Official: McLaren gets suspended 3 race ban 29/04/2009 At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris today, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes admitted five charges of breaching article 151c of the International Sporting Code relating to events at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix. The following decision was taken: "Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate. "That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code." The FIA confirmed that the full reasons for this decision will be issued shortly. Article from Pitpass (http://www.pitpass.com): Published: 29/04/2009 Copyright © Pitpass 2002 - 2009. All rights reserved.
No suprise. F1 has issues(Brit GP probs etc) and now this saga, losing sponsors and teams. Damage control all the way around. Time to move on, they have been shamed enough.
I think it's probably the right decision. This and the diffuser thing hopefully are showing a less intrusive WMSC.
As much as I don't like McLaren, I will have to agree with the above posts. Honestly I think McLaren will bounce back quicker than Ferrari. I hope I'm wrong but thats how it looks like it right now.
McLaren has been given a suspended three-race ban for bringing the sport into disrepute after lying to stewards at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix. Following a hearing of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Wednesday, the governing body announced that since McLaren had admitted to the offences and made clear that there had been a change of 'culture' at the team, it has suspended the sentence that it deemed appropriate. A statement issued by the FIA said: "Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate. "That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code." McLaren had been called before the WMSC to answer charges relating to former sporting director Dave Ryan and Lewis Hamilton lying to stewards about whether an order had been given to let Jarno Trulli overtake the world champion at the Australian Grand Prix. The team was only found to have lied when radio transmissions, and copies of interviews Hamilton had given to the press immediately after the hearing came to light. In the wake of the events, McLaren sacked Ryan and team principal Whitmarsh wrote a letter of apology to the governing body. Furthermore, former team boss Ron Dennis announced that he was stepping away totally from the F1 team in a move not unconnected to the matter - despite claims from Dennis otherwise. Whitmarsh chose to appear at the FIA hearing in Paris alone, staying for less than an hour to apologise for all that had happened. Speaking to reporters on the steps of the FIA building, Whitmarsh said: "We've made mistakes, we've apologised to the FIA and the public. We await the decision." When asked if he hoped today's events would mark the end of the affair, he said: "I very much hope so."
This is a good result. Any more actual punishment would not have good for the sport. Time to go racing.
McLaren reaction: McLaren reacts to WMSC decision 29/04/2009 McLaren has issued the following in reaction to the World Motor Sport Council's ruling earlier today: This morning the FIA World Motor Sport Council met in Paris to discuss a number of subjects including issues related to events that took place at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix. The FIA World Motor Sport Council members heard from Martin Whitmarsh (Team Principal) and have issued the following statement: "Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC, and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate. The penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code." McLaren accepts the FIA World Motor Sport Council's decision and wishes to thank the FIA World Motor Sport Council members for the very fair hearing they have given us this morning. We now look forward with enthusiasm to continuing our efforts to develop a closer and more co-operative relationship between ourselves and the FIA. We will also continue to focus our efforts on closing the performance gap that exists between our car and the fastest cars. Following Lewis Hamilton's encouraging fourth place in Bahrain last Sunday, we are now optimistic that we will be able to play an increasingly competitive part in what is fast developing into a very exciting season of Formula 1 motor racing. Martin Whitmarsh, Team Principal, said: "I would like to thank the FIA World Motor Sport Council members for affording me the opportunity to answer their questions this morning. We are aware that we made serious mistakes in Australia and Malaysia, and I was therefore very glad to be able to apologise for those mistakes once again. I was also pleased to be able to assure the FIA World Motor Sport Council members that we had taken appropriate action with a view to ensuring that such mistakes do not occur again." Article from Pitpass (http://www.pitpass.com): Published: 29/04/2009 Copyright © Pitpass 2002 - 2009. All rights reserved.
The real question is, if it was a lesser team they would have been afforded the same consideration. My guess is nope. I happen to like Hamilton and have been a fan of McLaren for many years, but this is a nothing decision. "don't do it again or else", they must be shaking in their boots.
Possibly different, but where is the benchmark being set for this behavior. A slap on the wrist and don't do it again with the declaration of "Don't worry I wont do it again; I promise" Yikes.
So basically they said if you do it again, then you get suspendend. We should start applying this method of sentencing to our prison systems. Its is just a side show to the F1 Circus.
= Now that the crook Ron Dennis is gone... The good news is that McLaren can start cheating again in a year or so.
Absolutely a "nothing decision"; and something many expected because of the tarnished image the sport has been accumulating. This won't change Mercedes management's growing frustration with where McLaren has taken them. I wouldn't be surprised if they began moving to dissolve their intere$t in McLaren.
Almost seems like an advantage in a way. McLaren don't have to focus on the next three races and can commit 100% to car development and the 4th race and beyond. So now we have 18 cars on the grid.
Actually: "That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code." They will be racing until they F up again.
Yes, but they will race while being suspended, and apparently earn points as well. So its kind of like not being suspended right?
The team is on double-secret probation (again!) starting now lasting for 12 months. Should they screw up in the next 12 months, then they will be suspended 3 races beginning at that time.
This is what puzzles me. They were already on probation due to spy-gate. Was this probation for the violation of a completely different rule? If not, then this ruling doesn't make sense at all. Any reactions from Toyota/Trulli?
