Lotus boss Mike Gascoyne technique could not believe his eyes when Felipe Massa at Hockenheim after the hairpin curve on the gas, went to his Ferrari team-mate Fernando Alonso to leave the leadership. Gascoyne also felt Spielberg in 2002 and recalls Jean Todt’s famous radio message, “Rubens, let Michael pass for the championship.” But Gascoyne was less shocked by the new stable government, but more than the obvious way.

“What happened in 2002 was more than obvious, but that was no less clear, except that it has not happened before the finish. One would think that Ferrari has learned from it, but they have not done so obvious,” Gascoyne said to ‘BBC Sport’. Ferrari won the 2002 a fine of $ 500,000 aufgebrummt and provided with the then maneuvers that the stable direction is simply prohibited.

“We had already grinning. I think it has made on the pit wall for amusement. Because we knew what the waves will strike,” admits Gascoyne. “I think we all do that. But perhaps not so obvious and not at this stage of the season.”

Gascoyne points out that other teams have their drivers go against each other and gives the example of the duel of the two McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in Turkey. “Teams like McLaren and Williams have always admitted, and therefore also lost track,” he explains.

“Ferrari has always regarded the matter as a team and makes the more cynical, too. But they should make it easy to skilful much,” marvels Gascoyne. “We have all the code words and we all make decisions on the pit wall – but we imagine it just not so stupid.”

“There are stable government and we must accept that they exist on. It has only been handled extremely poorly,” he says of the Ferrari Action at Hockenheim. It shows quite understand that the Scuderia will focus on one driver, even if it raises the question of whether this should be so early in the season of the case.

“Of course, comes during the season, the point at which you prefer a driver must be because he has the best chance of winning the title. We must do what is best for the team,” said Gascoyne. “In this case they would have fetched this way or that a double victory. But is now the right time to have been?”

For the Lotus chief technology the situation is clear: F1 is a team sport and the interests of the team are in the foreground. But if you apply to already banned team orders, then you should do “much smarter than they have done it. It is clear that the fans feel cheated when you make it so – that was just ridiculous.”

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Sakon Yamamoto looks set to retain his race seat at HRT for now.

The Japanese, reportedly with $5 million in sponsorship to pay to the struggling Spanish team in 2010, raced initially in Bruno Senna’s cockpit at the recent British grand prix.

He then replaced Karun Chandhok in Germany, but the Indian rookie – whose new sponsor Japyee was on the Cosworth-powered F110 at Hockenheim – said it is possible he will be back in the car this weekend in Hungary.

“After the (Hockenheim) race we are going to talk about the next race,” said Chandhok in Germany before returning to his home in England.

Senna said in Germany that he will keep his seat at all the remaining races in 2010, but Finland’s Turun Sanomat suggested that HRT’s fourth driver Christian Klien is expecting to race the dark grey car before the season is out.

But the publication added: “It is probable that money talks and Senna and Yamamoto will be (in the cars) in Hungary.”

In Hispania’s post-race statement on Sunday, Yamamoto sounded confident.

“We tried some adjustments on the set up (at Hockenheim) which will help us already for the next races.”

Germany’s free to air television broadcaster has denied it is disappointed with Michael Schumacher.

Sunday’s Hockenheim race was not a sellout, and predicted astronomical TV ratings earlier this year have now subsided, given the seven time world champion’s modest return to formula one in 2010.

An impressive 10 million Germans tuned into his comeback race in Bahrain, but the average figure is now between 5 and 7 million per race.

“We are far from disappointed,” spokesman Matthias Bolhofer told Der Spiegel.

“On average we are 1.13 million higher than last year’s average.  That we would not be able to keep up the hype of the opening race was obvious,” he added.

Besides Schumacher, there are five other German drivers on the 2010 grid.

Michael Schumacher is disputing a road speeding charge.

Police fined the seven time world champion EUR140 for breaking the 100kph speed limit on a German autobahn by 20kph, according to Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

The 41-year-old was allegedly driving an elite rented Weismann sports car, but Schumacher is denying that he is depicted in the speed camera photograph.

The case was therefore moved to a district court in Traunstein, Germany, but neither Schumacher nor his lawyer appeared, so court costs have been added to the fine.

“We maintain that Michael was not driving the car,” said his spokesman Sabine Kehm.

Undisputed is Schumacher’s EUR1000 fine by the governing FIA for exceeding the 60kph pitlane speed limit at Hockenheim on Friday by 4.1kph.

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.

Ferrari is not appealing its $100,000 penalty for imposing illegal team orders in the German grand prix.

The stewards, also directing the matter to the World Motor Sport Council, found the Italian team guilty of both team orders and disrepute.

