Alonso scoops German GP with controversial win

AFP - Spaniard Fernando Alonso led Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa to a one-two victory in the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim on Sunday.

But the race's denouement was shrouded in controversy as Massa was in front of Alonso until a call from Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali saw Massa hand the lead to Alonso.

Ferrari chief engineer Rob Smedley said to Massa on the team radio: "Alonso is faster than you. Can you confirm you understand?"

With 18 laps remaining, the Brazilian gave way to his team-mate.

Following the controversial move, Smedley added: "Good lad -- just stick with it now, sorry."

Asked to comment on the call afterwards, Massa, who was denied a potential win a year to the day after he fractured his skull in the Hungarian GP, said simply: "I don't need to say anything about that. He passed me."

Alonso preferred to dwell on the strong team showing.

"Sometimes you are quick, sometimes you are slow," he said.

"It's a very strong result for the team. I think it was a good weekend overall, we improved the car a lot. We performed very well."

Ferrari led from start to finish as both Massa and Alonso passed pole-sitter German Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull in an exciting start at the Hockenheimring.

Vettel, 23, who has still to win a race after starting in pole position, finished in third place ahead of McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button of Great Britain.

Australian Mark Webber was sixth in the second Red Bull ahead of Pole Robert Kubica of Renault.

Mercedes drivers and fellow Germans Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were eighth and ninth respectively, followed by Russian Vitaly Petrov in the second Renault, who was tenth.

Alonso's win took him to within 34 points of drivers' championship leader Hamilton, who has 157 points.

Defending champion Button is second with 143 points, while Webber and Vettel are equal third with 136 points.