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The FIA has moved to increase the maximum penalty that can be imposed by formula one stewards.
When Ferrari controversially breached the team orders rule at Hockenheim this year, the maximum financial penalty available to officials was $100,000.
“$100,000 is no penalty for a team whose budget is many, many multiples higher,” Sir Jackie Stewart told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport in Brazil.
“For Ferrari, it’s small change,” he added.
The FIA’s General Assembly met in Paris on Friday and proposed to increase the stewards’ maximum penalty to EUR 250,000 by altering the international sporting code.
The higher penalty will not be relevant for the remaining two races of 2010, but Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz insists that team orders between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel will not apply.
“What Ferrari did, we certainly will not,” he is quoted by Kleine Zeitung newspaper.
“It means that in the worst case, we are not world champions — but then there is always next year,” added the Austrian billionaire.
Vettel confirmed that team orders have not been discussed behind closed doors in Brazil.
“My team boss has said nothing,” the German told Bild newspaper.
“I will drive my race and try to win. If I cannot be first, I want to be second, and if I cannot be second, I want to be third,” added Vettel.
© RIF | GMM
