Brand Michael Schumacher or Brand Ferrari?

Fair play is one of the issues being hurled at Ferrari by enraged fans but this is temporary. Management and President Luca di Montezemolo are banking their strategy on words like winning, success and dominance.

Ferrari have the best car thanks to South African designer Rory Byrne together with world champion Schumacher's testing and refining. Their pit team and mechanics are efficient and focused. In total they have one formidable package deal compared to two years ago when Michael won the championship without the luxury of the best car.

When Ross Braun, the Ferrari Technical director, turns around and says that decisions revolve around winning and not what the fans think, he is stating exactly where Ferrari stands in how they want their brand to be seen.

In such a competitive and dog-eat-dog environment like Formula one, winning counts more than anything else. Fans who are shouting about "debacle" and "cheats" are being emotional in the immediate aftermath. Those Ferrari fans, or most of them, will still be cheering the team on when they win the championship at the end of the season. With Austria forgotten they will only be angry if Michael loses the championship.

Success leads to sales of tons of memorabilia. It also leads to increased and reinforced sponsorship. This all leads to an increase in the formidable and intimidating charge of the red beasts. Fans that may have cursed on Sunday will be back behind their team at the next Grand Prix in Monaco.

The only risky parts of the Ferrari calculated gamble are their scheduled appearance before the FIA (International Automobile Association) World Motor Sports Council in Paris on June 26 to answer for the overtaking decision as well as the apparent threat of legal action from the bookies.

FIA has never been clear as to whether "team orders" are actually allowed in deciding who wins a particular race. They have also been anything but consistent over the years when it comes to punishing drivers and constructors. This risk must obviously have been assessed by Ferrari and found to be a calculated one.

As far as the legal threats from bookies go there is obviously more to be gained from winning the championship for a third consecutive time than the danger posed by litigation that may go on for years. This must also have been calculated by Ferrari.

The only serious mistake that they have made is to show no confidence in Schumacher to go on and win the championship without their connivance. This is quite a damaging admission of total fear of failure rather than pursuit of success with a great driver. It also places the brand Ferrari above the brand Michael Schumacher and this is greed pure and simple.

This could create a rift between him and the team as he seemed uncomfortable and awkward about the orders after the race. This show of no confidence in the best driver on the track is more deserving of failure than breaking any FIA rules. It also damages the mystique of dominance that their actions were intended to bolster.

If Michael wins they will feel that the end justifies the means. If he loses the championship the main factor will not be breaking FIA's inconsistent rulings but showing so little faith in the Michael Schumacher brand.

This is the man who single-handedly has placed them where they are now and he did not build his brand by having victories handed to him on a platter.