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Lauda expects Ferrari 'pasting'

ESPNF1 Staff
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Fernando Alonso was allowed to pass team-mate Felipe Massa at the German Grand Prix last month © Getty Images
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Former three-time world champion Niki Lauda believes Ferrari will "get a pasting" when they face the sport's governing body next month over allegations of race fixing.

Controversy surrounded Fernando Alonso's victory at the Hockenheim circuit after race leader Felipe Massa received orders to let his team-mate through to win.

And Lauda, who has already made public his concerns over Ferrari's tactics when it comes to team orders, fully expects the Italian outfit to get a grilling when they appear before the sport's governing body.

"What they've done is wrong and they got an immediate punishment - and they will get a pasting from the World Council, that is for sure," he told F1's official website.

"You have two models of how to race in Formula One as a team. If you approach it politically then you are in the Ferrari mould. Or you try to give both your drivers equal opportunities and the fans an exciting sport, as Red Bull are doing in letting their drivers compete with each other."

Ferrari were found to have been in breach of article 39.1 of the FIA 2010 sporting regulations - which states 'team orders which interfere with a race result are prohibited', and Lauda is adamant that the laws in place must be obeyed.

"That is what makes this sport a crowd-puller because they see the best guys in the best cars racing each other with a 'may the best man win' philosophy - and not mocking the fans with a collusive result. What they (Ferrari) did in Hockenheim was against all rules. Either the rules are changed or everybody observes them," he said.

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