16/09/2007
NEWS STORY
FIA President Max Mosley has admitted that he wanted McLaren and its drivers excluded from the World Championship as part of the Woking team's punishment for its role in the spy saga.
Since the WMSC announced that McLaren would be fined $100m and excluded from the Constructors' Championship, there has been widespread confusion as to why the drivers weren't punished, since, assuming McLaren did gain from having Ferrari's secret information, presumably the drivers did also.
Naturally, when the drivers escaped sanction it was widely assumed that 'outside influences' had come into play, as those with a vested interest in the sport appreciated that the exclusion, particularly of rookie sensation Hamilton, would have a devastating effect on the sport, particularly in terms of 'man down the pub' and other fans attracted to the sport by the youngster.
Speaking to BBC Radio at Spa, however, Mosley has admitted hat he wanted the McLaren drivers thrown out.
"I would have taken all the points away from Hamilton and Alonso on the grounds that there is a suspicion they had an advantage that they should not have had," said the Englishman. "A significant majority on the council thought they should keep their points, about five (mostly lawyers) thought all the points should go.
"I'm slightly disappointed," he continued, "because when history comes to be written and all the emotions are gone they will say, 'Hang on a minute, we just don't know what happened and would Raikkonen or Massa have won had it not been for this information?'"
Explaining the decision not to punish the drivers, Mosley said: "The lawyers all felt everything should go because how can you give the cup to a driver who may have had an unfair advantage over the other drivers.
"But on the other side of it we have a brilliant championship between Alonso and Hamilton, and the sporting people were saying 'If you interfere with that you are spoiling a very good championship. It wasn't the drivers' fault.'
"You could say it's not the drivers' fault but then it never is," he continued. "A driver can be disqualified because his car is a kilo underweight, it wouldn't make a difference but you have to have the principle.
"If you are outside the rules you are not in the game," he added.