MAY 13, 2002

Ferrari is in trouble...

THE FIA statement on Monday about what happened at the Austrian Grand Prix indicate that the FIA is going to take action against Ferrari at the next meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on June 26. The inference in the very basic FIA statement was that Ferrari is going to have to face two charges: the first over the switch of the two cars on the last lap of the race and the second over what happened on the podium.

According to the rules, the first, second and third places finishers and a representative of the winning constructor "must attend the prize-giving ceremony on the podium and abide by the podium procedure". This is set out in an appendix of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations and are very detailed. The fact that Rubens Barrichello was given the winner's trophy instead of it being given to Michael Schumacher means that Ferrari is open to suggestions that the rules were not obeyed.

The reaction to what happened in Austria has been extraordinary and there is clearly much pressure on the FIA to do something.