Alonso still trying to put Ferrari team orders controversy behind him
Though the verdict regarding Ferrari’s team orders controversy was settled in court yesterday, Fernando Alonso of Ferrari is still facing criticism for his victory at the German Grand Prix. The Spanish driver was second behind Felipe Massa who was given a coded message over the radio to allow Alonso to pass, resulting in a one-two finish for Ferrari with Alonso in first place.
Ferrari was fined $100,000 for its offense and a huge controversy sparked regarding the legitimacy of team orders, with impassioned statements from critics on both sides of the argument. Yet Ferrari escaped further punishment, primarily because of Alonso’s validity as a contender for the championship title, and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) reluctance to interfere with his prospects.
Alonso, who is currently fifth in the Driver’s Championship, is determined to put the Hockenheim drama behind him and focus on obtaining crucial points at this weekend’s Grand Prix in Italy at Monza. “I think we were very concentrated on Monza already,” insists Alonso, according to BBC Sports. “We've already talked too much over the August break about the German incident.” The double-world champion was grilled with a series of questions alongside team-mate Felipe Massa regarding the team orders, and declared that while tired of the media circus surrounding the issue, he felt that FIA was in the right to investigate. “I'm happy to see that the FIA will try to go deep in the rules and try to clarify if there is anything that is not completely clear in the rules,” he said.
Meanwhile, Red-Bull’s Mark Webber offers an objective and realistic view on the situation. “When you go through it deeply, it's not easy to make a strong stance on this,” he reflects. “It wasn't an easy one for Ferrari because Felipe did not have that many points but maybe it was a bit early in the championship. If team orders are allowed, I don't think a huge amount changes. The teams will go to each venue with the same cars prepared and do everything they can to win the constructors' championships.”
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