McLaren F1 Fined $100m & Lose Constructors Title For Cheating

[doh]

http://www.tsn.ca/ctvnews/sportsstor...tory_id=218210

FIA handed the 2007 constructors championship to Ferrari after stripping McLaren of all their points this season for their role in the spygate affair.

Following a hearing before the World Motor Sport Council, McLaren have lost all their points in the constructors chase and have been fined a record $100-million US - the largest fine ever handed down in motorsport history.

However, the council decided that both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso would not penalized as a result of the FIA's decision to give drivers immunity in exchange for providing evidence. They will be able to continue fighting for the world championship but no member of the McLaren team will be allowed on the victory podium should either of them win in any of the remaining races this season.

As well the team will have to present their 2008 car for inspection before racing it next season to show that no intellectual property belonging to Ferrari has made its way onto the car. At that time, the WMSC will decide if further sanctions are necessary.

The ruling effectively hands Ferrari this year's constructors championship. Under the revised standings, Ferrari now leads BMW-Sauber by 57 points.

FIA said it would make public its reasons for the decision on Friday.

McLaren team boss Ron Dennis said he would wait until the full verdict is released before deciding on his next course of action.

"I do not accept that we deserved to be penalised in this way," said Dennis. "Today's evidence given to the FIA by our drivers, engineers and staff clearly demonstrated that we did not use any leaked information to gain a competitive advantage."

"Much has been made in the press and at the hearing today of emails and text messages to and from our drivers. The World Motorsport Council received statements from Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Pedro de la Rosa stating categorically that no Ferrari information had been used by McLaren and that they had not passed any confidential data to the team."

"The most important thing is that we will be going motor racing this weekend, the rest of the season and every season."

"We have got the best drivers and the best car and we intend to win the World Championship."

Asked if justice had been served, FIA president Max Mosley replied succinctly, "Yes".

A statement released by Ferrari said the team were satisfied with Thursday's outcome.

"In light of new evidence, facts and behaviour of an extremely serious nature and grossly prejudicial to the interest of the sport have been further demonstrated."

"Ferrari is satisfied that the truth has now emerged."

Hamilton was among the members of the McLaren team who appeared before the council on Thursday, however, he reportedly was not asked to testify at the hearing. He left the meeting roughly three hours after it started, presumably to get back to Belgium to begin preparations for this weekend's race.

Teammate Alonso was noticeably absent from the hearing, electing instead to attend a previously announced pre-race press conference in Belgium, where he was peppered with questions about the spy scandal.

"I am 100 percent concentrated in this paddock, in this track and winning this race," said Alonso, who refused to speculate about the outcome. "Other than that I will not have two seconds of thinking."

When asked why he didn't travel to Paris, as Hamilton did, the Spaniard replied: "No comment."

Former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn was in attendance for the Scuderia even though he is no longer a member of the team and is currently on a one year sabbatical.

Also present at the hearing as observers were representatives of Williams, Renault, Spyker and Red Bull.

Prior to today's verdict, a poll conducted on TSN.ca revealed 33-percent believed McLaren would be stripped of its constructors points. A combined 29-percent said McLaren would be thrown out of the 2007 and 2008 championship while 23-percent said they would only be fined. Only 15-percent said they would escape without any punishment.

[guitarlix]

At least they weren't banned from racing the rest of the season like early reports suggested.

[91fairladyZ]

Heard about the ruling yesterday. Glad to see my man Lewis Hamilton will still be able to compete for the driver's championship.

[Chaz_23]

They should taken their drivers's point away as well. Especially considering that Alonso was involved in the whole mess.
But then again, F1 is about as trustworthy as wrestling.

[guitarlix]

That would totally mess up F1's new superstar - Hamilton; McLaren's other driver. They won't allow that to happen.

[ex_pat]

Originally Posted by Chaz_23

They should taken their drivers's point away as well. Especially considering that Alonso was involved in the whole mess.
But then again, F1 is about as trustworthy as wrestling.

You are a complete idiot. I have seen about 2 of your posts and they are mindless, pointless drivel. What is your problem with the English?? I hope I dont have to become one of these people who have to defend my nationality because of people's intollerance!

Mclaren are not the ones who should be in the dock. It is Ferrari, they setup Stepney and they did this purely to de-rail Mclaren because they knew they couldn't win the championship.. Its not my bias, it is the truth!!! I hope Ferrari get punished for having an illegal car! Pathetic decision

[Chaz_23]

Get lost you imbecile.

Originally Posted by ex_pat

You are a complete idiot. I have seen about 2 of your posts and they are mindless, pointless drivel. What is your problem with the English?? I hope I dont have to become one of these people who have to defend my nationality because of people's intollerance!

[ex_pat]

Originally Posted by Chaz_23

Get lost you imbecile.

Blimey, I didn't expect you to understand/know such a big word

I think maybe you need a little culture, yes?

[Family Man]

"Spygate" has been an embarassment to F1, and this decision does nothing to alleviate it.

"Spying" in F1 has gone on for decades. The fact that McLaren has been stripped of its 2007 constructor points and fined $100 is strictly due to pressure from Ferrari.

A few years ago, Toyota's F1 car was almost identical to Ferrari's car, and it was proven in courts that technical specs were stolen from Ferrari by employees to went to work for Toyota. Did Ferrari pursue this matter with the FIA? Of course not, because Toyota is not a threat. Did the FIA penalize Toyota? Of course not, as they wouldn't want to possibly upset one of the few manufacturers that race in F1.

What about all of the copying that goes on in F1? McLaren runs a small wing over the nose of their car, and suddenly other teams like Willams run it now. Should Williams be fined and docked points for obviously copying McLaren?

Apparently there are security issues with Ferrari, as it appears that their documents seem to be leaving its facilities on a rather frequent basis. Why doesn't the FIA punish Ferrari? Why should McLaren be punished when apparently it was Stepney who approached Coughlan in the first place?

While I do enjoy watching F1, Ferrari's constant whinning and the FIA's blatant favoritism towards Ferrari is beginning to wear thin. I certainly hope that either Fernando or Hamilton win the races, and I hope that McLaren makes it a point at the end of the season to state that, had they been allowed to compete, they would be number 1.

[ex_pat]

Familyman I agree.. Will expcept that it is "Ferrari Gate" rather than spygate.

Ferrari need to be taken down a peg or two.. they are far to ignorant and powerful and it has been damaging F1 since the mid 1990s. F1 was very boring at the start of the century, but the last 2 years have been exciting to the extent that even I am watching (I turned off after Schumacher seemed to win every race). Hope Hamilton does well this year and it doesnt affect him.

Chaz 23, no words of "wisdom"?

[DJR]

I think this is unfair to McLaren. I agree that they were in possession of Ferrari material, but the penalty was too harsh. I think they just should have given them a monetary fine, such as loosing all their winnings from the championship (i.e. only the $100M fine). Everyone copies eachother cars anyhow. You could totally copy the Ferrari, but it would never gaurantee a win for you. There is more to winning in Formula 1 than that.

Ferrari seems again to have again swayed the FIA into gifting them a championship. What happened to Ferrari a few years back when they were caught running illegal width tires for numerous races? Nothing. Honda runs a car underwieght and they loose points from three races. McLaren gets fined and loses all points. Where is the justice???