OMEN
11-16-2007, 10:57 AM
http://images.supersport.co.za/mclaren_59_get_200.jpg
McLaren's appeal against organisers who failed to penalise four drivers for fuel irregularities at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix was adjourned on Thursday and should be decided on Friday.
Formula One's governing body, the FIA, is to decide whether or not to punish BMW Sauber and Williams, whose drivers finished fourth, fifth, sixth and tenth in Sao Paulo on October 21.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton finished seventh in the race, and would have taken the drivers' title if two of the three drivers who finished ahead of him had been disqualified.
The four judges - John Cassidy, Vassilis Koussis, Jose Nacedo E Cunha and Jan Stovicek - will first determine if McLaren's case is admissible, and then look at the arguments about the fuel.
"It's clear the infringement of this rule did have a performance-enhancing effect," said McLaren lawyer Ian Mill.
"If you put in cool fuel it increases the horsepower. The principle is clear: if there was a performance enhancement, there was a breach and there has to be a disqualification."
Hamilton finished in second place in the overall championship standings, one point behind Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen.
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso was third, also one point behind Räikkönen but with fewer second-place finishes than Hamilton. Räikkönen won the Brazilian GP.
"It would be a serious injustice to Mr Räikkönen should the world title be taken away from him, a fact recognised by Mr Hamilton and Mr Alonso," Ferrari lawyer Nigel Tozzi said.
The hearing took place in London on Thursday because of transit strikes in France.
Supersport
McLaren's appeal against organisers who failed to penalise four drivers for fuel irregularities at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix was adjourned on Thursday and should be decided on Friday.
Formula One's governing body, the FIA, is to decide whether or not to punish BMW Sauber and Williams, whose drivers finished fourth, fifth, sixth and tenth in Sao Paulo on October 21.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton finished seventh in the race, and would have taken the drivers' title if two of the three drivers who finished ahead of him had been disqualified.
The four judges - John Cassidy, Vassilis Koussis, Jose Nacedo E Cunha and Jan Stovicek - will first determine if McLaren's case is admissible, and then look at the arguments about the fuel.
"It's clear the infringement of this rule did have a performance-enhancing effect," said McLaren lawyer Ian Mill.
"If you put in cool fuel it increases the horsepower. The principle is clear: if there was a performance enhancement, there was a breach and there has to be a disqualification."
Hamilton finished in second place in the overall championship standings, one point behind Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen.
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso was third, also one point behind Räikkönen but with fewer second-place finishes than Hamilton. Räikkönen won the Brazilian GP.
"It would be a serious injustice to Mr Räikkönen should the world title be taken away from him, a fact recognised by Mr Hamilton and Mr Alonso," Ferrari lawyer Nigel Tozzi said.
The hearing took place in London on Thursday because of transit strikes in France.
Supersport