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McLaren are off the hook. Well, sort of. The FIA has given the British team a suspended three-race ban for misleading stewards at the Australian Grand Prix.
The sentence means that McLaren won’t face a ban or a fine for their behaviour during the ‘Liegate’ affair, in which McLaren were accused of manipulating the evidence to allow Hamilton to gain third place over Jarno Trulli.
Instead, it’s no more than a slap on the wrists for the team and a warning not to be naughty in the future – the FIA says it will only apply the fine “if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of […] the International Sporting Code.”
The FIA commended the behaviour of McLaren in the aftermath of the affair, saying that team boss Martin Whitmarsh had been ‘open and honest’ with them. McLaren’s decision to sack long-serving sporting director Dave Ryan, along with Big Ron’s move away from F1 operations, can’t have hurt their cause either.
After the incident, Whitmarsh wrote to FIA boss Max Mosley to offer an ‘unreserved apology’ for the team’s behaviour. The team principle also arrived at the hearing today without an entourage of lawyers – a further indication of a softer, more humble approach from McLaren.
“They have demonstrated there is a complete culture change, that it’s all different to what it was,” said Mosley after the hearing. “In those circumstances it looks better to put the whole thing behind us, so unless there is something similar in the future, that is the end of the matter.”
So what do you think? A fair decision? And is this really a new, fluffy McLaren we’re seeing?
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What do you think?
TiTi Nyo Makupal! commented on this article
Sunday May 3, 2009 at 1:36 am
To comment #78 (Pedant): Your comment implies that McLaren do not really know how to make a lie that’s why they made this blunder?
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TiTi Nyo Makupal! commented on this article
Sunday May 3, 2009 at 1:45 am
I think the main problem was the stewards’ incompetence in making a quick and final decision when asked by a team regarding controversial situations that need to be resolved on-the-spot such as that encountered by McLaren which eventually forced them commit that blunder! In short, IT’S ALL THE INCOMPETENT RACE STEWARDS’ FAULT!
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Pedant commented on this article
Sunday May 3, 2009 at 8:26 am
#84: CORRECT
1.They did not need to lie;
2.They lied when we all knew the truth.
#85: CORRECT
1.The Stewards did not answer McLaren during the race;
2.The Stewards made a decision without all the facts.
INCOMPETENCE FROM BOTH PARTIES
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TiTi Nyo Makupal! commented on this article
Monday May 4, 2009 at 12:55 am
Right Pedant, a blunder was committed because of a previous blunder by someone else. The trouble is, why penalise one party and not also the other party who caused it! Injustice!
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Sepang Man commented on this article
Monday May 4, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Ferrari cursed by God.
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JC 94 commented on this article
Wednesday May 6, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Come on! Pathetic! all they tried to do was blag 2 points and now theres spotty teenagers from grimsby Town on topgear.com arguing over who goes to bed the latest! lol seriously, i doubt any of you are over 13, and I think that its fair enough, they tried a little mischief and got kicked in the balls for it! In football, if someone gets sent off for a handball, you dont hear them moaning on and on and on weeks after lol but i suppose when you get F1 you get the dillousioned supporters, as with any sport XD
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wobblegob637 commented on this article
Wednesday May 6, 2009 at 8:05 pm
What a load of tossers commenting on the F1. Have they been to a F1 race? First they want to speak proper english language.(weirs for wires!!!! This season has improved immensely,ESPECIALLY in the rain, come on LEWIS, it should be all down to the drivers. ten out of ten for Brawn for effort AND winning. Toyota, Red Bull and some of the lower teams are coming to the front. Thats what we want, LOOK AT THE LAST RACE LAST YEAR. THE LOOK ON THAT FACE WAS PRICELESS when they realised they had NOT won the world championship!!!!!!!As for the RED car team its about time they took a back seat. Lets have another season like the last race last season, dont care who wins as long as it’s entertaining.
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iRep_McLaren commented on this article
Wednesday May 6, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Firstly we are not ‘arguing’, we are ‘discussing’ the given topic. Secondly I don’t know about everyone else in here but I’m certainly not 13 or any age below that. Furthermore I don’t have a bed time to argue about again I’m speaking for my self here, Grimsby Town, correct me if I’m wrong, is not a real place, football has no relevance on this blog so please don’t use it as an example and honestly JC 94 do u have any idea about what actually happened in Australia or are u here just to rant? When you post something on a blog next time don’t do it to insult
Just become part of the discussion thats taking place before u swiftly get put in it by someone who actually knows what he/she is talking about.
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Nathan commented on this article
Tuesday May 12, 2009 at 6:27 pm
I really hope that Lewis won’t quit McLaren. He rocks!
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balza 96 commented on this article
Saturday May 23, 2009 at 10:05 am
I hate Mc Laren!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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danny b commented on this article
Sunday May 31, 2009 at 1:47 pm
mclaren r rubbish and lewis is a show off
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