Hamilton appeal thrown out

Spa result stands after Hamilton appeal fails

Last updated: 23rd September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Hamilton appeal thrown out

Hamilton leaves Monday's hearing

I thought I had given back the advantage that I had taken by cutting the chicane. I thought I had done what I needed to.

Lewis Hamilton
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McLaren's appeal against Lewis Hamilton's 25-second penalty in the Belgian Grand Prix has been ruled inadmissable.

Click here to read the ICA's verdict in full

Despite a spirited defence of his actions at the Paris tribunal, the British driver was adjudged to have cut a chicane during a duel with Finnish rival Kimi Raikkonen in the closing laps.

Race officials overturned his win and demoted Hamilton to third in the belief that he had thereby gained unfair advantage.

The five FIA International Court of Appeal judges in Paris upheld the original decision to hand down a drive-through penalty at the end of the race for a breach of Article 30.3 (a) of the 2008 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations and Appendix L, Chapter 4, Article 2 (g) of the International Sporting Code.

The hearing ruled that Article 152 of the International Sporting Code states drive-through penalties are "not susceptible to appeal" and therefore threw out Hamilton's claim.

"Having heard the explanations of the parties the Court has concluded that the appeal is inadmissible," the FIA judges said.

Collision

The confirmation of Hamilton's third place means rival Felipe Massa of Ferrari claims a win which slashes the Briton's lead in the drivers' championship to a single point.

In giving evidence in the French capital, Hamilton reiterated his version of events as recorded in a statement given days after the race, saying he had taken the chicane to avoid a collision with Raikkonen.

"I thought I had given back the advantage that I had taken by cutting the chicane. I thought I had done what I needed to," Hamilton insisted.

McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh and team engineer Phil Prew also appeared before the Paris hearing, but to no avail.

Had he won his appeal Hamilton would have been seven points clear with just four races left to go.

The Briton has 76 points, just one point ahead of Massa, with Poland's Robert Kubica, of BMW Sauber, on third with 58.

Comments (64)

Gareth Callow says...

Surely that fact te FIA felt it should clarify the rule means that it was unclear in the first place and Hamilton should have been given the benefit of the doubt??

Posted 11:17 25th September 2008

Tony Clifton says...

The reason for so much astonishment with Hamiltons penalty is that most of the people who watch F1, actually don't know the rules of the sport. Hamilton cut the corner. Did not return all advantage gained to Raikkonen and he attacked again before they had passed the first corner. These are the reasons he received the penalty. As for the conspiracy theories that the FIA and Ferrari are in league with each other, Please people.......get a padded room ! This level of paranoia is not healthy. Hamilton was lucky he didn't fined or black flagged for trying to take Webber off the track in Monza. The fact is the Stewards imposed a drive-through penalty upon the driver of car No.22, Lewis Hamilton, for a breach of Article 30.3 (a) of the 2008 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations and Appendix L, Chapter 4, Article 2 (g) of the International Sporting Code. As the drive-through penalty was imposed at the end of the race, 25 seconds were added to the driver's elapsed race time in accordance with Article 16.3 of the FIA 2008 Formula One Sporting Regulations. Article 152 of the International Sporting Code states that drive-through penalties are "not susceptible to appeal." And No....These rules were not drafted after the Spa Grand Prix. Even though some people seems to think so.

Posted 09:53 25th September 2008

Ashton Bossr says...

Poor Maclaren. Last year you raced with Ferrari information. This year you cry about the stewards. If you look at Hamilton driving he should not be allowed on the track. He has no respect for the other driver(s) and the last race he almost took two drivers out of the race. In Monza Massa two wheels lifted from the ground and he had the place back to the BMW driver, Hamilton did it again and yet he did not return the spot. Hamilton will never win the drivers championship. He better leave the faster care for Heiikki . If Ron Dennis supported Heikki as much as he supports hamilton then Maclaren would win something, unfortunately we know that is not going to happen.

Posted 07:24 25th September 2008

Neil Martin says...

What a disgrace !! Lewis should never have had the time penalty dropped on him in the first place,let alone go to an appeal that is deemed inadmissable !! He only went over the cicane to avoid a collision, then he immediately gave the lead back to Kimi. He then over took him again and won the race, with Kimi crashing out and not finishing. With this fact alone Lewis did not get any advantage over Kimi, so the stewards desicion makes no sence at all. And just for the people that think this is the correct judgement, legends of the sport have spoken out against the desicion. Legends that actually drove in F1 and won the championship. I'm sure they know a lot more than you and I, and the arm chair critic/games consol F1 driver !!!

