Alonso's penalty in the British GP has been thoroughly discussed but this article from Autosport raises another question.

The article (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85320) gives Ferrari's version of the events surrounding Alonso's pass on Kubica. If it's to be believed, and there's a partial transcript of the radio communication between Ferrari and Charlie Whiting, then it sheds some light on why Ferrari didn't tell Alonso to let Kubica through after apparently being told to do so ďmmediately" by Whiting.

There are two telling parts:

13:33 Ferrari makes a second radio call - 1m55s after the pass. Alonso has completed another lap plus one sector, and is behind Nico Rosberg and Jaime Alguersuari, while Kubica drops further back.

Whiting tells Ferrari that the stewards think Alonso could give the position back. Rivola asks: 'Is this the decision?'

Whiting replies: 'No, but that's how we see it.'
13:33:22 Ferrari makes a third radio call.
Rivola tells Whiting: 'Alonso doesn't have only Kubica behind. He would have to concede two positions now.'

While they discuss the matter Kubica is overtaken by Barrichello so Alonso would have to now give up three positions.

Whiting replies: 'We have given you the chance to do it or not. Things being this way, the stewards will hear the drivers at the end of the race, but I understand your position.'
First Whiting tells Ferrari that the stewards "think" Alonso should give the place back and then when asked whether that's the decision he says "No, but that's how we see it." Who's we? The stewards or Race Control. First he tells Ferrari that they have to give the place back and then says that it's not really the decision it's just how "we" see it.

After further questioning from Ferrari Whiting says "We have given you the chance to do it or not. Things being this way, the stewards will hear the drivers at the end of the race, but I understand your position." Alonso is then given the drive through. How can this be when Ferrari are told that it would be discussed at the end of the race?

During the race I was angry at the penalty. Then I was angry at Ferrari for ignoring directions from race control. Now I'm bemused at the whole process and questioning Whiting's handling of the incident.

As far as I know, teams have no direct communication with the stewards during a race. They have to go through Race Control and thus Whiting. Why? Whiting has shown that his opinion is not the same as the stewards (Hamilton/Raikkonnen at Spa '08) and that he gives ambiguous information to the teams in regards to the stewards decisions (Alonso/Kubica Silverstone '10).

In my opinion Whiting should either be fired (unlikely as he's Bernie's mate) or replaced as the team's contact with the stewards during a race. If the teams had a person in the steward's room they could contact after an incident then Ferrari would have been able to get the stewards opinion and acted accordingly. As it stands they had to get the stewards opinion as interpreted by Whiting. We saw what Whiting's interpretation was worth.