HAMILTON DISQUALIFIED // FIA FEELING MISLED...

With practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix now underway, news of Hamilton's disqualification from last weeks Australian GP came as a bit of a surprise. Initial reports had said that when Hamilton passed Trulli shortly after the safety car went on track, he was advised by his team to allow Trulli to regain the third place position. However, that apparently is not what McLaren told the FIA Stewards... [read more]

After listening to McLaren radio transmissions, the FIA has decided to disqualify Lewis Hamilton from the Australian GP due to conflicting accounts of the Trulli pass. Apparently, Hamilton had told reporters that he was instructed by his team to allow Trulli to pass, as they were unsure whether the initial pass (when Trulli went off track) was legal. This is not however, what McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh told reporters, stating that Trulli had passed Hamilton on his own accord and that Hamilton had not waved him on.

The McLaren radio transmissions confirmed Hamilton's comment to reporters, and the FIA, feeling misled, have decided to disqualify Hamilton.

The FIA's decision takes Hamilton off of the podium and reinstates Trulli's third place finish.