McLaren gets 3-race ban
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AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 30, 2009 00:00
PARIS - McLaren was handed a suspended three-race ban for bringing the sport into disrepute, motorsport's governing body, the FIA, announced yesterday.
Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes-backed British-based team was in the dock on five counts of misleading stewards at the season-opening race in Melbourne. The FIA said in a statement that, at an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, McLaren had "admitted five charges of breaching article 151c of the International Sporting Code relating to events at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix".
"Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate," the FIA said. "That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code."
In Melbourne, Toyota's Jarno Trulli slid off the track when the safety car was out and was passed by Hamilton who then let the Italian re-overtake.
The stewards in Australia promoted Hamilton to third, ruling that Trulli had illegally overtaken the world champion after being told by Hamilton and McLaren's sporting director Dave Ryan that there had been no instructions to let Trulli pass.
At a second meeting Hamilton and Ryan stuck to their story, only for it to later emerge that Hamilton had in fact let Trulli pass, on instructions from his team. The fall-out for McLaren has been extensive, with Ryan sacked, and Ron Dennis stepping aside as team boss.
Hamilton, who issued an apology after the incident, has escaped punishment from the FIA.
"Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate," the FIA said. "That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code."
In Melbourne, Toyota's Jarno Trulli slid off the track when the safety car was out and was passed by Hamilton who then let the Italian re-overtake.
The stewards in Australia promoted Hamilton to third, ruling that Trulli had illegally overtaken the world champion after being told by Hamilton and McLaren's sporting director Dave Ryan that there had been no instructions to let Trulli pass.
At a second meeting Hamilton and Ryan stuck to their story, only for it to later emerge that Hamilton had in fact let Trulli pass, on instructions from his team. The fall-out for McLaren has been extensive, with Ryan sacked, and Ron Dennis stepping aside as team boss.
Hamilton, who issued an apology after the incident, has escaped punishment from the FIA.