Appearance of flag on the nose courted controversy on Friday
Friday 26 October 2012 17:02, UK
Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali has denied Ferrari are making a political statement by running with the flag of the Italian navy on their car at the Indian GP.
Later on Friday evening in India Ferrari released an official statement clarifying the purpose of the flag on the car. "The Italian Navy's national flag on the Ferrari race cars at the Indian Grand Prix is there as a tribute to one of our country's outstanding institutions," the brief statement read. "With all the respect due to the Indian Authorities, Ferrari wishes to make it clear that this initiative does not have, nor should it be seen as having, any political implication." The FIA's International Sporting Code prohibits F1 teams from making any kind of political statement at a Grand Prix weekend while Article 1 of the governing body's Statutes states: "The FIA shall refrain from manifesting racial, political or religious discrimination in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect." Paying a visit to the paddock on Friday, commercial rights controller Bernie Ecclestone said that F1 is apolitical and the matter should be left to India's national motorsport association the FMSCI. "What we'd do, we'd look at the national sporting authority here to have a look at that...we are not political," Ecclestone said.
