Brian Moore
Were the above words a team order, illegal under F1
rules, or mere observations which left Felipe Massa free to decide whether
he should allow team-mate Fernando Alonso to pass and thereby win last
weekend’s German Grand Prix?
Is there any serious dispute that can be had over this? The use of the word
“sorry” necessarily presupposes that the order to allow the pass will be
effective and cannot be explained any other way to anyone.
The reasons cited to support the view that it does not matter are firstly that
it is a silly rule and secondly, it is broken on many occasions.
Such observations were not ones which anyone thought sufficient to exculpate
Dean Richards during ‘Bloodgate’, even though both could have been claimed
with equal force. It is only when applied to a different set of known
sporting facts that the flaws in such reasoning are fully exposed.
The extra insult comes because of the gibberish now being spouted by Ferrari
and others to suggest that black is in fact white. To many avid F1 fans the
controversy over this incident and subsequent $100,000 (£64,500) instant
fine for the Ferrari team is frivolous bagatelle, something whipped up by a
rabid media.
The fuss is actually about illegality. Whether those in the know, looking from
what they see as a position of knowledge, believe the rule to be nonsense is
not the point; it was introduced after Ferrari’s manipulation of the
Austrian GP in 2002 had brought opprobrium on F1 and remains valid until
repealed.
Participants cannot select which rules they wish to adhere to or else anarchy
ensues. What is to stop teams taking Ferrari’s lead and breaking the ban on
in-season testing, something that no lesser figure than Michael Schumacher
has called similarly ridiculous?
Regarding the decision and incident itself: the utter drivel being proffered
by way of explanation is revealed by looking at the event logically.
If Alonso was faster, and there was very little evidence that this was
significant, he could have overtaken Massa anyway. Further, since the furore
there have been contradictory accounts of why Massa made the decision,
including the risible claim that the passing manoeuvre happened because
“Massa made a small mistake when shifting up three gears at once”. If this
was a freely made decision there would only have been one reason given, not
several.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has tried to deflect flak by attacking
his detractors, saying: “Enough of the hypocrisy. This has always happened.
If one races for Ferrari, then the interests of the team come before those
of the individual.”
Perhaps he has forgotten the fit of moral outrage shown by his leading driver
only a few weeks ago when Alonso attacked the Valencia stewards for what he
called manipulating the result.
Without a shred of consideration for how Massa might feel, Alonso is now
lauding his win, saying it was a “great feeling” and that “all wins are
special” – well only if you are not a real sportsman. If you know you
haven’t earned it you shut up and move on.
Ferrari have effectively announced that only one driver is challenging for the
drivers’ title. That being so, they should face demands for the return of
any bet made by a punter who put money on Massa winning the title or indeed
any race.
Where this leaves Massa, who last year could have been left blinded by his
accident in the Hungarian Grand Prix, God only knows. If all this is de
rigueur for F1, what does it say about the drivers who are prepared to be
treated in this way?
Ferrari have cited the need to sell cars and the number of jobs involved as
justification for their actions. Can anyone recall similar declarations
being made by any other sport? Even if there is a connection between the two
matters it should not rationalise team orders.
The same could be said of motorbike sales and success in MotoGP, yet there are
no team orders in that sport. The astonishing final-corner pass by Valentino
Rossi of his then team-mate, Jorge Lorenzo, at Catalunya in 2009 shows the
spirit F1 should have but does not.
Indeed in terms of excitement, overtaking and contest, MotoGP outstrips F1
every time.
Those who claim that what Ferrari did was no more than is done with the
leading riders in the Tour de France are wide of the mark. The essential
difference is that it is made plain that the aim of the teams is to
manufacture the best position for their leading hill climbers and sprinters
and everybody knows beforehand; they are not misled.
This incident comes after a litany of illegalities, fake crashing and
threatened litigation. If F1 and all those involved, both teams and
supporters, are happy for these practices to continue, they should at least
stop claiming F1 is a sport like any other.
Competition without manipulation is an essential part of sport; without it,
however glamorous the trappings, it is nothing more than entertainment and
however dazzling are the accoutrements, it cannot stand alongside true
sports.
It has been said in the past that F1 doesn’t care about bad publicity because
it is all good for exposure but this may not be the case forever.
Additionally, the thing about tipping points is that they are unpredictable;
if F1 tips over the point of credibility it would have to work very hard to
regain it. Then again, with so many would-be Jeremy Clarksons around, the
truth may be that any manipulated nonsense will do.