Michael Schumacher, who was involved in numerous controversies during his eleven year tenure with Ferrari, has defended the Italian team following its controversial decision to implement team orders during today's race.

The German was involved in one of the sport's most notorious moments in 2002 when teammate Rubens Barrichello was ordered to allow him through to win the Austrian Grand Prix in the final corner.

On the podium, as fans jeered and booed, Schumacher, clearly embarrassed by the reaction, summoned his Brazilian teammate to stand with him. The team was subsequently fined and team orders were (supposedly) banned.

Speaking in the wake of today's race, however, Schumacher defended his old team.

"I have been criticised in the past for exactly that," he told the British F1 broadcaster, "and I understand 100 percent and I would have done exactly the same if I were in their situation.

"I can see in the years that we did it, because we were leading so much, people thought it was unnecessary," he continued. "I can agree on that in a way. But in principle I fully cannot. I agree with what's going on, you have to do it in a way that's maybe nice and not too obvious, but there's only one target and that's winning the championship."