Ferrari Rigged the Race Result

Formula 1 is a sporting competition that is unlike many others for a number of reasons, including the extremely fast and technology-dependent machines. In my view, it is also a distinct sporting activity in the sense that Formula 1 is a monopoly franchise which allows teams to enter up to two cars for every race.  What this means is that the individual drivers compete against each other while they are also part of a team as their total points per race add up to the team's score. In short, it is really two championships in one where drivers compete against each other but are also part of the same team.

Yesterday's race in the German Grand Prix race in Hockenheim attracted lots of deservedly negative commentary for the Ferrari team whose drivers won the first two places on the podium. With 18 laps to go before the end of the race, communication from the team to Felipe Massa curiously informed him that his team mate Fernando Alonso was faster. The same voice on radio asked Felipe to confirm that he understood the message.  It does not take much intelligence from regular viewers of the races to note that this was a hint that the leader should let his colleague overtake and thereby improve both their total points haul for the race in addition to improving the prospects of Fernando to rise in the points rankings for the individual drivers.

The FIA  reviewed the case and levied a fine of US$ 100,000 on the team for team orders that fixed the result finishing order  of the race. I think that the despite this explanation, team's tactics here were very crude because if a teammate is really faster, then he should not need the subtle aid of being let to go through as the faster driver should be able to master the speed and skill to overtake his team mate. While this may have been a defensible decision in the view of the team, it was so blatantly executed and the staged celebration between the drivers and the team president principal just reminded me that sometimes these smart guys underestimate the intelligence of their fans.