The last year and this have been brilliant, great racing, close championship – a real leap forward for the sport.

I’m unashamedly a fan of Mark Webber – it’s the Australian way.  Tonight’s German GP was always going to be a stretch for him, a poor first corner on his flying lap meant he could do no better than 4th on the Grid.

A reluctant embrace from Massa toward Alonso at race end

So, what of the race.  Well, it was destroyed by Ferrari.

The race started with Sebastian Vettel getting bogged down off the line (ie: not getting a great start).  He immediately turned right, pushed Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari toward the wall, and in his haste he let Felipe Massa run fast around the outside and take the lead – he led for some 60 odd laps.  Behind him was his team-mate Alonso.

Throughout, it was clear – Massa didn’t quite have as much pace as Alonso.  Did Alonso pass him, or even look to try? No.

Only once did he even look like it, when Massa had a bad run through backmarkers..

For the Race Engineer of Massa it was a gut-renching radio communication “Alonso is faster than you” – simple as that.  Everyone watching, Every commentator I heard – BBC, ONEHD, Five Live all said it was team orders.  If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is a Duck.

Let’s take a look at the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations – A quick search for the word ‘Orders’ shows this:

39) THE RACE

39.1 Team orders which interfere with a race result are prohibited.

There’s your duck people.

What Ferrari did is expressly forbidden by the FIA.

If they do NOT strip them of this race win, it is a slap in the face of the Fans.

Bring on the post race interviews.  Massa will be a Gentleman and say nothing.  Alonso must hold his head in shame.  He couldn’t do it.

Massa made the best start, he deserves the win.

Formula 1 is a shameful sport right now.  Ferrari is the reason.

Would I have preferred to see Massa and Alonso come to blows on the track?  Perhaps – A wheel to wheel race would be great – make them pass.  The evidence of this was Vettel’s stupid attempt to Pass Mark Webber earlier in the year – He was hot headed and cost himself anything.  That’s the risk you take if you don’t get track position.

I’m not happy.  Not Happy at all.