Kimi Raikkonen has been confirmed as Formula One world champion after the FIA threw out an appeal by McLaren.
McLaren appeal thown out as expected
Kimi Raikkonen has been confirmed as Formula One world champion after the authorities threw out an appeal by McLaren.
It means the Finn can fully celebrate the championship after pipping McLaren's Lewis Hamilton by a point in the final race of the season.
Hamilton's team had appealed the result of the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, believing BMW Sauber and Williams were in breach of the regulations.
If Williams' Nico Rosberg and the BMW Saubers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld had been disqualified, that could have resulted in Hamilton being promoted to fourth, and with it taking the title.
Inadmissible
But after a lengthy deliberation following Thursday's hearing in London, the Court of Appeal's four judges decided McLaren's appeal was inadmissible, so finally confirming Raikkonen as world champion.
"Following a report from the technical delegate indicating the temperature of fuel pumped into the cars number nine Nick Heidfeld, number 10 Robert Kubica, number 16 Nico Rosberg and number 17 Kazuki Nakajima, was more than 10 degrees centigrade below ambient temperature, the stewards of the meeting met to consider whether a penalty should be imposed," a statement read.
"Having heard the evidence they decided not to impose a penalty as they had sufficient doubt as to both the temperature of the fuel on board the car and to the true ambient temperature.
"Having heard the explanations of both parties and having examined the various documents and other evidence, the court decided that the appeal lodged by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is inadmissible."
McLaren continually maintained in the build-up to the appeal their motive was for clarity of the regulations, and not for Hamilton to win the title in the courtroom.
However, after initially arguing whether McLaren's case was first admissible, and then the merits of their action, the team's lawyer Ian Mill QC called for disqualifcation of the three drivers and a reclassification of the championship.
Deserved win
Rookie Hamilton led the drivers' championship for much of the season but bombed out in the penultimate Grand Prix in China before suffering mechanical problems in Brazil.
Reflecting on the verdict, Hamilton stated: "As I have said all along, Kimi deserved to win the championship.
"Neither I nor anyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, had any desire to take it off him in court. That was not the purpose of the team's appeal.
"I am now looking forward to the 2008 season and racing Kimi, and all my other rivals, on track."
McLaren had been thrown out of the constructors' championship earlier in the year following a probe into the spying scandal involving Ferrari.