Posted 03:34 25th September 2008

Matthew Hazelden says...

I think the point is that just about everyone involved in this is wrong in one way or another. I do believe Mclaren get singled out, but then Mclaren are aware this might happen. Lewis left enough doubt in everyones minds when he immediately took back the lead, so why did he not play safe and back off for a couple of seconds ? why did Mclaren not instruct him to do so ? I know they consulted the stewards, but it was not their say and Lewis was running rings around Kimi by that stage and could have easily taken him later in the lap. Would Ferrari have been penalised in the same way ? who knows, all I know is if I was Ron Dennis I would have seen there was enough doubt raised, seen that Lewis was going to take him anyway at some stage and backed him off to remove any doubt.

Posted 15:57 24th September 2008

Jim Dale says...

This is a farcical decision and does nothing to quash rumours and feelings that the FIA panel of 'experts' is heavily biased towards Ferrari. Lewis is perfectly correct in some of the things he said in the court, I mean, it's pretty ballsy saying back to a QC under cross-examination "You're not a racing driver, you wouldn't understand!". I hope he does win the championship, like every true patriotic Brit should, and that those weasely moaners at Ferrari get involved in something and lose all their points, it's about time!

Posted 13:38 24th September 2008

Darren Morris says...

Why Mclaren were allowed to appeal this is beyond me. Clearly Hamilton gained an advantage by going into the corner so fast that he couldn't stop, bypassing the corner by taking the run-off area and then pulling into the slipstream of Raikkonen immediately. Had the run-off area not been there he would have either ended up in a wall or beached in gravel, therefore not completing the race at all and getting no points. The punishment he got was fair and very deserved.

Posted 12:51 24th September 2008

Jim Dale says...

This is an absolutely outrageous decision. But not quite as outrageous as the claims that the FIA isn't biased towards Ferrari at all. The last few weeks have been an absolute shambles and to completely ruin a race which saw more wheel-to-wheel action in those exciting last few laps than there was throughout the dull procession (otherwise known as the Schumacher era) is ridiculous. The FIA have done nothing to stop people thinking the sport is boring at all. As far as I can see, Lewis can only win the Championship one way; to win every race like a certain Mr Mansell. Then again, I'm sure the 'stewards' would find some way of disqualifying him!!

Posted 12:14 24th September 2008

Raymond De rosa says...

I am an Anglo Italian so I have an open mind obout this incident. I have to say that the stewards and the FIA have made an outrageous decision. I cannot see and no one has convincingly explianed how Hamilton gained an advantage, fair or unfair. Forget about hypothetical scenarios such as "if there was a gravel trap there", because there was not. There was no "slipstreaming", because at no time was the Hamilton directly behind the Ferrari for enough time to pick up a tow. The simple fact was the Mclaren was the faster car at that point in the race, he was directly behind the Ferrari before the chicane, and the same before his passing manouvre after the chicane. If Massa wins this championship be anything less than 7 points, it will be a severly tarnished crown. R De Rosa

Posted 09:02 24th September 2008

Paul Hoyte says...

If they are going to give a penalty why did the FIA strip lewis of the win, it would have been more sports man like to impose the 25 second drive through on the next race,but the FIA were scared if it rained he would have won the race, a risk they did not want to take. LEWIS YOU THE MAN MAKE US PROUD Ps kimi passed another driver maybe Nico under 2 yellow flags, but hey he crashed anway

Posted 08:06 24th September 2008

Gareth Thomson says...

Had it been Raikkonen coming home in second place then i think this retrospective decision would have been correct. The main point that the governing bodies seem to forget is that Raikkonen crashed out and could not have won anyway.I agree with Boysim 34 with the drivers/representatives from each team having the last word in a situation like this. Remember "It's only a game!!"

