Lewis Hamilton penalty is 'worst

 

Lewis Hamilton penalty is 'worst judgment in F1 history', says Niki Lauda

 

Former Formula One champion Niki Lauda has described the 25-second penalty that deprived Lewis Hamilton of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix yesterday as "the worst judgment in the history of F1".

 

McLaren appeal after penalty costs Lewis Hamilton victory in F1 Belgian Grand Prix

Not so fast: Lewis Hamilton was denied his victory in the Belgian Grand Prix by race stewards Photo: Getty Images

McLaren appeal after penalty costs Lewis Hamilton victory in F1 Belgian Grand Prix

Demotion: Lewis Hamilton was deprived of victory in Belgium by a 25-second penalty imposed by race stewards Photo: EPA

 

Briton Hamilton took the chequered flag at Spa-Franorchamps after a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle with Ferrari's defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

 

But he was retrospectively relegated to third for allegedly gaining an advantage by cutting out the Bus Stop chicane during his duel with Raikkonen in teeming rain in the closing laps.

 

The decision gave Raikkonen's Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa his fifth win of the season.

 

Lauda said: "This is the worst judgment in the history of F1. The most perverted judgment I have ever seen. It's absolutely unacceptable when three functionaries (the stewards) influence the championship like this."

 

McLaren have lodged an appeal against the punishment for the incident, which Hamilton insisted gave him no advantage.

 

"I was ahead going into that corner, so I didn't gain an advantage from it," Hamilton said at a news conference before the penalty was announced. "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."

 

A McLaren spokesman said that their appeal would rest on the fact that Hamilton had moved aside to allow Raikonnen to regain position before racing resumed. "Having passed the lead back to Kimi, Lewis repositioned, moving his car across and behind Kimi to the right-hand line.

 

"He then outbraked him into the hairpin."

 

Hamilton's lead over Massa in the drivers' standings now stands at two points with five races remaining as the Briton seeks his first world championship.

 

Team chief Ron Dennis said: "That was a sensational Grand Prix, which kept everyone on the edge of their seats, whoever they were supporting. On the second lap, Lewis made a rare mistake, dropping him to second place behind Kimi Raikkonen, who he put under considerable pressure thereafter.

 

"But our car is slightly superior to that of our opposition in slippery conditions, so when the rain came we were reasonably confident that Lewis would be able to press home his advantage.

 

"He duly took the lead, finished first on the track, but then received a 25-seconds time penalty. After the race, we registered our intention to appeal it."

 

He added: "We are now focused on going to the next race in Italy to win."

 

If McLaren's right to appeal is accepted, the case will be heard by the Federation Internationale de L'Automobile's International Court of Appeal at a date to be determined.