But Mosley - the president of motorsport's governing body, the FIA - said that was only his personal opinion and that he did not know what would happen in Ferrari's disciplinary hearing next month.

The world champions have been called to explain their actions in Austria to the FIA's World Council on 26 June.

The team ordered number two driver Rubens Barrichello to cede the lead to Michael Schumacher in the closing stages of the race.

The two drivers changed positions on the run up to the finishing line, causing outrage among F1 fans worldwide.

Mosley told BBC Five Live: "From a purely personal point of view, I was a bit disappointed.

"I thought: 'Here's old Barrichello doing well all weekend and it looks like it's his race', and in the end it wasn't.

"But of course one has to recognise that team orders have existed since time immemorial.

"A lot of people come to us and say we ought to prohibit them.

"But it's one thing to prohibit something and another to enforce the rule.

"The truth of it is it would be impossible to enforce such a rule."

But Mosley said that Ferrari could still be punished for their actions in the race - and Schumacher decision to call up Barrichello on to the top step of the podium with him.

"They have been invited to the World Council to discuss both the podium and what happened on the track.

"Far be it from me to prejudge what may or may not be decided. It's not absolutely straightforward.

"Team orders are not prohibited. On the other hand, there is a clause in the International Sporting Code against interfering with the competition.

"Now, you can argue about those things for a long time but there is no doubt there's a case to be made and a case to be defended."

Cynics in F1 have scoffed at suggestions that Ferrari will be penalised for their actions, but a number of sanctions are open to the FIA.

These could include a ban from the next race, which would be the British Grand Prix.