Following race engineer Rob Smedley's comments to Felipe Massa in the race – Fernando is faster than you – and the Brazilian's deliberately letting Alonso pass him a few minutes later, the FIA stewards imposed a $100,000 penalty to Ferrari for breaching article 39.1 of the sporting regulations and referred them to the FIA's WMSC.
However, Briatore believes the team orders ban is a stupid rule to begin with and Ferrari should not worry too much about the consequences of their actions.
“This (team order) rule makes no sense and should be abolished. Formula one is a team sport. I don't believe Ferrari did anything wrong. Fernando has more points than Massa and it is logical to bet on the driver with the best chance of winning the title,” Briatore told Italy's Sky Sport 24, as reported by the GMM news agency.
“Could it have been better handled? It's easy to say so with hindsight, but during a race it's different. It is however clear that Massa's engineer (Rob Smedley) should not have made certain comments. But only one guy can win the drivers' championship. It is pointless to stand around being critical. It is the rule that is completely absurd.”
Additionally, one should consider the facts before the FIA verdict: the WMSC meeting will happen in Italy, it will go down in the first day of the Italian Grand Prix and the head of the FIA is the man who practically reinvented team tactics at Ferrari, back in the Michael Schumacher days (the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix is sole proof of that).
“The chairman of the World Council is Jean Todt, who managed Ferrari when in 2002 in Austria he ordered Barrichello to let Schumacher overtake at the chequered flag, so I think we can all relax,” added Briatore, while bursting in laughter.
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