Ferrari fined $100,000 for using team orders

Ferrari's stunning 1-2 victory at Germany turned out to have a sour after taste as the team was handed a $100,000 fine by stewards for allegedly using team orders on track. The Scuderia caused outrage in Germany on Sunday when they ordered Felipe Massa to move aside, allowing Fernando Alonso to take the victory and the much-needed 25 points.

The stewards alleged that Ferrari brought disrepute with their use of team orders, which are banned. Race stewards claimed that Ferrari had contravened Article 39.1 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, which states that 'team orders which interfere with a race result are prohibited.' They were also charged with a breach of article 151c of the FIA International Sporting Code. The Scuderia, though, insisted that it was not a team order but rather a "driver decision". "We didn't give any instruction at all. I don't think anything wrong has been done, or regulation breached," communications director Luca Colajanni told the BBC. "As for the Stewards' decision, given after the race, in the interests of the sport, we have decided not to go through a procedure of appealing against it, confident that the World Council will know how to evaluate the overall facts correctly," said team boss Stefano Domenicali.

"Fernando was slightly quicker at that stage, and we informed the drivers." he added. Though the outcry will simmer and the next controversy will soon arrive to refocus attention, one half of the Ferrari garage will still know it is second class. This incident will definitely damage team harmony, attract discord and impinge on Massa's future performance and results. His morale will be at rock bottom after - apparently - learning that he is not allowed to beat Alonso in a straight fight.