FIA to probe Monaco Grand Prix

Formula One officials will investigate Fernando Alonso's victory in the Monaco Grand Prix.

Reports claim Alonso's McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton was told not to challenge the Spaniard on the narrow streets of Monte Carlo.

Alonso and Hamilton dominated the race from start to finish while the rest of the field struggled to keep up.

Hamilton spent most of the race looking at Alonso's rear wing but he did not try to overtake.

In a statement, Formula One's governing body, the FIA, said: "The FIA has launched an investigation into incidents involving the McLaren Mercedes team at the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix in light of a possible breach of the international sporting code.

"The relevant evidence is under review and a further announcement will be made in due course."

Formula One teams are banned from giving their drivers orders, but it would be a disaster for any team if their two cars collided while leading the race and both missed the chance to claim victory.

Teams make a distinction between team orders, where a leading driver might be instructed to let a team-mate pass, and team strategy where drivers are told not to put their positions in jeopardy.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis said: "Team strategy is what you bring to bear to win a grand prix; team orders are what you bring to bear to manipulate a grand prix.

"We do not, and have not, manipulated grands prix unless there are some exceptional circumstances.

"For example in Australia in 1998, someone tapped into our radio and instructed Mika Hakkinen to enter the pits.

"He entered the pits, but I reversed that because that was unfair. That was an outside influence influencing the outcome of the race.

"That is one of the very rare occasions there's been a team order."

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