Ferrari’s F1 cars will still be wearing the Italian navy flag logo during Sunday’s Indian grand prix, despite a huge controversy.
With the government and other Indian officials furious at the saga, the FIA has remained completely quiet on the issue, despite its foremost statute about refraining from politics.
Although Ferrari undoubtedly triggered the renewed political controversy about Indian/Indian relations over two soldiers on murder charges, the famous team insists it put the stickers on Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa’s cars for entirely non-political reasons.
Bernie Ecclestone has been walking both sides of the street, initially vowing to "have a word" with Stefano Domenicali and then telling an Indian reporter that it was "not the behaviour one expects from Ferrari".
But Italy’s Tuttosport quotes him as saying later: "There is nothing wrong with putting the Italian flag or any other symbol on the cars".
India’s motor racing federation has also moved to downplay the saga, its president Vicky Chandhok saying: "It’s just a sticker.
"When we are convinced that it’s not a political move why should I ask them to remove it?" he is quoted by the Press Trust of India.