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[McLaren Fan]

From Planet F1:

Monday 8th September 2008

McLaren have insisted that it is business as usual at the team despite the controversy that has engulfed F1 in the wake of the stewards stripping Lewis Hamilton of his victory in the Belgian GP.

Having announced their intention to appeal against the decision - it remains to be seen whether the team can appeal - McLaren have publicly refused to make any further comment on the rights and wrongs of the stewards' judgement. In an apparent bid to ward off paranoia, 'focus' has become the public name of McLaren's emotion.

"Nothing that's happened is new to us," Ron Dennis told ITV. "We've been in Formula 1 a long time and we deal with each and every thing that comes along in the most professional way possible, and we are leaving here totally focused on Monza."

"We've got less than a week to go before the Italian Grand Prix and we're going to focus on that," added CEO Martin Whitmarsh. "We had a good test there and we're going to make sure we can win in Italy. So that's the mood - we're in one of those wars and we're going to carry on fighting."

Lewis Hamilton has yet to comment in public after the ruling and it remains to be seen whether the beleaguered Englishman can find the strength of character to respond with renewed determination following his hugely controversial demotion from first to third. The team's decision to focus on singing from the same hymn sheet is no doubt motivated by their own determination to ensure that the damage done to Hamilton's World Championship charge is not extended through next weekend when F1 moves on to Ferrari's homeground but, given the loss of what Hamilton described as the "most exciting victory in my career", that is easier said than done.

Nevertheless, it is imperative that Hamilton quickly recover his poise and composure else the likelihood is that, having finished the Belgian GP believing he held an eight-point lead in the World Championship, he will be in deficit to Felipe Massa on Sunday night.

Massa himself probably left Spa unable to believe his luck and the Ferrari driver is entitled to feel that the tide may have turned decisively in his favour. Having been a distant observer to Raikkonen and Hamilton's squabble for victory, the Brazilian then inherited second place on the penultimate lap of the race when his team-mate crashed out and was given a further unexpected bonus approximately two hours later. Seemingly destined to finish the day ten points behind the Englishman, Massa travels to Monza - a circuit that is likely to favour his Ferrari team - just two points behind Hamilton.

Come on McLaren! Give two fingers to the FIA-Ferrari and the tifosi at Monza next week - just like we did last season when the FIA-Ferrari and the Italian police investigated the team.

[bud]

I think they will give more than two fingers

[AKR]

Why is there a possibilty that McLaren cannot appeal? Surely they can appeal this given the penalty isn't clear cut?

[McLaren Fan]

Why is there a possibilty that McLaren cannot appeal? Surely they can appeal this given the penalty isn't clear cut?

A stop-and-go penalty or a drive-through penalty cannot be appeal. Technically speaking, Hamilton was given a time penalty, so a good lawyer could pick up on this thread.

[bud]

but its a time penalty like i said via PM Chris the only reason drive through penalty's cannot be appealed is because

A. the driver has 3 laps to take his penalty so an appeal is kinda hard in that time frame

B. after the race the events that happened during the race and the outcome of an added time to the total race time of said driver are heir-say and thus cannot be changed by an appeal and simply adding on time


so by an adjusted result prior to a race its just as easy to adjust it to how it actually finished.
Time penalty not a drive through there in lies the difference

[AKR]

Why is there a possibilty that McLaren cannot appeal? Surely they can appeal this given the penalty isn't clear cut?

A stop-and-go penalty or a drive-through penalty cannot be appeal. Technically speaking, Hamilton was given a time penalty, so a good lawyer could pick up on this thread.

McLaren has plenty of money meaning a good lawyer isn't out of the question................................

[McLaren Fan]

but its a time penalty like i said via PM Chris the only reason drive through penalty's cannot be appealed is because

A. the driver has 3 laps to take his penalty so an appeal is kinda hard in that time frame

B. after the race the events that happened during the race and the outcome of an added time to the total race time of said driver are heir-say and thus cannot be changed by an appeal and simply adding on time


so by an adjusted result prior to a race its just as easy to adjust it to how it actually finished.
Time penalty not a drive through there in lies the difference

That explains it in more depth for me. Thanks.