat Ferrari because they are the symbol of F1. Thirdly, I repeat it for the umpteenth time, without Ferrari, F1 will go bankcrupt, just ask Bernie!
Chris Borg
Jul 26th 2010, 06:47
To all envious anti Ferrari fans: without Ferrari there's no F1. Just lick your wounds and accept the fact that today the Ferraris were the best cars on the track... and Fernando was faster than Felipe. Very simple!
I agree that the Ferraris were the faster cars at the German Grand Prix, but if Fernando was faster then Massa how come Alonso was not able to pull an overtake move on him and had to wait for Massa to move over.....Food for though, very simple indeed!
H.Grech
Jul 26th 2010, 09:06
I think you're not well acquainted with F1. With the introduction of spoilers, the coca-cola shape (if you know what it is!) wings and winglets, front and rear diffusers and other body updates, F1 engineers have developed aerodynamics, upforce, downforce and air turbulance. In a normal situation, where a faster car overtakes a slower car, the faster car takes the slipstream of the car in front of it , gains speed and overtakes it. When two cars are performing almost equally, the car in front create air turbulence which the car behind cannot eliminate and begins to vibrate, sometimes violently as well. Moreover, the second car suffers extreme tyre ware or blistering, oil, gare box and engine temperatures rise dramatically risking breakdown.
john borg
Jul 26th 2010, 10:34
well said h grech, it was difficult for alonso to overtake massa, like it was difficult in the silverstone gp when dealing with kubica, are clear examples of what you explained. if there were no rules it would have been fine, but there are rules!!!!
H. Grech
Jul 25th 2010, 21:47
To all envious anti Ferrari fans: without Ferrari there's no F1. Just lick your wounds and accept the fact that today the Ferraris were the best cars on the track... and Fernando was faster than Felipe. Very simple!
Chris Grillo
Jul 26th 2010, 07:06
Well said mate! Hallihom ha jeqirdu...
Immaginaw is-sitwazzjoni. Button 1st , Hamilton 2nd. U jekk jirbah Hamilton jiehu ic-Championship...u Button ma jkollux cans. Ejja ma jkun HADD ipokrita... ghax din hija regola assurda u ipokrita.
Tahsbu li jibqghu hekk il posizzjonijiet? Tahsbu veru? Jekk iva, ghandkom skorfina nieqsa!
Minghajr Ferrari, il F1 tmut mewta hesrem....
Chris Grillo
Jul 25th 2010, 21:12
Who cares about the fine? Ferrari won 1st and 2nd, that's what counts. This has already been done by Button(MacLadren) and Webber(Red Bullsh) in turkey.
If FIA do not want this rule, then the Team championship is to be abolished. Other squads should mind their own business. If Hamilton, by passing his team mate would win the championship, I am sure that somehow it would come to pass too. din KRETINATA!
Alonso was faster throughout, and is still in with a chance at the championship...
McLadren better look at the advantages given to them in the last races!!! A penalty for Hamilton given after 12 laps in which he managed to obtain an unassailable advantage!
Kemm ma niflahx ghal qrid taghkom...
N Cremona
Jul 25th 2010, 19:45
Ferrari will always be Ferrari.They will ever try to win whatever the cost.