Coulthard support for Lewis

World champion just followed orders according to his fellow Briton

Last updated: 9th April 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Coulthard support for Lewis

Hamilton: Centre of controversy

Hamilton has escaped similar punishment because as a driver he says he acted under instruction from the team. My belief is that this would have been the case.

David Coulthard
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David Coulthard has leapt to Lewis Hamilton's defence in the wake of the Australian Grand Prix scandal.

Hamilton was thrown out of the season opener after the FIA ruled that he had 'deliberately misled' the race stewards, which led to the team's sporting director Dave Ryan being given the boot.

McLaren's punishment, though, may not end there as the team has now been called before the World Motor Sport Council to answer charges relating to the incident.

The scandal has dominated headlines with some saying Hamilton was in the wrong and others saying he just did as the team told him to do. One man who takes the latter view is former F1 driver Coulthard.

"McLaren have clearly parked the blame for the miscommunication between Hamilton and the race stewards on sporting director Dave Ryan, who as a result has been suspended," said the Scot.

"Hamilton has escaped similar punishment because as a driver he says he acted under instruction from the team. My belief is that this would have been the case.

"I've been in that situation many times and you trust your team - you trust the integrity and safety of the car, so why would you not trust them when they give you a guideline on what to say?

"What the public has to try to understand is that when you go into a stewards' meeting, you try and present yourself in the best possible light to get the result you want - not being penalised.

"It is a part of the sport whether people like it or not."

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