F1 plunged into controversy

2008-09-07 19:40

Gordon Howard

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium - Formula One was plunged into new controversy on Sunday when race stewards at the Belgian Grand Prix stunningly stripped Lewis Hamilton of a brilliant victory.

The stewards' decision, which will be seen by many as part of a conspiracy to rig the results to ensure a close fight in the title race, came long after the race when they hit the 23-year-old Briton and his McLaren team with a 25-second penalty.

It meant that he was pushed down to third and the race victory was handed to Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa who had struggled to keep pace with Hamilton and defending world champion Finn Kimi Raikkonen.

Critics and paddock observers were swift in their condemnation of a decision that reeked of potential favouritism for Ferrari and seemed entirely unjustified following the most exciting race of the year.

Last year, the sport's ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) was accused of a "witch-hunt" against McLaren and this spectre was raised again by their stewards action at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Their decision to punish Hamilton came in relation to a move in the final stages of the race when after attempting to pass Raikkonen, who was leading, he was forced off the circuit and cut out the "Bus Stop" chicane.

Hamilton recognised immediately that he had done this, and gained an advantage by going ahead of Raikkonen, and so he slowed to allow the Finn to re-pass him and lead as they completed the lap in teeming rain.

Official investigation

When they began racing again, Hamilton passed Raikkonen and went on to win, after several more battles for the lead, after the Finn crashed out.

In the immediate post-race euphoria, there were no calls for an investigation by any driver or team, but the stewards announced they would be making an official investigation.

The decision to hit Hamilton with a "drive-through" penalty worth 25 seconds wrecked the value of the race as a spectacle and at the same time devalued Massa's win to nothing more than a hollow sporting victory gifted to him.

It will be seen by most observers as another move by the FIA artificially to keep alive the championship and make it closer by hitting McLaren with a sanction.

At the previous race in Valencia, Ferrari escaped any punishment for taking advantage at a controversial pit-stop when most observers expected Massa, who escaped sanction, to be given a "drive-through" penalty.

Sunday's shock decision, which demoted Hamilton to third place behind Massa and BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld, left the 23-year-old with just a two-point lead over Massa in the championship with only five races left.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain came home fourth for Renault ahead of German Sebastian Vettel in a Toro Rosso and sixth-placed Pole Robert Kubica in the second BMW.

With six laps remaining of the race, the first rain drops began to fall and produced the conditions that created the amazing final few laps when Hamilton regained the lead.

On lap 42, he caught Raikkonen and passed him.

As the rain became heavier with three laps remaining the race was turned into a lottery as both drivers spun and soon after Raikkonen crashed off into a wall and out of the race.

In another late development, Timo Glock of Toyota was demoted a place to ninth, with Mark Webber of Red Bull promoted to eighth, following a 25sec penalty for not taking notice of yellow flags.

- SAPA