Hockenheim (Germany), July 25: Ferrari have been summoned by race stewards at Hockenheim to explain Fernando Alonso’s controversial win in Sunday's German Grand Prix.
Alonso went on to win, with Felipe Massa taking second. Ferrari have denied ordering Massa, who was leading the race, to slow down and allow his teammate Alonso to overtake on lap 49. Ferrari’s communications director Luca Colajanni described the tactic as “a driver decision”.
“We didn’t give any instruction at all. I don’t think anything wrong has been done, or regulation breached.” Colajanni added: “Fernando was slightly quicker at that stage, and we informed the drivers.”
Team orders were banned by Formula One’s governing body the FIA eight years ago after the infamous incident at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix when Ferrari instructed race leader Rubens Barrichello to pull over and allow Michael Schumacher to pass and win the race.
However, Alonso’s win not only revitalised his bid for a third world title, it also crushed his Ferrari team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa’s hopes of victory.
He was told to move over as ‘Fernando is faster’ in a message that signalled he had to let him pass — reviving the old arguments about team orders in Formula One. Alonso proved his pedigree with a strong drive, withstanding third-placed Sebastian Vettel’s attack at the start before being gifted the lead in the closing stages when Massa was virtually told to concede the leading position.
Meanwhile, for only the second time this season, Force India returned empty handed as Vitantonio Liuzzi and Adrian Sutil finished the German Grand Prix at the 16th and 17th place.
The result also snapped Force India and Sutil’s point-spree of the last six races.
Points eluded Liuzzi for the third time but he had the satisfaction of moving six places up.
Force India’s race was compromised in Saturday’s qualifying with Liuzzi crashed out after an accident and Sutil was handed a five place penalty for changing gearbox between FP3 and qualifying.