[JPMontoya]

Ferrari fined $US1 million

The FIA World Council has reached a verdict in Paris over Ferrari’s Austrian actions. As expected, it did not penalise the team for its track position change, but has fined the team and the drivers $US1 million for the podium actions of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.

Schumacher urged Barrichello onto the podium and handed him the winner’s trophy after feeling embarrassed that he had been gifted the win. The action of making him stand on the top step breached Article 170 of Formula One’s Sporting Code.

‘It is the duty of each team to ensure that its contracted drivers observe the podium procedures and do not in any way embarrass the national authorities of the country where a GP takes place,’ the World Council said in a release.


The FIA made clear it was not in a position to penalise the team for the track position change when Barrichello ceded the lead to Michael Schumacher, ordered by Ferrari officials on pit wall, even though it did not endorse the manoeuvre.

‘(The FIA) deplored the manner in which team orders were given and executed at the Austrian GP,’ the statement continued. ‘Nevertheless the council finds it impossible to sanction the two drivers, because they were contractually bound to execute orders given by the team.’

The World Council also had to consider “the long-standing and traditional right of a team to decree the finishing order of its drivers in what it believes to be the best interest of its attempt to win both world championships”.

$500,000 of the $1 million needs to be paid now, while the balance is suspended for another 12 months. The team will have to pay the remainder if the drivers offend in the same way again.

dailyf1.com