Ferrari Put Self-Interest Before F1, Says Head

Dominant Ferrari have an obligation to help Formula One put on a good show but seem to think that they matter more, according to Williams technical director Patrick Head.

"There's no point in making a secret of it that both Frank (Williams) and I have a rather different view than (Ferrari sporting director) Jean Todt," the Autosport website quoted Head as saying after last weekend's U.S. Grand Prix.

"In the years when one team does a job technically that is superior to any other team, whether it be them or their tyres or their engine or a combination of all of them, then I think they've got an obligation to motor racing.

"Jean Todt seems to think that the only obligation he has is to Ferrari. I suppose you've then got to say is the health of motor racing more important than Ferrari or not?

"Ultimately Frank decides what happens in our team and I think Frank has a higher respect for motor racing than Jean Todt appears to have."

Ferrari, Constructors' World Champions for the past four years, have won 14 of 16 races this season and could equal the record of 15 in a season at the final Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka next week.

The Italian team caused worldwide uproar in May when Brazilian Rubens Barrichello was ordered to move aside and let Michael Schumacher win in Austria after leading the entire race from pole position.

They caused more indignation last weekend, despite assurances that the drivers would truly be racing each other, when Schumacher slowed at the finish of the U.S. Grand Prix and watched Barrichello cross the line first.

Many observers believe Schumacher made a mistake, seeking a side-by-side finish rather than giving away victory, but commentators were dismayed.

Team Orders

Ferrari's use of 'team orders', a part of the sport for half a century, has also been controversial with everything geared in favour of five times champion Schumacher when the World Championship was still open.

Williams, runners-up in the title race, saw their hopes of victory vanish when Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya and German Ralf Schumacher collided on the second lap. Montoya finished fourth but messed up his race after coming in for a pitstop 10 laps too early.

Head said his two drivers had shown a "distinct lack of judgement".

"We've had some fantastic drivers, champions - and neither of these two are champions yet although I hope they will be - and we've had massive tussles between (Nelson) Piquet and (Nigel) Mansell, right to the absolute limit, wheel to wheel stuff," said Head.

"But both of them were sensible enough never to bump each other. That just doesn't come under the sensible heading."