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.
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