FIA Probe McLaren

“Team orders” In Monaco Under Scrutiny

LONDON: Formula One's governing body opened an investigation yesterday into McLaren's one-two win in the Monaco Grand Prix amid a controversy over so-called 'team orders'.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that they were looking into incidents involving the Mercedes-powered team "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,"

Double world champion Fernando Alonso won Sunday's showcase race, for the second year in a row, ahead of British rookie team-mate Lewis Hamilton. The two are now level on 38 points but Spaniard Alonso leads the championship on race wins.

Hamilton, who finished runner-up for the fourth race in a row, revealed afterwards that he had been told to ease off rather than put pressure on his team-mate and possibly jeopardise the one-two.

Team orders, effectively manipulating the out-come of a race, have been banned since the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix where Ferrari ordered Brazilian Rubens Barrichello to let Michael Schumacher win,

Article 151 of the FIA's international sporting code declares that "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally" is a breach of the roles.

However, McLaren team boss Ron Dennis denied any such manipulation.

"We don't have team orders, we had a strategy to win this race," he said on Sunday,

"I make no excuses for instructing the racing drivers to slow their pace after the first stop and to effect our strategy."

A team spokeswoman added yesterday: "McLaren are completely comfortable with the FIA’s investigation into our race strategy and that all decisions taken both before and during the race were completely in compliance with the international sporting code."

Monaco is a circuit unlike any other, with unforgiving metal barriers lining a tight and twisty ribbon of asphalt around the city streets.

One lapse of concentration under pressure can carry a very heavy price.

A FIA spokesman declined to say what possible sanction might be faced by the team, who lead Ferrari by 20 points in the championship after winning two of the season's five races so far, if found guilty of a breach.

British newspapers felt Hamilton had been let down.

"Hamilton ordered to hand Alonso victory," declared the Daily Telegraph in a headline.

"Hamilton is told to let Alonso win," agreed the Daily Mail. - Reuters

Prancing Horse Springs A Leak

Finnish ace Kimi Raikkonen (pix) says Ferrari are still concerned about their engine with just four days to go for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Although is appeared the Italian marque had a comfortable win in Melbourne three week ago, after that race it was revealed that his Ferrari V8 developed as small water leak in the closing laps.

The power unit has since been checked but Raikkonen say an engine change – with the resultant 10 – place penalty on the grid – is not being ruled out – a nightmare scenario that he acknowledges would have serious consequences for his race.

“There is some concern.” He told Ferrari’s official website. “We had a slight leakage of water during the last part of the race and the team talk to me slow down, writing ‘cold’ on the（pit board） as the radio didn’t work because of a problem with a plug.

“The engine has since been checked at the factory and they also did some simulation. Now the technicians have the data.
“Obviously we hope that the engine will make it through the whole weekend and that we don’t have to change it before qualifying because we want to completely use our chance.

“If we had to change it, obviously it would be a bit different for us: everything would be much more difficult as we would have to start 10 positions back (from where we qualified).
“Then the aim would be to reach a good result, the best one possible.”

While he still has concerns about his engine, he has none about the competitiveness of the F2007 around the fast, flowing Sepang circuit.
Raikkonen set the best time in testing at the track last week and, in a warning to the chasing pack, believes Ferrari has the speed to build on its strong start to the year.

“I hope that the next weekend will be a positive one for us, just like the one in Melbourne,” he said. “Over the last day we had some very good testing. I drove the car over two year and we were able to collect all the necessary data.

“The F2007 seems to be a really competitive car on every kind of race track and the team continues in every direction to make it even better.

“We have hardly started the championship but it’s already clear that if we want to win the title we have to try to finish always in the points.

“As I said before, the car is running very well, but as long as we are not on the race track, with everybody under the same conditions, you can’t tell.

“As I always say: let’s wait and see how it will work out this time.” – Agencies