Sauber decision to defend Ferrari revealed
Formula One team BMW Sauber-Ferrari has revealed that its decision to submit a supporting letter to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) last week regarding Ferrari’s team orders hearing
was out of the interests of F1 and not Ferrari. Sauber emphasized a revising of the rules to avoid further controversial situations, preferably adopting a more liberal stance on their usage.
The team, who argued in favour of Ferrari along with Williams, insisted that its move was motivated by the need to clarify the status of team orders, not from a sense of loyalty. Sauber has enjoyed a flourishing
relationship with Ferrari, using their engines for the 2010 season, as well as from 1997-2005.
Ferrari attended the hearing last week, and escaped further punishment for its controversial team orders violation at the German Grand Prix when Felipe Massa was radioed a thinly coded message to surrender
his lead to team-mate Fernando Alonso. The move resulted in a $100,000 fine issued by Hockenheim stewards, and the FIA made the final decision to refrain from further punishment.
Critics became furious at Ferrari for the move, claiming that Massa was robbed of a well-deserved win, and accused the team of taking away the integrity and unpredictability of F1. Others countered this
view, stating that team orders have always been an integral part of team strategy and cannot be eradicated completely.
Regarding the initial decision to send the letter, autosport.com reported Sauber managing director Monisha Kaltenborn as stating, “We certainly discussed the matter, because it was a matter that was debated
in the paddock, and we felt that it could be seen as an opportunity to give an impetus to the FIA to review this rule and to look at its interpretation, see if it's still correct, and maybe clarify it. That was the main intention, and we felt that with this
question being raised like this, we would have the opportunity to do so.”
Kaltenborn added, “We also did not write it in name or in favour of Ferrari. We wrote it as an interested party to the whole matter, because it is a matter that we feel concerns us all.”
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