F1: Ferrari escape points deductions
Only fine upheld in 'team orders' case
08 September, 18:29
(ANSA) - Paris, September 8 - Ferrari escaped without any
points deductions Wednesday when motorsport's governing body the
International Automobile Federation (FIA) made its final ruling
on a 'team orders' case in which Felipe Massa let Fernando
Alonso past him in the German Grand Prix on July 25.The FIA only confirmed a $100,000 fine for the breach of regulations.
Ferrari's two-time world champ Alonso won the race after his Brazilian teammate Massa let him past to take the lead on the 50th of the 67 laps.
It was a logical move as Massa was eighth in the standings with little chance of claiming the championship, while victory enabled fifth-placed Spaniard Alonso to take his tally up to 123 points and pull within 34 of McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth.
But it broke the sport's rules, which say even teammates must do their utmost to beat each other, so stewards fined Ferrari $100,000 and referred the incident to the FIA.
Further penalties including points deductions from drivers and the team were feared at Wednesday's hearing.
The FIA also agreed Wednesday to take another look at its regulations concerning team orders.
The episode has been compared to the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, where Brazilian Rubens Barrichello was told to let Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher win, which led to the ban on team orders.
After a series of up-and-down results Alonso is still fifth in the standings but now 41 points behind leader Hamilton. In the constructors championship Ferrari is third, 80 points behind Red Bull and 79 adrift of McLaren.
