International Press Scolds Ferrari, Schumacher and F1

Following Ferrari's decision to impose team orders at Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix, the international press has slammed the World Champions and their driver Michael Schumacher, as well as the current state of Formula One racing.

"Michael Schumacher was a driver on the threshold of greatness but today stands accused of being Formula One's most cynical manipulator," wrote Kevin Eason from The Times newspaper. "[...] Ferrari should also question their apparent contempt for the public, who pay enormous sums to watch the finest drivers in the world in competition."

Richard Williams from The Guardian called the decision "a catastrophic error of judgment."

He attacked Schumacher as the main culprit and declared: "[Schumacher's] greatness as a driver and a racer is beyond doubt, but the less attractive element of his nature has now caught him out in a big way. It may be that those who had finally forced themselves to admire his skill and dedication will be repulsed enough to turn away from the sport altogether."

The headline from The Telegraph claimed that "Formula One is the Loser", while Andrew Baker wrote: "A sportsman who is - almost - bigger than his sport has special responsibilities. As Schumacher considers his healthy Championship lead today, he should also ponder the health of Formula One."

"F1 Died of Shame", The Sun newspaper said, while The Mirror claimed it was "The End of Formula One."

The International press was also very critic, with French daily L'Equipe showing the "Red Card" to Ferrari, while Brazil's O Globo used the headline "Ferrari are Red, Now with Shame".

Even German newspaper Bild, always supportive of their home hero, asked "Schumi, Do you Need That?" in one of their headlines.

Italy's love affair with Ferrari also looks to have hit the rocks after Michael Schumacher's "insanely unsportsmanlike" victory in the Austrian Grand Prix.

"Ferrari ruin everything," read a headline in the daily Gazzetta dello Sport, which used "A Great Barrichello, a Small Todt" as one of their headlines.

As well as pointing the finger at the team's sporting director Jean Todt, the country's leading sports paper had some strong words for Germany's Schumacher.

"Michael was the only one who had the strength to oppose a decision that was insanely unsportsmanlike and unpopular. This is a catastrophe for Ferrari because certain things one remembers and talks about," said the paper.

"Rubens - paid to lose" said Corriere dello Sport noting that Barrichello had signed a two-year contract extension before the race at Spielberg. "He has been fooled one time too many. Now Rubens Barrichello shows the world a dull, pale, face of thunder," said the paper.

The daily L'Unita also showed sympathy with the Brazilian headlining - "Barrichello defeated by Team Ferrari".

"The crowd sang the praises of Barrichello, like the audience at the Colosseum did with their beloved gladiators," said the paper.

Noting that Schumacher's closest rival Juan Pablo Montoya of Williams has only 27 points and Schumacher now has 54 the paper asked "Was there really a need for such an order signor Todt, signor Brawn?" referring to technical director Ross Brawn. The decision to hand Schumacher victory was also slammed by fans.

"We are very disappointed," said Alberto Beccari, president of the Ferrari Club of Maranello, the team's home base.

"Above all we are sporting people before we are Ferrari fans. Todt's choice is not good for the sport. Those four points are not needed to win the world championship. We feel bitter as though we had lost," said Beccari.

Even consumer protection group 'SOS Italia' joined in the chorus of disapproval. The group's co-ordinator Diego Volpe Pasini said gamblers who had backed Barrichello had been "penalised" by the Ferrari decision.

Volpe Pasini said that either Ferrari or the Italian finance ministry, who benefit from taxes on betting, should pay out those who backed the Brazilian. But a spokesman for Italy's biggest bookmakers SNAI said that there was no case to answer.

"Team orders are part of the game and whoever enters a bookmakers to bet on Formula One needs to take that into account. It is not the first time such a thing has happened," said the spokesman.

Austrian newspapers also blasted Ferrari's team orders win at Spielberg as a farce.

"Formula One as Formula Farce!" the Kleine Zeitung newspaper said of Sunday's race at the A1-Ring.

An Austrian firm said it had set up a call centre to field complaints from fans demanding their money back from organisers. The complaints would be passed on to the state prosecutor to investigate the grounds for a case.

"Formula One party in Spielberg turns into a betrayal of the sport," said the front page headline in the Kurier newspaper above a photograph of Schumacher bowing to Barrichello on the winner's podium. Newspapers focused on the reaction of fans who booed and gave thumbs-down signs at the end of the race.

"Schumacher's awarded win angers millions of Grand Prix fans," the Kurier said, adding how the prize-giving ceremony had been drowned out by whistles from spectators.

"The A1 arena had reached boiling point," the paper said. "Even die-hard Ferrari fans were seething with anger and disappointment. A troop of them was hanging from the balconies shouting "It's a fix.".