| Lewis Hamilton and McLaren have managed to put | | | | There was only one problem with the above |
| their foot in it again after only one race in the 2009 | | | | scenario. Hamilton and Ryan failed to recall that radio |
| Formula One season. Both have been disqualified | | | | conversations are now recorded. A review of the |
| from the Australian Grand Prix. | | | | conversation revealed that Hamilton had clearly been |
| If you are going to make a statement about how a | | | | told to stop and let Trulli pass. Doh! |
| race situation went down, you really don't want to | | | | After being fined $100 million dollars in 2007 for |
| get caught being untruthful to race stewards. That is | | | | "borrowing" Ferrari technical documents, McLaren has |
| exactly what happened. Lewis Hamilton told stewards | | | | put its foot in it again. Hamilton and McLaren have |
| one thing related to dealing with a pass by Jarno Trulli | | | | been tossed from the Australian Grand Prix. The FIA |
| of Toyota, but forgot that there was a radio | | | | will look into additional penalties and there is a very |
| transcript that clearly stated an opposite version. | | | | good chance that Hamilton will be suspended for |
| So, what happened? Lewis Hamilton had taken the | | | | being less than truthful with the Stewards. McLaren |
| dog that is the McLaren Mercedes MP-24 and | | | | could also face huge fines or a ban yet again. |
| masterfully driven it from the back of the field to a | | | | For its part, McLaren has announced it will not appeal |
| fourth place position in the final laps of the race. Then | | | | the findings. It has also suspended Dave Ryan and is |
| something bizarre happened. The third place car of | | | | considering firing the sporting director who has been |
| Jarno Trulli went off the track. Hamilton drove past | | | | with them since 1974. Hamilton has stated he did |
| him. Trulli came back on the track and Hamilton pulled | | | | what Ryan told him to do. In short, it appears that |
| over, slowed down and Trulli went back into third. | | | | Ryan is the employee who will be falling on his sword |
| Trulli was then disqualified for passing during the | | | | for this latest McLaren mess. |
| safety car lap. | | | | The tragedy of all of this is the race result was |
| After the race, Lewis Hamilton was called to the | | | | brilliant. Hamilton drove like a champion and the point |
| Stewards who were trying to figure out what | | | | difference between position three and four is minimal. |
| happened. Sporting Director Dave Ryan of McLaren | | | | In short, there was no reason to take this dubious |
| went with Hamilton. The stewards asked Hamilton if | | | | step. McLaren gained little, but now has taken |
| the team had told him to slow down and let Trulli | | | | another brutal hit to its reputation. Given the poor |
| pass while the safety car was out. Hamilton denied | | | | performance of the car, McLaren can afford no |
| as much as apparently did Ryan. Trulli was given a 25 | | | | further missteps. |
| second penalty and lost all of his points in the race. | | | | |