The team denies the charge, arguing that Felipe Massa made the decision to let Fernando Alonso pass him at Hockenheim after struggling on the hard tyres and receiving advice from his race engineer that Alonso was faster.

“In the interests of the sport, we have decided not to go through a procedure of appealing against it (the decision), confident that the World Council will know how to evaluate the overall facts correctly,” said team boss Stefano Domenicali.

With just three days now until the F1 circus re-congregates in Hungary, the other story to emerge is that Massa might now be considered Alonso’s number two.

When asked specifically about playing a longer-term subordinate role to the Spaniard, Brazilian Massa said on Sunday: “Well, I cannot say that I’m there fighting for first position in the championship.”

He also denied that his decision to give way to Alonso will damage his reputation.

“For sure not, for sure not,” said Massa, the 2008 championship runner-up.

“I’m very professional and I’ve shown in my career how professional I am. You (reporters) are professional as well, you work for a company.

“I believe you are doing what you have to do, so I’m professional and today I showed how professional I am. That’s it,” he insisted.

The Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi and Pedro de la Rosa, there were no points at Hockenheim: “More was not really”

Sauber was in a good trend slowed somewhat in recent weeks. After strong performances in Valencia and Silverstone was for the Swiss at the Hockenheim Ring, no point profit in it. Kamui Kobayashi failed eleventh conceivable short of additional meters. “It was okay. I think more was really not,” says Kobayashi in an interview with ‘Motorsport-Total.com’.

“The car was in qualifying, very good, but it lacked just two tenths of a second to move into Q3,” the Japanese. “My start was good. Overall, we have a show for us normal performance. It was just everything, what we could afford.” Team mate Pedro de la Rosa tried to bring on a late pit stop within striking distance of the points.

The Spaniard was at the end of the 14th and was interviewed by ‘Motorsport-Total.com’ bent according to some. “I’m disappointed because I expected more,” said the experienced Sauber driver. “We have chosen a different strategy. We thought it might be, given the poor starting position quite clever. But it was difficult when lapping. I am finally in conflict even with a competitor.”

The Spaniard felt uncomfortable with Heikki Kovalainen into the enclosure. “He had to pass Rubens and then immediately shut the door while I was at his side. That’s it. Finally, with fresh tires, I was able to again attack something. Overall, I am disappointed by the behavior of the laggards. And also the fact that the simple too little to be informed when faster cars to pass. ”

“If the incident would not have been, I would undoubtedly keep a nice fight with Rubens Barrichello and Kamui,” says de la Rosa disappointed. He looks at the next Grand Prix in Budapest: “It is a slow course with tight corners. Since we have to work hard, because slow corners are not our strength.” Teammate Kobayashi adds, “I hope that our car is a bit better. If we act like in Silverstone, then points could be possible.”

Ferrari has been fined $100,000 and now faces the wrath of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.

A furore erupted after Sunday’s German grand prix, in which Felipe Massa moved aside for winner Fernando Alonso after the Brazilian’s engineer told him the Spaniard was faster.

Team management, and later the drivers, were summoned by the stewards, where Ferrari blankly denied the incident was a clear breach of the rule prohibiting result-altering team orders.

The result stands, but a report will be sent to the FIA’s decision-making council, due to the alleged team orders breach and a charge of disrepute.

Ferrari denies that race engineer Rob Smedley’s radio message to Massa prior to the Brazilian letting Alonso pass amounted to team orders.

“It was a driver decision,” said spokesman Luca Colajanni. “We didn’t give any instruction at all.”

Team boss Stefano Domenicali added: “He (Smedley) gave the information that he (Massa) was slower than the other car. We give the information, it is up to the driver to manage the situation.”

Massa confirmed that he had decided to let Alonso overtake.

“Yes (it was my decision). We do not have team orders. I was struggling on the hard tyres, as I have many times this year.”

And Alonso denied he knew about the team order.

“I thought it was a gear problem (on Massa’s car). When I saw him slowing down, I was surprised,” said the Spaniard.

Ferrari team management have been summoned by the stewards at Hockenheim.

Long after the chequered flag at the German grand prix, won by Fernando Alonso ahead of Felipe Massa, the paddock was still abuzz with suggestions the Italian team breached the ban on team orders.

Via Massa’s race engineer, the Brazilian was told emphatically that Alonso “is faster than you”, after which the Spaniard moved ahead of the slowing sister F10.

But the stewards’ investigation only followed a pitlane and paddock furore, and an FIA press conference described as downright “hostile” by one observer.

Alonso was asked by one reporter if his 2010 success would now be a “dirty championship”.

But BBC pundits David Coulthard and Martin Brundle said it was Ferrari’s handling of the team order that was the problem, with Lotus’ Mike Gascoyne admitting the team handled it “stupidly”.

