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Controversy hits F1 as Hamilton is stripped of victory

McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates by spraying champagne on the podium at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorcamps, Belgium, on Sunday. PHOTO: AP

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 Briton and his McLaren team with a 25-second penalty.

Their decision came in relation to a move in the final stages of the race, when after attempting to pass Ferrari world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who was leading, Hamilton was forced off the circuit and cut out the “Bus Stop” chicane. Hamilton recognized immediately that he had done this — and gained an advantage by going ahead of the Finn — so he slowed to allow his rival to re-pass him and lead as they completed the lap in teeming rain.

When they began racing again, 23-year-old Hamilton passed Raikkonen and went on to win after the Finn slipped on the rain-drenched surface and crashed out.

Hamilton was later relegated to third and the race victory was handed to Ferrari’s Brazilian driver Felipe Massa, who had struggled to keep pace with the Briton and Raikkonen. McLaren said they would appeal the decision.

“We have studied the details and put them before the FIA stewards,” a team statement said. “They show that, after cutting the chicane, Lewis lifted off, he was 6kph slower than Kimi. After conceding the lead to Kimi, Lewis repositioned his car on the right and beat Kimi on the brakes going into the hairpin.”

Critics and paddock observers were swift in their condemnation of a decision that reeked of potential favoritism 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 “witchhunt” against McLaren and this specter was raised again by the stewards’ action at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

In the immediate post-race euphoria on Sunday, 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.
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