McLaren investigated for possible rules breach PARIS (AP) —
Formula One team McLaren is being investigated for a possible rule breach at the Monaco Grand Prix after Fernando Alonso finished first ahead of McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton. World motorsport's governing body, FIA, said in a statement Monday it was reviewing evidence from Sunday's race. Alonso finished 4.095 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who was told by McLaren to slow down.
"He was obviously close to me, and I was told to take it easy," Hamilton said Sunday. "At the end of the day, I am a rookie. I am in my first season in Formula One and I have finished second in only my first Monaco Grand Prix, so I really can't complain. I've got No. 2 on my car. I am the No. 2 driver."
Hamilton's fifth straight top-three finish in his debut F1 season helped him share with Alonso the top spot in the drivers' standings at 38 points.
McLaren leads the constructors' championship with 75 points, ahead of Ferrari with 56.
FIA said McLaren was being investigated for "a possible breach of the International Sporting Code" — the rules that govern world motorsport.
The code states it will punish "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally."
McLaren team principal Ron Dennis said he asked Hamilton to slow down because of the tight street circuit of Monte Carlo.
"A lot of people in England will feel there is some favoritism or penalty that is given to Lewis, but we are scrupulously fair at all times in the grand prix team," Dennis said in The Daily Telegraph's Monday editions. "I don't like to slow drivers down, I don't like them to be frustrated, I don't like to see these things happen because I am an absolute racer, but it is the way you have to win the Monaco Grand Prix."
Hamilton said Sunday he understood why he was asked to slow down, but was not entirely comfortable with it.
"There was no point in pressuring (Alonso) into a mistake, and then when he did make a mistake, crash into him. So it was best to finish one-two," Hamilton said. "But to be honest, I pushed as I could to the end. I never give up, no matter what, and so I didn't really take too much notice and I kept going."
FIA banned team orders after Rubens Barrichello was told by Ferrari to allow teammate Michael Schumacher to pass him to win the 2002 Austrian GP. Ferrari was fined $1 million.
Barrichello moved aside on the final bend to allow Schumacher to strengthen his lead in the drivers' championship. Schumacher won the championship that year, with Barrichello second.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Formula One team McLaren is being investigated for a possible rule breach at the Monaco Grand Prix after Fernando Alonso finished first ahead of McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton. World motorsport's governing body, FIA, said in a statement Monday it was reviewing evidence from Sunday's race. Alonso finished 4.095 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who was told by McLaren to slow down.
"He was obviously close to me, and I was told to take it easy," Hamilton said Sunday. "At the end of the day, I am a rookie. I am in my first season in Formula One and I have finished second in only my first Monaco Grand Prix, so I really can't complain. I've got No. 2 on my car. I am the No. 2 driver."
Hamilton's fifth straight top-three finish in his debut F1 season helped him share with Alonso the top spot in the drivers' standings at 38 points.
McLaren leads the constructors' championship with 75 points, ahead of Ferrari with 56.
FIA said McLaren was being investigated for "a possible breach of the International Sporting Code" — the rules that govern world motorsport.
The code states it will punish "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally."
McLaren team principal Ron Dennis said he asked Hamilton to slow down because of the tight street circuit of Monte Carlo.
"A lot of people in England will feel there is some favoritism or penalty that is given to Lewis, but we are scrupulously fair at all times in the grand prix team," Dennis said in The Daily Telegraph's Monday editions. "I don't like to slow drivers down, I don't like them to be frustrated, I don't like to see these things happen because I am an absolute racer, but it is the way you have to win the Monaco Grand Prix."
Hamilton said Sunday he understood why he was asked to slow down, but was not entirely comfortable with it.
"There was no point in pressuring (Alonso) into a mistake, and then when he did make a mistake, crash into him. So it was best to finish one-two," Hamilton said. "But to be honest, I pushed as I could to the end. I never give up, no matter what, and so I didn't really take too much notice and I kept going."
FIA banned team orders after Rubens Barrichello was told by Ferrari to allow teammate Michael Schumacher to pass him to win the 2002 Austrian GP. Ferrari was fined $1 million.
Barrichello moved aside on the final bend to allow Schumacher to strengthen his lead in the drivers' championship. Schumacher won the championship that year, with Barrichello second.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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