Ten years ago today, Ferrari was hit with the largest fine in Formula 1 history (at the time) following one of the most controversial chapters in the sport at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, where the team flagrantly exercised team orders to give Michael Schumacher victory.
The fine itself wasn’t for the use of team orders – indeed, they were perfectly legal at the time (although far from popular) – but for Schumacher and team-mate Rubens Barrichello breaching the FIA’s strict podium guidelines.
After being handed victory by Barrichello in the final few hundred metres of the race, a contrite and shame-faced Schumacher pushed Barrichello onto the top step of the podium to claim the winner’s trophy, while thousands of fans in the grandstands booed and jeered the Ferrari pair.
The team was unrepentant in its behaviour, with Team Principal Jean Todt – the man who currently serves as the President of the FIA, the sport’s governing body – arguing that the team was ensuring Schumacher could score the maximum possible number of points to push him closer toward a championship title.
Ferrari has been no stranger to the use of team orders before, or since, although its use today is still frowned upon. It still begs the question of whether or not it has its place in the sport.
2002 Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix – Final Classification (71 laps):
Driver | Team | Laps | Result | Grid | ||
1. | Michael Schumacher | ![]() |
Scuderia Ferrari F2002 | 71 | 1:33:51.562 | 3 |
2. | Rubens Barrichello | ![]() |
Scuderia Ferrari F2001 | 71 | + 0.182 | 1 |
3. | Juan Pablo Montoya | ![]() |
Williams – BMW FW24 | 71 | + 17.730 | 4 |
4. | Ralf Schumacher | ![]() |
Williams – BMW FW24 | 71 | + 18.448 | 2 |
5. | Giancarlo Fisichella | ![]() |
DHL Jordan – Honda EJ12 | 71 | + 49.965 | 15 |
6. | David Coulthard | ![]() |
McLaren – Mercedes MP4/17 | 71 | + 50.672 | 8 |
7. | Jenson Button | ![]() |
Renault F1 Team R202 | 71 | + 51.229 | 13 |
8. | Mika Salo | ![]() |
Panasonic Toyota Racing TF102 | 71 | + 1:09.425 | 10 |
9. | Allan McNish | ![]() |
Panasonic Toyota Racing TF102 | 71 | + 1:09.718 | 14 |
10. | Jacques Villeneuve | ![]() |
BAR – Honda 004 | 70 | Engine | 17 |
11. | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | ![]() |
Arrows – Cosworth A23 | 69 | 2 laps behind | 11 |
12. | Mark Webber | ![]() |
KL Minardi – Asiatech PS02 | 69 | 2 laps behind | 21 |
NOT CLASSIFIED | ||||||
DNF. | Jarno Trulli | ![]() |
Renault F1 Team R202 | 44 | Fuel Pressure | 16 |
DNF. | Alex Yoong | ![]() |
KL Minardi – Asiatech PS02 | 42 | Engine | 22 |
DNF. | Eddie Irvine | ![]() |
Jaguar Racing – Cosworth R3 | 38 | Hydraulics | 20 |
DNF. | Nick Heidfeld | ![]() |
Sauber – Petronas C21 | 27 | Collision | 5 |
DNF. | Takuma Sato | ![]() |
DHL Jordan – Honda EJ12 | 26 | Collision | 18 |
DNF. | Olivier Panis | ![]() |
BAR – Honda 004 | 22 | Engine | 9 |
DNF. | Felipe Massa | ![]() |
Sauber – Petronas C21 | 7 | Suspension | 7 |
DNF. | Kimi Räikkönen | ![]() |
McLaren – Mercedes MP4/17 | 5 | Engine | 6 |
DNF. | Enrique Bernoldi | ![]() |
Arrows – Cosworth A23 | 2 | Collision | 12 |
DNF. | Pedro de la Rosa | ![]() |
Jaguar Racing – Cosworth R3 | 0 | Throttle | 19 |
FASTEST LAP | ||||||
Michael Schumacher | ![]() |
Scuderia Ferrari F2002 | 68 | 1:09.298 |
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Richard Bailey
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