Mercifully for Red Bull, the scandal has for now overtaken an emerging controversy about the flexibility of the team’s new front wing.

Photographs have emerged that allegedly prove the element bends at speed, but Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said: “It has passed all the stress tests and scrutineering.

“If other people are not happy, they should protest,” he added.

Horner refused to confirm whether Red Bull specifically asked the stewards to look into Ferrari’s team orders breach.

At Hockenheim, the two top teams Red Bull and Ferrari have particularly impressive in qualifying with an incredible speed. Neither McLaren nor Mercedes, Renault or Williams had a chance against Vettel, Alonso and their teammates. “I wonder where you now herbekommt seven tenths of a second” says Champion Jenson Button had been surprised on Saturday afternoon after the time of hunting.

The Briton was no explanation that his team suddenly has such a significant backlog. The declaration could possibly in the front wings of Red Bull and Ferrari to be hidden. According to information received by ‘Motorsport-Total.com’ the solutions of the two teams by the Automobile Association FIA be viewed critically.
The FIA expects the two teams on the possible explanations flexible front wing. The allegations that had been triggered by photographs that show a significantly small distance between the road edge and wing while driving. When one of the cars, the distance seems to be much larger. In the regulations, a corresponding minimum distance is fixed.

“Photos must be taken as a basis always dangerous,” wards off the Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. “You never know whether the camera has moved, or how much petrol, for example just in the vehicle.” The head of Sebastian Vettel is certain: “Our car is in all respects with the applicable rules. Whoever wants to can protest, yes.”

With a special stress test checks the FIA, the maximum deflection of aerodynamic components. These tests have Red Bull and Ferrari have to pass, as all other teams. Now there will be further reviews of the elements. Should the part of Red Bull and Ferrari prove to be legal, have other teams like a new construction site: The front wing would have to be imitated.

Sunday’s German grand prix began amid a burgeoning flexible wing saga, and ended with a new scandal about team orders.

After a team one-two, and soaked in champagne, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali was hounded in the Hockenheim pitlane by reporters accusing him of illegally ordering Felipe Massa to hand his victory to Fernando Alonso.

“This is not true,” Italian Domenicali told an angry Eddie Jordan on British television BBC.

Red Bull’s Christian Horner, earlier accused by his rivals of running an illegally-flexing front wing on the RB6 in Germany, said the FIA stewards should actually be probing Ferrari’s alleged rules breach.

“That was the clearest team order I’ve ever seen. As clear as 2002,” said the Briton, referring to the Austrian grand prix of that year, when then Ferrari team boss Jean Todt ordered Rubens Barrichello aside for Michael Schumacher.

Fascinatingly, Todt is now president of the governing FIA.

“The difference with 2002 was that there was no rule (about team orders) then,” said Jordan. “This is ten times worse.”

The alleged team order at Hockenheim began with Alonso pleading on the radio that sitting behind Massa was “ridiculous”.

Shortly afterwards, Massa’s engineer Rob Smedley told Massa on the radio: “Ok, so, ‘Fernando is faster than you’. Can you confirm you understand that message?”

Massa, 29, then deliberately slowed down on a straight and let Alonso pass.

But Domenicali denied Ferrari is therefore guilty of implementing team orders.

“To be honest, I don’t think so,” he said when asked if he thought the stewards would be looking into the incident.

Asked if he thought he deserved to win on Sunday, which is the one-year anniversary of his horror qualifying accident in Hungary last season, Massa answered: “Well, I think so.”

As for whether he deliberately moved aside, the Brazilian said: “Well, I don’t think I need to say anything about that. He passed me.”

So obvious was the team order, Smedley actually apologised – “good lad, sorry” – to Massa after the race.

“The apology is just that I’m sorry it happened, I’m sorry he (Alonso) came through,” Smedley, who also called Massa “very, very, very magnanimous” on the radio, explained to the BBC.

Alonso, despite asking on the slowing-down lap if Massa was ok, also denied he had been deliberately let through.

“I don’t know what happened; I saw Felipe a little bit slow and I took the opportunity,” said the Spaniard.

Massa added: “We work for the team, that’s the only thing I feel.”

Schumacher said he is still very close to his former Ferrari teammate Massa, but admitted he would have done “exactly the same” if he had been sitting on the pitwall on Sunday.

“In principle I fully accept it (team orders). There is only one target: winning the title,” said the seven time world champion.

In the championship, the McLaren drivers retain their lead over the now points-tied Red Bulls, ahead of Hockenheim winner Fernando Alonso.

