Following the blatant team orders and race-fixing in today’s German Grand Prix, Ferrari have been fined $100,000 for breaking the Sporting Regulations.
I am in disbelief that while the FIA find that Ferrari are guilty of deciding the winner of the Grand Prix, they have still allowed the result to stand. If it was my decision I would have not just disqualified Fernando Alonso, but Felipe Massa as well. While this is very harsh, it would stop Ferrari from scoring any points in the race and most certainly deter them from doing it ever again.
While I can fully understand why Ferrari have done it, it still doesn’t make it right. What they have done today is stop racing, made the Grand Prix a procession. We watch Formula 1 for the on-track battles and overtaking, they have robbed Massa fans, they have brought our sport into disrepute. There is no greater crime than you can commit when motor racing.
Team orders are in Formula 1 all the time, but for Ferrari to do this so obviously, so blatantly and try and pretend to be innocent is disgusting. It was purely uncomfortable to see Stefano Domenicali drag Felipe Massa up to the top step of the podium and get him to join in the podium celebrations. Massa was also given the Bridgestone podium cap marked with “1st” and was wearing it during the press conference! It was so obvious it even seemed arrogant.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Felipe Massa is told by his countryman Rubens Barrichello to get out ASAP, with Barrichello himself being on the wrong end of preferential treatment at the Italian team. I wonder now if this will open the door for Massa to head to Renault. That’s something to consider!
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Jack Sargeant is the editor-in-chief and designer of An F1 Blog. Follow him on 
Your article is a little harsh, surely? It all depends on what penalties the rules allow the stewards to apply at race meetings, and it’s been referred to the WMC, who have happily stripped points away from drivers and teams in the past. The rules specify the offences for which drivers/teams can be penalised and also the penalties they can apply for them – and I’m pretty sure that although you would have happily disqualified them at the drop of a hat, the stewards are most likely prohibited from doing it so that snap judgements cannot be made in error.
A very good point Elly. Lets just hope action is taken at the WMC. I’m not criticising the stewards so much as Ferrari management.
Absolutely, I in no way condone what Ferrari, Massa or Alonso did today, but there’s a lot of “jumping” going on that the fine wasn’t harsh enough, but no-one has looked at the rules and stated what the min/max penalties are that the stewards are allowed to apply for that event. I have no idea where to find the rules myself and I’m hoping someone more knowledgeable will be able to quote from them soon.
As per usual Ferrari get away with it. If that had been Mclaren then they would have been striped of points and position. God forbid they do anything other than fine them, like that is going to hurt.
If it had been one of the other teams who are going for the championship then Ferrari would be the first to complain!
Massa is a Ferrari man through and through. He’ll stick with the team and it’s the best team he’ll get. I think Massa was anything but arrogant today when he accepted the number 2 role in the team…
I didn’t mean Massa was arrogant! Of course not! I meant Ferrari management were arrogant in making no attempt to cover up the team orders whatsoever.
Oh sorry Jack! I misread that. It’s been a long day esp for us Massa fans :p Massa ftw in Hungary or Buemi of course
Haha indeed! Buemi wins in Hungary with Massa close 2nd. Suits me
I really like Massa and what Ferrari did was not only cruel to Massa but it was cruel to the sport. I know circumstances are different but was it not McLaren were given a £100m fine for putting the sport into disrepute? in this instance, a fine is not adequate, there must be a penalty where either alonso loses his win, or Ferrari have their constructor points taken off them. A penalty only consisting of a fine would be dreadful for the sport, especially when it’s only 100k, which is just change for ferrari!
Hmm. The way I see it, $100k is a pretty substantial fine. But essentially that’s pocket money for teams like this. So they don’t mind ‘spending’ that money in order for them to have the ‘right driver win the race’. Perhaps a zero cash penalty, and a full points penalty would be much better.
Perhaps the drivers themselves could take no penalty, but Ferrari could cop a constructor’s disqualification?
I was intrigued by what the commentators had to say. A number of times I heard the phrase, “I don’t know what’s in the contract,” which leads me to believe that after Alonso’s spat with McLaren and Hamilton, his legal team made sure he would always be negotiated in the number 1 spot, rather than allowing for an open-team, like the Silver cars have.
Although, this doesn’t always work, as we saw open racing turn into chaos earlier this year between the Red Bulls, which has led media to speculate that more may be going on there than actually is.
The question I think that needs asking is, would you feel satisfied if your teammate had handed you victory? I’d feel robbed. That’s not an achievement. You’d have to be an immoral sack of cheatbag to smile and be proud of yourself after a farce like that.
That’s why I’m sick of Fernando.
They should be disqualified from the championship.
how is ‘team orders’ different than ‘saving fuel mode’ or ‘reving down’ an engine or ‘switching wings’ for the same purpose?
“They should be disqualified from the championship.”
It’s Ferrari, it won’t happen and it would ruin part of the appeal of this year’s fight. Mclaren only were for a spy scandal, this is nowhere near as bad.
I’m Sorry, while I detest that Massa had to move over, I’m frankly surprised at the resultant outrage, it’s all the more funny when McLaren comes out with their “We Dont Do Team Orders” Bit. Staunch McLaren fan that I am, I cant overlook Australia 98 or Heikki constantly having to deal with the worse strategy which invariably put him behind Hamilton. I can Understand why Button and Hamilton are going on – they’re trying to lay the groundwork so as to make sure that they can race if things get down to the wire between them, but Whitmarsh really has me confused. While Ferrari could’ve handled the situation better (Pre-race “Gentlemans Agreement” Anyone?) , I cannot in good conscience jump on the bandwagon to criticize them.
Team orders have been a part of F1 forever, and will continue to be… rule or no rule. Is everyone new to the sport? I watched McLaren ‘tweak’ the cars of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna from pit lane via telemetry to dictate winner and second place. Wake up and get over it. The Ferrari’s were the fastest 2 cars at Hockenheim period. The move should have been done in a more discreet fashion, and I am sure Will be given a similar situation in the future.
Title sums it all up.Alonso is a tarnish on this sport and Massa should have had some balls and told Ferrari to stick it where the sun don’t shine like a real Top driver would have.Seamus unlike 1998 Team Orders were not banned,yet again Ferrari’s best friends make sure they get away with it,Ferrari really are a disgrace and should be ashamed of themselves.They Should be thrown out of the 2010 Season and Alonso has now ruined 3 teams because he hates a teammate who can challenge him and is scared of the competition.
….you clearly do not know what your on about