Silverstone wait for FIA hearing, but sales remain

Race ban - Unlikely
By FN
May 17 2002

The organisers of the British Grand Prix are hoping that Ferrari will be able to race at Silverstone and that the FIA do not impose any sort of race ban on the Italian team after their use of team orders in the Austrian GP.

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Rubens Barrichello was ordered to slow just before the chequered flag in Zeltweg to allow team-mate Michael Schumacher to take the win, but the podium ceremony is the problem for Ferrari as Schumacher pushed Barrichello to the top of the podium and handed him the winners trophy.

Both drivers and their Ferrari chiefs face an FIA hearing on 26 June over the incident and they could be punished with a race ban. That would almost certainly come into force at the following grand prix, which is at Silverstone.

But Rob Bain, chief executive of Octagon Motorsports which has the rights to the British Grand Prix, is hopeful the four-time champion will be at Silverstone.

"It's a worry. Schumacher is a leading driver and Ferrari are a leading team. If they were not here it would be a problem for us, but I would be surprised if that was the case. There have been very few people asking for their money back," said Bain. In fact, we are still getting over 200 calls a day from people wanting tickets. The hotline is still hot."

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