By Will Heys
“Ferando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?”
This was the instruction Felipe Massa received on lap 48 of the 2010 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
In just seven words, Ferrari had ranked their drivers.
A prominent message in the motorsport world, and one that led to outrage throughout the Formula 1 paddock.
To understand why it was so controversial, we need to head back to 2002.
At the Austrian Grand Prix, Rubens Barichello slowed out of the final corner giving Michael Schumacher an extra four points and crucially the win.
Rubens did so after a call by then team principle, Jean Todt invoking team orders to improve Schumacher’s position in the World Drivers’ Championship.
Ross Brawn made a valid point the championships had been decided by less than those four points in previous years – but 2002 saw Schumacher eventually win by nearly 70 points.
Team orders followed in the following European and Hungarian Grand Prix, but where Barichello finished P1.
Ferrari were investigated after the Austria controversy but were found not guilty.
However, in response, FIA president Max Mosely set up a group to discuss the future of ‘team orders’.
On the 28 October, it was confirmed “team orders that interfere with the race result” would be barred from the 2003 season onwards.
This led to teams using coded messages.
For example, the Multi 21 saga at Malaysia in 2013 and most notable, the infamous Ferrari message at Hockenheim.
From the start of the race, Felipe Massa led a Ferrari one-two ahead of Fernando Alonso, with Sebastian Vettel lurking close behind as strategies unfolded.
Although Massa initially matched Alonso’s pace and defended his lead through traffic and pit cycles.
Alonso grew increasingly frustrated as his attempts to pass were thwarted, warning Ferrari that they were inviting pressure from Red Bull.
As the race settled into its final 20 laps, tension on the pit wall reached breaking point setting the stage for the message that would define the afternoon.
Robert Smedley delivered Felipe Massa the instructions to switch positions.
Based on Smedley’s tone it could easily be surmised that this was a coded message.
Without saying it, Ferrari had decided who their number one driver was.
Could Felipe Massa have won the championship in 2010 at this point?
Probably not.
He came into Germany after a run of three pointless races.
Alonso looked like the strongest candidate for the Marinello outfit eventually losing out by only 4 points.
Massa had been teammates with 3 world champions at Ferrari: Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and of course Fernando Alonso.
2010 proved to be a tough start to a 4-year long relationship.
When speaking to Polish publication swiatwyscigow.pl he was asked if Alonso had been his ‘most difficult team-mate’.
He said, “Yeah, yeah, for sure.
“It was quite difficult to work together inside the team.”
The Brazilian F1 driver, said it was four years of watching the team “splitting in the middle”.
Fernando had be known for putting everyone in his pocket and splitting teams.
This could be seen just three years prior when he was team mate to Lewis Hamilton.
He had power within the paddock – and Felipe could see that.
When Felipe eventually left Maranello in 2013, he said that the 2010 German Grand Prix was one of the toughest moments of his career so far.
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