Ferrari fined for giving outcome effecting orders
Ferrari was fined $100,000 yesterday for bringing the sport into disrepute by ordering Felipe Massa to move aside and let teammate Fernando Alonso win the German Formula One Grand Prix.
The matter has also been referred to the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council under Article 151c of its Sporting Code, which gives the governing body carte blanche to sanction Ferrari as it sees fit.
Massa told a post-race news conference he made the decision to allow Alonso through 18 laps from the end himself, saying he was struggling with his car's hard tyres.
However, radio traffic suggested a different story as Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley told the Brazilian: “OK, so, Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?...Good lad. Just stick with it now. Sorry.”
In the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, then Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello had to let Ferrari team mate Michael Schumacher win in a notorious incident that led to team orders being banned.
Source: Sport Business