McLaren have been given a suspended three-race ban for misleading stewards at the Australian Grand Prix by motor sport's governing body, the FIA.
The British team admitted five charges of breeching Formula One rules at a special inquiry on Wednesday in Paris.
The penalty will only enforced upon Lewis Hamilton's team if "further facts emerge" about this incident or if there is a "further breech" of the rules.
The FIA said team boss Martin Whitmarsh had been "open and honest" with them.
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Well, they made a daft, stupid, and frankly immature mistake, but they held their hands up. I think the punishment is fair, considering.
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It is a lieniant punishment for, what by all accounts, is a major breech of the sporting code. They're lucky Trulli is a nice guy who's kept his mouth shut and Toyota haven't got involved either. Had Ferrari been the ones affected, or Flav and Renault, I wouldn't dare think what might have happened!
However, a bigger punishment would have hurt the fans and the sport as there was a real risk of Mclaren sponsors pulling out and the team folding. I think the other teams know this too and that's why they've hardly commented on the issue.
The current F1 champion has to be involved for the the season. Banning him would have been a huge loss to the sport and a major publicity knightmare. It would have given the papers a green light to splash out on damaging headlines.
Right decision really. The indignity is enough of a punishment to carry for all involved.
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