F1's harsh spotlight of the international media is shining on Ferrari and Fernando Alonso, but also the regulation prohibiting team orders.

In a frosty post-race press conference at Hockenheim, some reporters warned Spaniard Alonso he now risks winning a "dirty" championship, comparing his win at the hands of an illegal team order to his victory at Singapore in 2008.

"That's your opinion," the Ferrari driver told them.

Team orders, of course - dating back to the gentleman racer's days when number two drivers would pull into the pits to hand over their cars - are nothing new.

"This was just handled very badly," said Lotus' Mike Gascoyne.

And Ferrari's handling in Germany, with Felipe Massa ordered aside by way of a coded message from apologetic engineer Rob Smedley, fuelled the media's fire.

"I am glad that the media in the paddock are kind of like our police," remarked Alex Wurz.

But according to Spain's Marca sports daily, "the English press showed no mercy" for a driver who clashed so memorably with Lewis Hamilton back in 2007.

The Sunday Express called Alonso and Ferrari "dirty, thieving cheats", while even the milder Daily Telegraph admitted that the World Motor Sport Council could in theory disqualify the famous team from formula one at an August meeting.

"A suspension for a number of races is another possibility," said the Daily Mail.

Triple world champion Niki Lauda scolded Alonso for blatantly denying he had won the race thanks to a team order. The Independent newspaper said "nobody was fooled" by Alonso's argument that he wasn't aware of the fix.

"I've never heard a driver talk such bullshit. He has no character," said Austrian great Lauda.

Dr Helmut Marko, under fire for some recent decisions at Red Bull, revelled in the change of fortune.

"It is unbelievable how awkwardly they demonstrated who is their number one. The FIA must react with a drastic punishment," he is quoted by Blick.

The Swiss newspaper's correspondent agreed: "There are different ways for Alonso to return to the throne. Lying and cheating should not be one of them."

Even the usually partisan AS newspaper remarked: "Alonso deserved to win the German grand prix, but not like this. Domenicali has confirmed his true ineptitude by giving Massa obvious team orders that are prohibited by the rules."

Said Brazil's Folha de S.Paulo: "It was an insult to the sport."

Rio de Janeiro's Lance added: "We regret writing it, but from Massa it was a lack of courage."

Rubens Barrichello, whose move for Michael Schumacher in 2002 motivated the team order ban, said: "I will speak to Felipe myself. Nothing has changed at Ferrari.

"I think you can read my opinion better from my face," he stormily told Brazilian radio Jovem Pan.

Said French newspaper Liberation: "Ferrari is a team unlike another; when not undermined by political intrigue, they shoot themselves in the foot."

La Libre wondered how the FIA is going to react at the World Motor Sport Council: "Would Jean Todt dare punish his old team for a practice he applied himself? We honestly doubt it."

Another side of the story is what Renault's customer engine boss Fabric Lom described on Europe 1 radio as the "hypocrisy" of the current regulations.

Agreed Italy's Corriere dello Sport: "It is fair to recognise that the problem is in the regulations."

Rome daily Il Tempo said Ferrari "did the right thing in the wrong way", and Spain's El Mundo said the team order ban is "a regulation that penalises team interests".

Italy's Autosprint marvelled that Ferrari was "fined for teamwork!"

Said Britain's Telegraph: "Ferrari were caught and they must pay. But the rule is unenforceable. To pretend otherwise is deluded."

Mercedes' Norbert Haug does not quite agree: "We need to think of the spectators. They want to see fights on the track, not these actions.

"The different teams have different attitudes about team orders."

To the Spanish press, Alonso argued: "The ones who pay us are the team, not the newspapers or anyone else, and now Ferrari is taking 43 points back to Italy.

"And that is what we have to do -- what is best for the team. On Friday I was faster, I was second in qualifying and faster than Felipe in the race. I don't think the slower driver won this race," he added.

 

Hmm I'm surprised anyone would be cool with team orders like this. I understand that Ferrari would want to give Alonso every opportunity to win the title at this point, but they were going to win those constructors points either way. Aside from the extra $80,000,000 that Bernie gives Ferrari over every other team that wins the WCC, it should be the fans that count to the F1 teams in a case like this, not the money.

Team orders ruins the reputation of Formula 1 for the fans. If it looks like the races are fixed, nobody will want to watch.

 

i'm siding with the argument that alonso needs to find his own way around massa OR hello?! try getting off to a good start, its how many races in a row that hes blown the start?

 

Alonso should have his points taken away. Both Ferrari's for that matter.

 

Team orders are part of F1. If the organizers want to get serious about it, they can limit teams to 1 car or allow some variation of "customer" cars such that no 2 drivers answer to the same boss.

I have no problem with this, and agree with the view on some of the Spanish TV I saw: people are upset, but if Alonso loses the title by 1 or 2 or 3 points at the end of the year, the same people complaining now will be saying that Ferrari should have let Alonso pass at Hockenheim.

 

If he wins by a point or two, that wouldn't be fair either. If he was the better driver at Hockenheim, he would've found a way past Massa on his own. Plain and simple.

 

Alonso just isn't the daring driver he used to be. I suspect his protruding eyebrow is starting to blur his racing line...

 

I use to be a fan of Alonso, as well as Schumacher before they each joined Ferrari, I am seeing a trend here and its extremely distateful, FIA obvious preferenial treatment over the years is aslo sickening.

I do enjoy what Niki Lauda had to say "nobody was fooled, I've never heard a driver talk such bullshit. He has no character".

I am also surprised at Alonso's he replied "That's your opinion," to reporters when warned he was risking winning a "dirty" championship. What arrogance.

More good comments....

"This was just handled very badly," said Lotus' Mike Gascoyne.

"dirty, thieving cheats" - The Sunday Express

A Swiss newspaper's correspondent "There are different ways for Alonso to return to the throne. Lying and cheating should not be one of them."

"It was an insult to the sport." Brazil's Folha de S.Paulo

I am sure public opinion will have some effect on the outcome of the investigation.

 

You guys have said everything already in both threads. I look forward to/expect a more severe punishment.

 

Team orders are everywhere, anytime......
YouTube - Hamilton vs Button - Turkish gp 2010