The FIA has revealed that it is to investigate Ron Dennis's admission that team orders were issued during the Monaco Grand Prix, whereby Lewis Hamilton was told to ease off and not race teammate Fernando Alonso.

A statement issued this morning read: "The FIA has launched an investigation into incidents involving the McLaren Mercedes team at the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix in light of a possible breach of the International Sporting Code. The relevant evidence is under review and a further announcement will be made in due course."

The British media has reacted badly (no change there then) to Dennis' admission claiming that the issuing of team orders was misjudged and that the British team is clearly favouring its Spanish driver over his English teammate.

A source has told Pitpass that the FIA's investigation will centre on whether the Woking team broke Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, which rules that that the sport is brought into disrepute by: "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally."

In 2002 there was an outcry, and quite understandably, when Ferrari gave team orders to its drivers on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix, causing Rubens Barrichello to hand over the lead to teammate Michael Schumacher. Later that year there was further embarrassment when a stage managed grandstand finish at Indianapolis went wrong this time with Barrichello taking the win.

The FIA reacted, fining the team and its drivers, whilst at the same time insisting that team orders were banned, even though they have been part of Formula One, indeed motorsport, for as long as it has existed.

Sadly, it seems as though the FIA is being forced into this move by the British media which had worked itself into a frenzy even before the event got underway, convinced that Monaco would mark Hamilton's first F1 victory.

As Hamilton himself pointed out, he carries the number two on his car and it is there for a reason, he is the number two driver, teammate to the reigning World Champion.

If the FIA really wants to investigate what went on at Monaco yesterday, especially in terms of bringing the sport into disrepute, it would be better served looking at the rules which have brought about a situation whereby there was no real racing, and, other than a slight reshuffle on the first lap, no overtaking.

Had Hamilton won - team orders or not - the British media would have been ecstatic and no doubt there would have been no investigation, however, that wouldn't change the fact that it was a crap race, with race fans witnessing seventy-odd laps of pure tedium. At times it appeared the entire field was under team orders... don't race, hold station.