On the race that marked a year since Felipe Massa’s horrendous crash at hungry last year, there has been huge controversy. The controversy has been caused by Ferrari telling Felipe Massa that his team mate Fernando Alonso is faster than him. The team then asked Felipe Massa to confirm what they meant, this rang alarm bells. A lap later Felipe Massa came out of turn 6 very slow and let Alonso past.
Rob Smedley (Felipe Massa’s race engineer) then came on the radio and apologized, this rang more alarm bells. After the race there were many questions being asked and in the press conference and when Felipe Massa was asked what happened at turn 6 he replied “I think you understand what happened” he was then asked what the team radio meant, he replied “ I think you understand that to” .
Later on in the press conference the questions got quite nasty. Sebastian Vettel asked half way through if he could leave because it seemed no one was going to ask him a question, every one said fine and he actually left. After the press conference had finished the team where summoned to the stewards for investigation. After the team principal Steffano Domenicali had been released be the stewards Ferrari had their own press conference and during that
conference the drivers and Rob Smedley were summoned to the stewards for investigation. After they were released the stewards took a lot of time considering what they were going to do about Ferrari obviously breaking the Rules.
The steward have now announced Ferrari has been fined $100,000 (£65,000) by Formula 1 governing body the FIA for the use of team orders and bringing the sport into disrepute at Hockenheim this afternoon. At present, the results of the race remain unchanged although the matter has now been referred to the World Motorsport Council (WMSC).
In formula 1 team orders are BANNED. They have been banned since 2003 when there was huge out cry when Rubes Barichelo let his team mate Michel Schmacher past in the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix.
