Stop Press: McLaren to appeal stewards decision
22/10/2007 McLaren has announced that it is to appeal the findings of the Race Stewards at Interlagos, following their decision not to punish Williams and BMW for fuel irregularities. Just over three hours after the end of the race, it was revealed that the stewards had been alerted to the fact that both teams appeared to have breached Article 6.5.5 of the Formula One technical regulations, which states that: "no fuel on board the car may be more than ten degrees centigrade below ambient temperature." The move handed Lewis Hamilton a lifeline, for if Rosberg, Kubica and Heidfeld were to be excluded from the results this would hand the Englishman the title by dint of being promoted to fourth place in the race. That said, a precedent was previously set in the 90s when teams were punished for similar irregularities but not the drivers. Seven hours after the end of the race the stewards decided not to penalise the teams even though the FIA's technical delegate Jo Bauer reported that the temperature of the fuel samples taken from the cars had exceeded the limits. McLaren is appealing the decision on the grounds that it doesn't understand how Williams and BMW can be found to have broken the rules but not be punished. Should the FIA's International Court of Appeal overturn the Race Stewards decision it could disqualify all the drivers involved, which would once again hand the title back to Hamilton. After a season which has been tainted by the spy saga this is the last thing that Formula One needs. However, having been at the receiving end of the FIA's justice McLaren has every right to question what seems a very strange decision by the Interlagos stewards. To check out our Brazil GP gallery, click here |
