Lauda Questions Massa Penalty Decision

Jaguar boss Niki Lauda has questioned the effectiveness of the controversial 10-grid position penalty that forced Brazilian Sauber driver Felipe Massa out of this weekend's United States Grand Prix.

Massa, who was penalised for his crash with Jaguar's Pedro de la Rosa at the Italian Grand Prix 11 days ago, is back at home in Brazil after the team replaced him with German Heinz-Harald Frentzen to avoid the punishment and increase their chances of retaining fifth place in the Championship.

But Austrian Lauda believes the team should not have been able to escape the penalty at Indianapolis this weekend.

"Is the team and the driver seen as being together or not? If the driver does something wrong it should always be the combination," he said today. "If he (Massa) races again in Japan nothing will have happened. It is quite a funny rule really.

"The FIA sees it as a pure driver penalty, so change the driver and the team can continue. But it needs to be sorted out. It's a driver penalty, but it is funny in a way. Either we are together as team and driver or we are not."

McLaren driver David Coulthard backed Lauda up on his comments but admitted the FIA are forced into a difficult position.

"Effectively Felipe doesn't get a penalty in racing so it is a little bit strange," he said. "But it is difficult to put the penalty on the day. I don't agree with financial penalties, but it is a difficult one.

"I think there needs to be consistent strong action on what is deemed to be dangerous."

Massa is the first driver to be given the 10-position penalty for dangerous driving, but his punishment will be dropped when he returns for the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix.