F1: it's not just the Krauts who were sour at Hockenheim

Ferrari will have to explain itself to the FIA. That means Jean Todt is going to have to prove if he really is independent. He said he would be - now the world will find out.

The "no team orders" rule is stupid: F1 has always been a team sport and team orders - i.e. where the team tells the drivers what order to finish in - have always been a fundamental part of the sport. But in 2002, when Ferrari told Barrichello to slow down so Schumacher could pass him, those who gamble on the results cried "foul." It wasn't: they just didn't understand the sport. Those who run the sport changed the rules, saying that any team orders that resulted in a choreographed finishing order were to be banned.

So, stupid as the rule is, it is the rule.

Ferrari decided to break it in Hockenheim.

Massa was ahead of Alonso - and there was plenty of clear air. Massa's engineer gave him a message. "Alonso is faster than you. Alonso is faster than you. Please confirm you understand the message." Massa slowed, allowed Alonso past and then sat on his tail, proving that any differential - if it existed - was minor. In the last four or five laps of the race, Alonso put in a series of fastest laps - but by then the protests were already gaining strength.

At the post-event press conference, Massa refused to follow the Ferrari line, perhaps mindful of the trouble that beset Hamilton last year for saying what he had been told to say. Directly asked whether he had had a problem, or gone wide inadvertently, Massa was plain: he had done none of those things. He barely acknowledged Alonso after the race. It had, he appeared certain, been his - Massa's - race to win. And he was mightily annoyed that his first victory since his injury last year had been taken away from him.

Ferrari were overjoyed: they got their cars home in the top two places for the first time this season.

That played into the hands of McLaren: Vettel was third followed by Hamilton, Button and Webber.

There are calls for Ferrari to be suspended from the championship, and some for the team to be disqualified from the German GP.

On balance, the correct result would be for their positions to stand but points for both the constructors' and drivers' championships forfeit plus a back-of-the grid start in the next one or even two races and a suitably hefty fine.

Racing fans want to see Ferrari, and they want to see them racing. It would deprive millions of fans of pleasure if the team were to be chucked out of the series for the rest of the year.

Making them race for every point and to stump up a painful fine would be a suitable penalty.