Ferrari team escapes further punishment

Felipe Massa is ahead of Fernando Alonso during the early stages of the German Grand Prix.

 Motorsport's world governing body, the FIA, has decided not to punish Ferrari further for giving Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa team orders during the German Grand Prix in July.
The Formula One giants ordered Massa to allow Alonso to pass him at Hockenheim, a decision which saw them handed a $100,000 fine by race stewards for breaching sporting regulations.
Ferrari supremo Stefano Domenicali claimed at the time there were no team orders -- and that it was Massa's decision to let Alonso past despite the Italian clearly getting instructions to
move over by his race engineer Rob Smedley.
However, at a hearing in Paris, Enrico Gelpi, president of the Italian Automobile Club, told reporters the FIA had agreed to review the ruling against team orders.

"We have a rule that presents difficulties in its interpretation, it will be reviewed," said Gelpi. "We would be in favor of it being completely removed."
The World Motor Sports Council's disciplinary panel had the authority to ban Ferrari from competing in the 2010 Formula One world championship should they have decided to punish the Italian manufacturer further.

With six races of the season remaining, former world champion Alonso is currently lying fifth in the drivers standings, 41 points behind Lewis Hamilton.