Stewart warns against ban on Ferrari

Three-times world champion Jackie Stewart has called on Formula One chiefs not to hand Ferrari a ban following Michael Schumacher’s contrived victory at the weekend for the sake of the British Grand Prix.

The sport’s world governing body, the FIA, have called Ferrari, Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello to a June 26 hearing to explain events during and after Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix.

Barrichello - who had led comfortably for much of the race - obeyed team orders and pulled over within yards of the flag to allow Schumacher to take the victory.

Afterwards, to boos from the crowd, Schumacher broke FIA regulations by forcing Barrichello to stand on the top step of the podium and accept the winner’s trophy.

The FIA have the power to either dock points or issue a ban to Ferrari or any one of their drivers.

But Stewart has appealed for the governing body to show lenience as any ban would come into force for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone - depriving fans of their chance to see a full race.

The Scotsman told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘‘The likelihood of the Ferrari team being disciplined in terms of being banned from a race would be very unlikely.

‘‘It’s a commercial decision of enormous magnitude. The attendance of the British Grand Prix would be severely affected by the fact Ferrari are not allowed to race.

‘‘That is against the promoter, who has nothing to do with what happened in Austria.’’

Stewart admitted he was surprised by the events late in the race.

He said: ‘‘I was very, very disappointed and I think shocked by it because I really did believe Rubens was going to win the race, and justly so.

‘‘I just thought it was a complete anti-climax to what was actually an exciting grand prix.’’

And the former Formula One team owner criticised Schumacher for orchestrating a ‘‘pantomime’’ performance on the podium - and claimed the German could have ignored his team’s instructions.

He said of the podium fiasco: ‘‘This really was a mistake and I think it was a bit of pantomime in which everyone felt embarrassed about.

‘‘Rubens was pushed into a position he did not want to be in. The manner in which it was all conducted was very embarrassing.

‘‘It didn’t look good for motor racing. Rubens drove an impressive race and it was a PR blunder more than anything else.

‘‘Michael could easily have disregarded the instruction. He has more power in Ferrari than any single man I have ever known in all of my career in motorsport as a watcher of Ferrari.

‘‘It could have been altered by Michael’s personal initiative, he could have said it on the radio.’’