Peter Sauber

But when it came to supporting Ferrari at the FIA's disciplinary hearing earlier this week, only the Swiss and fellow veteran Sir Frank Williams would write an actual letter.

"All the teams are for team orders when they make sense, but no one admits it openly!" Sauber is quoted at Monza by the Blick newspaper.

But while some observers made the link between Sauber's support and the identity of his team's engine supplier, more confusing was Williams' similar backing.

The Oxfordshire based team is not known to have any alliances with its famous Italian rivals.

"We are no friends of Ferrari," Williams confirmed on Friday, "but we just thought a total ban on team orders is not necessary.

"We wrote it (the letter) because we are sincere," he added.