Ferrari fined over Austria farce

FORMULA ONE/News: The Ferrari Formula One team has been fined $1 million by the sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), following the team's imposition of team orders and disruption of the podium ceremony at last month's Austrian Grand Prix.

The move leaves Michael Schumacher's quest for a record-equalling fifth drivers' crown still on course after he escaped more serious punishment for his part in incident the A1-Ring.

Number two driver Rubens Barrichello, who led for most of the race, was ordered by team bosses to cede victory to his second placed team-mate just yards from the chequered flag, a move that resulted in a chorus of catcalls for the pair and their team when they climbed onto the podium to receive their trophies.

Schumacher then pushed Barrichello to the top step of the podium and insisted the Brazilian receive the winners' trophy.

Ferrari were summoned to a meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council in Paris and yesterday the council delivered its punishment.

The team were asked to defend themselves on the issues of the imposition of team order and, separately, the podium antics of their drivers. In the end the FIA deemed it could not punish either the drivers or the team as the council accepted team orders had been part of the sport for years. But it ruled that the disruption of the podium protocol was severe enough to warrant the $1 million fine.

Half the amount is to be paid immediately with the remaining $500,000 suspended for a year and only payable if Ferrari offend again within the next 12 months.

In a release issued yesterday morning the FIA stated that it "deplored" the manner in which team orders were given and executed at the Austrian GP.

"Nevertheless the council finds it impossible to sanction the two drivers, because they were contractually bound to execute orders given by the team."

The council also acknowledged "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".

The fine will be regarded as little more than a minor annoyance for the Italian world champions, who are believed to have an annual racing budget approaching $200 million. The real worry for the team would have been to have the result scrubbed or reversed or their drivers incur a temporary racing ban.

At the Canadian Grand Prix a fortnight ago, the Italian media had been awash with rumours that Schumacher and Barrichello were to be handed a two-race ban, beginning at next week's British Grand Prix but that hope of revitalising a championship dominated by Schumacher has now evaporated.

The German defending world champion now remains 46 points ahead of nearest rival, Ralf Schumacher of Williams, and could wrap up his record equalling fifth world championship title with victory in Britain and the German Grand Prix at the end of July.

If he accomplishes that task, it would be the earliest title win for a driver in the recent history of the sport.

Schumacher last year drew level with Briton Nigel Mansell - who took the 1992 title in winning the championship at the Hungarian GP in August - but a crowning on home soil this year with five races remaining in the season would be unprecedented.