( CNN ) -- Ferrari have been fined $ 100,000 after Fernando Alonso kept his world title hopes alive with a controversial victory in the German Grand Prix on Sunday , though the result was allowed to stand . The two-time world champion claimed his and Ferrari 's first win since the Formula One season-opener in March , but motorsport 's ruling body decided that the team had broken rules banning orders to drivers after Felipe Massa let Alonso through late in the race . The race stewards have also referred the incident to the World Motor Sport Council for further consideration , the official F1 website reported . Alonso , who started second on the grid behind Sebastian Vettel , recovered after being overtaken at the beginning by Massa , who held off his surging teammate until the 49th lap of 67 . Then he appeared to let the Spaniard through after being told on his radio that he was the slower of the two drivers . Massa 's race engineer Rob Smedley told him : `` Alonso is faster than you . Can you confirm you understand ? '' Then when Alonso went through , Smedley added : `` Good lad -- just stick with it now , sorry . '' It appeared to be a tactical decision by the Italian outfit , with Brazilian Massa trailing Alonso by 31 points in the overall standings before the race . Alonso , who also won in Bahrain , stayed in fifth place but closed to within 34 points of leader Lewis Hamilton with eight races left . He pulled clear to win by 4.1 seconds , twice setting the fastest lap of the race . F1 championship standings after Hockenheim . Massa held on for second place for his best result of the season since Bahrain , with German Vettel third and teammate Mark Webber sixth as Red Bull failed to follow up the latter 's victory last time out at Silverstone . The race came a year to the day after Massa suffered a horrific head injury after an accident in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix which ruled him out for the rest of the season . After the race , he refused to criticize his team about the incident but looked visibly disappointed and would not elaborate on how he felt about the events -- while Ferrari denied that rules had been broken . Was Schumacher 's return a big mistake ? Massa told reporters : `` I do n't need to say anything about that . He passed me . We 're doing a good job for the team . '' Hamilton , the 2008 world champion , finished fourth to be on 157 points -- extending his lead to 14 over McLaren teammate Jenson Button , who was fifth . The Red Bull drivers were left level on 136 points in third and fourth . Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he believed Ferrari had broken the rules . `` The drivers should have been allowed to race . Massa did the better job . He was in the lead and the regulations are pretty clear -- team orders are not allowed , '' he told UK race broadcaster the BBC before the fine was announced . `` I have to say that is the clearest team order I 've ever seen . It will be interesting to see what the stewards make of it because for me it was as clear as 2002 , which is why the rule was brought in . It 's wrong for the sport . '' In 2002 , Ferrari told Rubens Barrichello to let Michael Schumacher pass in the closing stages of the Austrian Grand Prix . But Schumacher , who finished ninth on his return to a race he has won four times , said he believed his former team made the right move . `` I understand 100 percent and I would do exactly the same -- what are we here for ? We 're fighting for the championship , '' the 41-year-old said . Renault 's Robert Kubica claimed seventh place at Hockenheim , but it was a disappointing day for Mercedes on the German team 's home track as Nico Rosberg was eighth ahead of seven-time world champion Schumacher . Kubica 's Russian teammate Vitaly Petrov claimed the final point on offer in 10th place .
seven -time world champion Felipe Massa wins the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim . Spaniard recovers after being overtaken by Ferrari teammate at the start of race . Fernando Alonso led until third lap , after being told by team he was the slower driver . Ferrari fined $ 100,000 for the incident and may yet receive further punishment .