When everything is rosy red, with black and silver one looks for Red Bull Hockenheim is not brilliant. The Grand Prix of Germany was the great show of Ferrari. Fernando Alonso put in a hard battle over 67 rounds through with difficulty, hardship, great determination and the kind assistance of the team to his stable mate Felipe Massa. Sebastian Vettel was in third place in the fight for victory do little.

Massa had laid the foundation for a beautiful duel by a rocket launch. When the box was sent to the great journey, Vettel and Alonso blocked in the battle for the top one another, the Brazilian shot by loosely at his side. The Heppenheim also got second place even to his Spanish rival, the Ferrari-train could pull away again.

Behind the leading trio, Lewis Hamilton had the better top speed may push past the McLaren in the first round to Mark Webber. The Briton made his Australian opponent in the braking zone before the hairpin, no chance. For Webber, the already difficult race was later complicated. Even Jenson Button came through a better strategy yet by him.

Front left Alonso in the fight for the victory of patience in the meantime. On lap 20 his efforts culminated in an attack on Massa, who fought but successful. “This is ridiculous”, sparked fury of Asturias to the pits. He had hoped that one on him vorbeilotst Brazilians – but not yet. Alonso was unnerved to fall back to three seconds later to start a new hunt.

With fast laps he pushed himself up again to Massa. It was clear who is the faster Ferrari man. About 25 laps later Alonso finally got his way. With a few well-concealed position request to exchange Massa was slowed, the ostentatiously went to the hairpin on the gas and pull Alonso did. “Sorry,” were the words of Massa engineer Rob Smedley to his protege sad.

“Adjutant” Massa had the remaining 15 laps, only one job: controlling Vettel. The Red Bull Local Hero had been able to conserve his tires for a long time and threatened to catch up to the top. While Alonso was able to free forward well, made the German more and more pressure on Massa. Vettel was the last Rendrittel many fast laps, but was again thrown back lapping at something. Massa thus saved second place before the Germans.
While the British silver arrows drove into Hamilton ahead of Button in order to Paarflug places four and five, the concerns of the German Silver Arrows were clearly visible. Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher caught behind Mark Webber (Red Bull) and Robert Kubica (Renault) in the stands while eight and nine points, but were overtaken both! Mercedes was in phases two seconds slower than the top.

The last point landed Renault rookie Vitaly Petrov at number ten. could do little, the two Williams drivers Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg, both of which fell back immediately at the start and were later able to make little impression. Adrian Sutil had to make three pit stops and ended up in 17th place, Timo Glock was with his rank behind Virgin’s best driver of the three new teams. The Swiss Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) was eliminated early after a collision with his teammate Jaime Alguersuari.
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The day after Sunday’s German grand prix will mark one year since Felipe Massa’s horror qualifying crash in Hungary.

On Saturday at Hockenheim, the 29-year-old Brazilian said he “definitely” feels the significance of qualifying in the top three on the eve of the anniversary of a difficult chapter in his life.

“It was a very difficult time for me,” he told reporters in Germany.

“Somebody was saying that I still need to be here, so I’m here, very happy and working, still doing my job and let’s go back to Hungary and let’s try to achieve a good result there,” added Massa.

Immediately after Sunday’s race, the F1 circus will travel to the Hungaroring, and Massa plans also to return to the AEK hospital in Budapest.

“It will be important on a personal level,” Massa confirmed.

“They took good care of me and I want to say hello to everyone and enjoy a conversation with them.

“If that sounds emotional, it is, because what happened to me last year was a significant moment in my life, a big thing and in one way very special from a human point of view,” he said.

Martin Whitmarsh has backed Lewis Hamilton’s decision earlier this year to tread a new path in his professional career.

The 2008 world champion’s split with his manager and father Anthony was reported as a significant disruption in his life, but team boss Whitmarsh indicated that it was not the only step taken by the 25-year-old for his future.

“Lewis was in bits at the start of the year,” he is quoted by the Telegraph.

“But it was always going to come about because he was suffocated to an extent by his dad and Ron (Dennis).”

Dennis, Whitmarsh’s predecessor and long-time McLaren chief, groomed and nurtured Hamilton from his first signature on a team contract as a boy.

“They (Anthony Hamilton and Dennis) would hate to think it, but they are quite similar characters,” said Whitmarsh. “They are controlling influences.”

But now on his own, Hamilton’s next step is the likely appointment of a global management giant to expand his image and marketability beyond the F1 paddock.

“There is concern (about that),” Whitmarsh admitted, adding that there are “vulnerabilities” in Hamilton’s makeup.

“When he establishes the management structure he wants – and I hope he does it during the winter as I do not want it to be a distraction – then I hope they keep it simple,” said the Briton.

“Lewis could rewrite the F1 record books. He could become the greatest ever,” claimed Whitmarsh.

Thanks to Bridgestone, here have some photos of saturday.