Something rotten in the state of Formula 1

Everyone has a view on sporting incidents...

For years, McLaren fans have sensed a Ferrari bias being played out amongst the hallowed paddocks of F1 — not least, of course, when Shumacher ruled the roost for ten long years. For them, last season's unprecedented $100 million fine handed out to McLaren for being found in possession of a Ferrari handbook was only further confirmation.

And niggly stories do keep on coming...In the last race, for example, Massa was not handed a 25 second penalty for his pit-stop incident. Fair enough, most would say. But apparently, at Spa, a very similar incident happened in the morning's GP2 race, where a penalty of that order was imposed. Hmmm.

Nevertheless, for those who are, first and foremost, fans of F1 racing itself their has always been a bit more too it and never quite enough evidence to give conspiracy theories real validity.

But this weekends overturning of the Spa F1 result, demoting Lewis Hamilton from first to third, after the imposition of a 25 second penalty suggested something different. And racing was the real loser: with the reigning world champion being eclipsed by the heir-apparent in one of the most thrilling and unexpected ends to a F1 race in a long time — only to have that result ripped from him by a very questionable stewards enquiry.

Normally, such incidents only make for chatter amongst F1 'petrol-heads', but this business made the national news and debate on national radio. Respected ex-world champion, Niki Lauda described it as "This is the worst judgment in the history of F1. The most perverted judgment I have ever seen."

The following video shows precisely why that is. It's been put together well by a long-standing fan of F1 racing. Someone like myself who has watched the sport for over two decades and was sickened by this turn of events.

[Also see this video which clearly shows (with excitable German commentary!) how Kimi Raikenon uses another run-off area and the momentum gained from it, to pass Lewis Hamilton...at least Kimi got his just reward around the next corner because, for some reason, I doubt the stewards would have punished him for it!]

For the record: an online petition has been raised...

Image via Wikipedia