Huge Conspiracy as Lewis Hamilton is Disqualified from Race

The doubts that there is a huge conspiracy going on to discredit Lewis Hamilton and McLaren has been proved without doubt as both the driver and the team have been disqualified from last week's Australian Grand Prix.

According to the race stewards the reigning world champion had deliberately misled them when providing evidence about an incident that saw him passed by Jarno Trulli during a safety car period. After a hearing yesterday, the stewards decided to reinstate Trulli's third place and to sanction Hamilton and McLaren by excluding them from the race classification.

They explained their decision in a statement, which read: "The stewards having considered the new elements presented to them from the 2009 Australian Formula One Grand Prix, consider that driver No 1 Lewis Hamilton and the competitor Vodafone McLaren Mercedes acted in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of the event by providing evidence deliberately misleading to the Stewards."

McLaren and Renault Threaten to Pull Out of Melbourne Race

Britain's Times newspaper reported that Renault team boss Flavio Briatore and McLaren Chairman Ron Dennis threatened to organise a boycott of Sunday's race unless Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone paid up.

Ecclestone in return has reportedly threatened to cancel the charter plane taking the cars to Melbourne. A statement posted on the official Formula 1 website (www.formula1.com) by his Formula 1 Administration accused FOTA of making "inaccurate and misleading" comments. "Neither CVC nor FOA owes any amount to any team," it said.

McLaren team Principal Martin Whitmarsh said that while he had not been at the meeting, he believed Ecclestone's version of events to have been "relatively theatrical".

"There is a lot of tension in this climate about lots of teams being owed lots of money," he said. "I think that is a business between the teams and Bernie that needs to be resolved urgently."

McLaren Does Not Have The Pace This Year says Lewis Hamilton

It seems everyone but the reigning champion himself is the only person who is not sure he will repeat his historic triumph this year, if his comments are anything to go by.

"We don't know what to expect this weekend," Lewis Hamilton said. "It will be a real challenge for everyone, so much has changed. It doesn't only affect drivers but the teams.

"People will be making adaptations and getting used to it."

"We'll have pretty much the same people up there as last year, except for us obviously," Hamilton said at a publicity event on Thursday.

"I've reset the targets again. I want to be world champion again, although it will be tough this year."

Ferrari looking to Dump Kimi Raikkonen

Stefano Domenicali, the Ferrari boss, has given strong indications that Kimi Raikkonen's future with the team may be in doubt.

Raikkonen's contract with Ferrari expires only at the end of the season but rumours persist that Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso could replace him if his agreement is bought out.

Incidentally, Domenicali was full of praise for Felipe Massa, who easily outperformed Raikkonen last year, winning more races than the eventual world champion Lewis Hamilton.

New Changes Are Unilateral Claims Ferrari

Ferrari is leading the opposition against the latest changes announced in Formula 1 racing.

Among the most contentious rules agreed to by the FIA on Tuesday is the move to award the world championship to the driver with the most race wins for the year rather than the most points, starting at this month's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Ferrari boss and Formula One Teams' Association chairman Luca di Montezemolo says "The framework of the regulations as defined by the FIA, to be applicable from 2010, runs the risk of turning on its head the very essence of Formula 1 and the principles that make it one of the most popular and appealing sports".

More Cost-cutting in Formula 1 racing

More cost-cutting measures are due in Formula 1 racing if reports from the International Automobile Federation are to be believed. Formula 1's governing body is due to present a further round of cost-cutting measures overnight and vote on whether to change the scoring system for this year's championship.

While no details have been given, they are likely to involve more standardisation of parts and the possible imposition of a budget cap on top of significant steps already taken.

The Formula 1 Teams' Association has put forward cost-cutting proposals it says will halve the expense of competing next year compared with last year.