McLaren fail to get Hamilton sanction overturned

Lewis Hamilton heads into the final four grands prix of the Formula One season in possession of a narrow one-point lead after McLaren’s appeal against his drive-through penalty at the recent Belgian Grand Prix was ruled inadmissible.

Hamilton yesterday spent five-and-a-half hours at an FIA International Court of Appeal hearing in Paris hoping the decision of the stewards to demote him from race winner to third on the back of the 25-second penalty would be overturned.