In a hugely controversial decision, Lewis Hamilton has been stripped of his victory in the Belgium GP today.

After reviewing footage of his duel with Kimi Raikkonen in which he cut the chicane on the corner before he overtook the Finn's Ferrari, race stewards have added twenty-five seconds to Hamilton's race time.

As a result, Hamilton is demoted to third from first and, with Felipe Massa handed the race victory, his lead of the World Championship has been cut to just two points. Had the result stood, Hamilton's lead would have amounted to eight points.

Speaking after the race, Raikkonen pointedly refused to absolve his rival of any wrongdoing.

"There are rules about cutting chicanes and gaining an advantage and the stewards are looking it. So I don't have anything to say," the Finn said.

Hamilton himself - along with McLaren boss Ron Dennis who revealed that the team had contacted Race Director during the race to check that Hamilton had acted within the rules - was adamant that not advantage had been gained after he allowed Raikkonen to retake the lead.

"Firstly, Kimi ran me wide. To avoid an incident, I had to go up that part of the track. There was no advantage. I lifted along the straight. I clearly let him past."

McLaren and Hamilton have yet to comment on the ruling.

Link:
http://planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_4113949,00.html

Drama in the final laps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npQGYfjHEIo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z23lx6MDiLI


HOW ABOUT WE RENAME THE FIA "FERRARI INTERNATIONAL AID"? THIS FVCKING SUCKS! ANYBODY THAT FOLLOWS F-1 KNOWS THE BLATANT FAVORITISM THAT THE FIA SHOWS TOWARDS FERRARI. THEY ARE OUT ON A WITCH-HUNT TO MAKE SURE McLAREN DOESN'T WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR.

 

Lewis Hamilton will have left the Spa circuit last night believing an injustice had been served in the wake of a controversial Belgian Grand Prix.

For the fifth time in 13 races Hamilton suffered at the hands of the race stewards as the ninth win of his career was taken away two hours after he had crossed the finishing line.

A three-man panel - Nicholas Deschenaux, Surinder Thatti and Yves Bacquelaine - deemed Hamilton had gained an advantage in cutting a chicane.

That had occurred at the end of lap 42 of the 44-lap race, taking the lead as he battled with Kimi Raikkonen in the closing stages.

Hamilton correctly handed first place back to the reigning world champion, as the rules dictate, before legitimately passing him again on the run down to the first corner La Source hairpin.

In wet conditions, the lead then changed hands twice more on the penultimate lap prior to Raikkonen spinning into a wall, handing Hamilton the win.

Or so the 23-year-old thought, only to be demoted to third, with Felipe Massa the victor, so cutting Hamilton's lead at the top of the championship standings to two points.

Hamilton was not allowed to comment after the stewards' verdict, but an answer to a question beforehand said it all.

Asked as to whether he would be surprised if the stewards punished him, Hamilton replied: "Absolutely, absolutely.

"This is motor racing and if there's a penalty, then there's something wrong because I was ahead going into that corner, so I didn't gain an advantage from it.

"We were still able to race at the next corner and I gave him his spot back, and I think it was fair and square, so I think it would be absolutely wrong."

Somewhat pertinently, he added: "But you know what they (stewards) are like."

So it proved, adding to Hamilton's woes with the stewards this year as he received a five-place grid penalty in Malaysia - along with team-mate Heikki Kovalainen - for impeding others in qualifying.

Hamilton was then demoted 10 places for the French Grand Prix after driving into the back of Raikkonen in the pit lane in the previous race in Canada.

He also received a drive-through penalty in Magny-Cours for cutting a corner and not handing the place back.

And then there was a £4,000 fine for being late to a press conference in Valencia a fortnight ago.

McLaren have registered their intention to appeal yesterday's decision, however, FIA rules dictate they are unable to protest a drive-through penalty.

It will be one for the Court of Appeal to decide whether they have grounds on which to pursue their complaint, otherwise it will be dropped.

A team statement read: "We looked at all our data, and also made it available to the FIA stewards.

"It showed that, having lifted, Lewis was six kilometres per hour slower than Kimi as they crossed the start-finish line.

"Having passed the lead back to Kimi, Lewis repositioned his car, moving across and behind Kimi to the right-hand line, and then out-braked him into the hairpin.

"Based on this data, we have no option other than to register our intention to appeal.

"We are a racing team and we will now focus on Monza, with a view to extending our lead in the drivers' world championship."

That can now be Hamilton's only recourse, to leave this behind him and put one over on Ferrari in their own backyard.


Link:
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/080920...-stewards.html

 

wtf is right. put this in the pro racing forum where it belongs. some of us don't watch the race live...sucks to see the title thread in OT when i avoid all things racing until i can watch the race.

on point, i won't be surprised if he loses the appeal. mclaren hasn't done well in the that category. it was one helluva final few laps.

 

Complete BS.