09/09/2010
NEWS STORY
FIA president Jean Todt has said that there wasn't enough conclusive evidence to further punish Ferrari for its use of team orders during the German Grand Prix.
The Frenchman, who was speaking to reporters outside the FIA's Paris headquarters after yesterday's controversial decision said: "Before you say you are guilty, you need to be able to prove that you are guilty. And if you understand all the parts that have been asked, everyone has denied that it was a team order."
When asked his opinion that most people watching the race clearly felt that team orders had been used the Frenchman said: "I tend to agree as well. You should ask the people who have been deliberating to that."
However, he then added: "I feel that Ferrari were first and second, nobody can say in which order it should have been. The decision was in the order that they finished the race."
In the media and on internet fora reaction has been mixed with many feeling that the sport has done itself no favours in appearing to give way to the Italian team, which was understood to be considering legal action should the WMSC have ruled in favour of further punishment.
Meanwhile, Pitpass can think of at least two people who might well have blown a fuse - if not their full motherboard - on hearing yesterday's decision.
Having said in Spa that it was time to "move on" in terms of the team orders row, ahead of yesterday's hearing BBC pundit Eddie Jordan was back on his high horse, accusing the prancing horse of showing race fans no respect and treating them like "Muppets".
Meanwhile, we dread to think what might be going through the mind of Pitpass' very own Mike Lawrence - though at least the good doctor has been entirely consistent in his thinking that Ferrari deserved having the book thrown at them... as opposed to 'Does my head look big in this... Jordan'.