Former FIA President Max Mosley believes that Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, as well as the team in the Constructors’ Championship, should lose the points scored at Hockenheim following the team orders controversy of last month’s German Grand Prix. The Scuderia will face the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) to bring an end to the matter in September.
Having retired as the head of the Formula 1 governing body last year, Mosley was succeeded by former Ferrari Team Principal Jean Todt, whose federation handed the Maranello squad a fine of 100,000 dollars (just over 64,000 pounds) on the evening which followed the race after leader Massa yielded the top spot to eventual winner Alonso.
However, with Wednesday 8 September being decision day, Mosley’s feelings were published by German newspaper Welt am Sonntag yesterday.
“Both Ferrari drivers should lose the points they scored in the German Grand Prix,” the Englishman is quoted as saying. “I am not making a recommendation but at the time (at Hockenheim) a penalty should have been handed out, not just a fine.”
The 70-year-old reiterated that, with Ferrari having broken the sporting regulation which states that no team instruction should modify the outcome of a race, ‘heavy penalties should be issued.’
Massa starting error now under investigation............
Formula 1 governing body the FIA has launched an enquiry as to why Race Control and therefore the stewards were not made aware of Felipe Massa’s incorrect positioning on the Belgian Grand Prix starting grid.
As the formation lap came to an end at Spa on Sunday, a collection of spectators and television commentators noticed the mistake by the sixth-placed Ferrari driver, whose car was positioned further forward that was permitted.
Under usual circumstances, both electronic sensors and nearby marshals should indicate the inaccuracy – which breaks sporting regulations – although the Paris-based federation is now questioning why the stewards, which included 1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell, were not informed during the race.
Post time 3-8-2010 12:33 PM
