Ferrari comes out unhurt
Ferrari has come out safe and unhurt from the controversy of team ordering.
Rather the team had made FIA rethink its law of team ordering, which bans all teams from making any strategy that might alter or influence the results of a race.
Ferrari was accused at the German GP team of team orders as the team supported one of its drivers, Fernando Alonso for winning the race while its other driver, Felipe Massa silently moved aside facilitating his teammate.
After months of stress and anxiety the team went this Wednesday for the final hearing of the issue in Paris. Formula One's governing body, World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) declared that the team would not be signed with any further sanctions or penalties for breaching the rule of team ordering and manipulating the race results at the German Grand Prix held this July.
As the race ended the team was handed with a fine of $100,000, on July 25, by the German race stewards while the case was forwarded to WMSC for additional investigation.
The team was accused after its driver, Felipe Massa handed his first position of the race to his team mate, and Fernando Alonso in one of the most clear and evident acts of team ordering to have ever taken place in the sport.
Massa stayed in front almost all through the Hockenheim track but as the race reached its final laps he received a message on his car radio telling him that Alonso was faster than him. After which he moved aside letting his team mate pass by, thus handing his victory to Alonso, still giving the team a one two finish, but a bitter sweet one.
The Ferrari team boss, Stefano Domenicali and several lawyers of the team were present at the proceeding of the case yesterday.
Domenicali has stood firm on his statement that the team had not imposed anything on Massa at the German race. Despite the fact that the recordings of the message are available that clearly reveal Rob Smedley, the race engineer of Massa telling him at the 49th lap that, “Alonso was faster than him” following which, Massa slowed down.
The radio message was very clear evidence of the instructions given to the Brazilian driver to let his teammate pass on.
However, when Massa was questioned regarding the message he plainly stated, "In my opinion this was not a case of team orders, my engineer kept me constantly informed on what was going on behind me, especially when I was struggling a bit on the hard tires," he went on to say, "So I decided to do the best thing for the team".
The entire incident had yet again proved the supremacy of Ferrari at Formula One as nobody could have imagined that the team would be able to escape from the entire issue so lightly.
Keeping the entire matter and previous acts of the team in mind, there were speculations that council might strip one or both the Ferrari drivers of their first and second place podium finish at Germany.
While as per some of the analysts it was suspected that the team would keep their victory rather they would be further imposed with fines.
However, as the three-hour hearing ending Sticchi Damiani spoke to media saying that the council had planned to look deeply at the rule of banning team orders, which should either be nullified or amended.
It is strange but true, the team had come out free of all the charges despite the fact that the rule was actually made in 2002 because of the same team as they followed team orders then as well and now the rule is to be eliminated as they breached the rule yet again.
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