Planet-F1

McLaren to appeal Hamilton penalty

Sunday 7th September 2008

McLaren will reportedly lodged an appeal against Lewis Hamilton's Belgian GP penalty with the FIA.

Hamilton was stripped of his victory and the ten points it would have bagged him by the race stewards in the wake of Sunday's Belgian GP.

The Brit was deemed to have gained an advantage over Kimi Raikkonen by cutting a chicane to take a position off the Ferrari driver.

As a result Hamilton was handed a 25second penalty that saw him drop from first to third, costing him four vital Championship points.

McLaren are however appealing the ruling which means the final say will belong with the FIA's International Court of Appeal.

"We looked at all our data and also made it available to the FIA stewards," a McLaren spokesperson told Autosport.

"It showed that, having lifted, Lewis was 6km/h 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 outbraked him into the hairpin.

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