Posted 07:33 24th September 2008

Tom Dowdle says...

if the FIA think lewis gained an advantage by cutting that chicane fine if thats there decision (they just changed the rule to now you have to wait to next corner before you can overtake when cutting a corner) but where's the consistency? why did massa not receive any sort of penalty when he almost crashed into a force india car? they said they would investigate it after the race? why it was quite clear to me that was dangerous driving! would of been very different if is was lewis! the thing is F1 needs all the fans it can get and they won't get anyway by having all these ridiculous rules! personal that race in spa was fantastic to watch but until the FIA let the drivers actually race they wont be many more races like it. anyway kimi didn't even finish the race so he didnt even gain any advantage! but im sure lewis will go on to win championship as he is a great driver!!!!

Posted 01:54 24th September 2008

Martin Connolly says...

This is just another case of rules being made up as you go. Remember the story of Jenson Button being disqualified and given a two-race ban for driving an 'underweight' car? The rules stated that the car must not be below 600KG during the race. Honda proved this by showing the car weighed 600.2KG at the second pit-stop, but this was not good enough for the people that interpret the rules. The understanding was that you must empty all the fuel out of the car before you weigh it. This put the Honda below 600KG, even though it didn't do this during the race. I know it's being picky, but these are what rules are for. Please - enforce the rules, not the guidelines.

Posted 00:20 24th September 2008

Stanley Marrast says...

In my heart of hearts I knew they would not overturn the decision. That would be wishful thinking. Ferrari has just been handed the championship. Remember today, for this is were Lewis might have very well lost it. I watched the race, and yes he cut the chicane but if he didn't he would of ran into Kimmi. but then almost immediately he allowed Kimmi to regain the lead, but then skillfully overtook him. Now what the hell was wrong with that.. surely that sort of driving, coupled with determination and skill is what makes the race exciting to watch. Point to note: Is Kimmi going to be cited / points docked for running into Lewis in the last race. I dont think so... I'm a staunch F1 supporter and a big Lewis fan (as well as a country man) and I really hope he goes on to win, but it just seems that the cards are stacked against him. Dammed if he does and dammed if he doesn't.

Posted 23:54 23rd September 2008

Dennis Bunning says...

F1 has just lost another fan and supporter I will not wast my time and money watching and traveling to see a sport that is so in favour of one team that it is prepared at any cost to see them win.

Posted 23:06 23rd September 2008

Mike Kane says...

I enjoy watching F1, but it seems to me that the organisers have one ambition, Ferrari have to win the title come what may. The first time since Hill and Mansell we have a driver who can not only compete but beat the rest of the best and the rest don't like it do they. to be blunt if Lewis Hamilton said " you can stuff it, I'm off to indy car racing where you race driver to driver and not the old boy network" Amazing isn't it i thought in this day and age the old school tie had disappeared ....... obviously not !!!!! Do yourself a favour Lewis and go to Indy car, it's far more professional and competative and more suited to your talent. Good luck with the rest of your career ...... you'll need it racing against the bunch of amateurs. I mean the F1 organisers not the drivers !!!

Posted 22:57 23rd September 2008

Deejay Rouyon says...

What is it with the english, I remember damon hill and how everyone always bleeted on when he was beaten by schumacher, despite being in the second best car. Hamilton has not driven a car that was second rate and won, he has always had the fortunes of driving the best car, unlike schumacher, and Raikonnen who both drove cars beyond the second rate status. What has Lewis hamilton actually acheived, nothing, so stop bleeting about what should have been.

Posted 22:55 23rd September 2008

Josh Morton says...

Why should the rules change for Lewis Hamilton? It clearly states you can't pass a driver on the next corner if you have just cut a chicane. He constantly drives dangerously and if anything can call himself lucky for not being penalised at Monza after nearly running Mark Webber into the wall just because he was about to pass. He may be English but that doesn't mean whenever a decision is made against him (all correct as far as I can remember) there is a conspiracy!

Posted 22:36 23rd September 2008

Steve Smith says...

This is a dissapointing verdict which looks to have been made due to no formal appeal process for the type of 'offence' in question. Lewis Hamilton is good. He is very good. You only have to watch him on a rain swept track and natural talent shines through. With the loss of points I hope he goes on and wins the F1 championship, he deserves it, as do the spectators and fans that have been waiting for someone like lewis for some time.

Posted 22:24 23rd September 2008

Chris Jones says...

The FIA verdict was a joke and Hamilton should have the points on the table. Lewis is by far the best on the track i'm sure he will put this behind him and show the world how much of a professional he is and win the championship. Lets face it, this sport would be nothing without Lewis Hamilton!

Posted 22:17 23rd September 2008

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