Ferrari welcomes team orders decision

(GETTY IMAGES)

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has welcomed the lifting of the ban on Formula One team orders, calling the old regulations "pointless hypocrisy".

The Italians were fined after Felipe Massa was effectively told to move aside and let team-mate Fernando Alonso win at this year's German Grand Prix but on Friday the International Automobile Federation deleted the rule forbidding team orders.

The governing body has recognised team orders have always been part of the sport but implied that blatant action early in the season could still be punished.

"Finally, we have said goodbye to this pointless hypocrisy," Domenicali said. "For us, Formula One is a team sport and we've always maintained it should be treated as such. The regulations already include provisions that prevent certain situations being managed in an extreme manner."

Ferrari and Alonso lost out in the driver's title race to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel after a strategic pit-stop error in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last month.