Posted at 8:15 a.m., Thursday, September 13, 2007
Autos: F1 fines McLaren team $100 million for spying
By ROB MURRAY
Associated Press
McLaren, which leads the current drivers' and constructors' standings, was punished by the World Motor Sports Council for allegedly using leaked secret technical documents belonging to F1 rival Ferrari.
Team drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, currently 1-2 in the championship standings, were not punished.
McLaren will also be excluded from next year's constructors' championship, FIA said in a statement after a hearing.
The team can appeal.
Rookie English driver Hamilton leads the standings with 92 points, followed by two-time F1 champion Alonso of Spain with 89. Ferrari teammates Kimi Raikkonen (74) and Felipe Massa (69) are third and fourth. Four races remain in the season, starting with Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.
Hamilton and Alonso finished 1-2 in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix — at Ferrari's home track of Monza — to extend McLaren's lead in the constructors' championship to 23 points. McLaren has 166, Ferrari 143.
