Ferrari have been summoned to appear before Formula One's governing body the FIA on September 8 to answer charges of using team orders to manufacture a German Grand Prix win for Fernando Alonso.

The Italian F1 outfit have already been fined 100,000 dollars for breaching sporting regulations after Alonso was allowed by teammate Felipe Massa to pass 18 laps from the end in last month's race at Hockenheim.

Massa, despite leading from the start, was informed by Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley over the team's radio: "Ok, Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you have understood this message?"

Following the controversial move, Smedley was again on the radio apologising to Massa.

"Good lad - just stick with it now, sorry," said the Ferrari official.

Team orders were banned 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.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has insisted that there were no team orders at Hockenheim and that it was Massa's decision to let 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."

The Ferrari case will be heard at the FIA'S Paris headquarters by the World Motor Sports Council's disciplinary panel.

Although Ferrari insist they did nothing wrong, the Italian team's actions resulted in a huge backlash from the media and fans worldwide.