GreenBkk Formula 1 | Todt: Ferrari's mistake was using 'hard' orders

Todt: Ferrari's mistake was using 'hard' orders

Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)

FIA President Jean Todt says Ferrari were not the only team to issue team orders this season, the only difference is that they were not subtle.

Ferrari were slapped with a $100,000 fine for issuing team orders through a coded message in Germany, prompting Felipe Massa to move aside, handing his team-mate Fernando Alonso the victory.

However, Todt is adamant Ferrari were not the only team issuing orders during the course of the Championship.

"Team orders are banned since 2002, however I've asked myself: how many times have orders been issued in a 'soft' way since then?" the former Ferrari team boss told La Stampa.

"The difference is that the one issued by Ferrari was everything but soft. It was a provocation against the regulations."

Todt added that the rule banning team orders needs to be looked, rather than scrapped, to prevent outfits from using those 'soft' orders.

"It will be controlled by regulations," he said. "F1 is a team sport, every team will take responsibility for their own behaviour. Lies, or coded messages such as 'save fuel', will not be tolerated."

The Frenchman also conceded that he was part of the team order problem, having used them extensively during his days at Ferrari with Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.

Asked if he regretted the infamous 2002 Austrian GP use of team orders, he said: "I do, because with hindsight it could have been avoided: Schumacher would have won the Championship anyway. However, I would have had more regrets had I lost the title for a couple of points."

Todt, however, believes part of the blame also lies with Barrichello.

"I shouldn't have needed to tell him anything. We had agreed earlier: 'if you're ahead after the pitstop, you must let Schumacher through with no fuss.'"

"He agreed: besides, a driver is paid to accept certain decisions. Instead, he would stay ahead. I called him 50 times and I repeated it clearly.

"He moved over at the last turn, the public whistled, Schumi gave him the top spot at the podium ceremony, and Ferrari was fined for infringing the protocol: 500,000 dollars."

Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)