'McLaren are naked opportunists'

Updated 16.08 Thu Nov 15 2007
Keywords: Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Formula One, sport

The McLaren team has been accused of being "naked opportunists" in their bid to see Lewis Hamilton crowned Formula One's maiden rookie world champion.

Ahead of the Court of Appeal hearing into the so-called 'cool fuel' row, McLaren officials, including Hamilton, insisted that they did not want to win the title in the courtroom.

"It could be said McLaren are shameless hypocrites devoid of any integrity, or maybe what their representatives have said should be taken at face value" - Nigel Tozzi QC

But that was in stark contrast to the submissions of lawyer, Ian Mill QC, who called for a reclassification of the championship which led to a sharp retort from Ferrari's legal representative.

Nigel Tozzi QC, defending the interests of the Maranello-based team and of Kimi Raikkonen, who pipped Hamilton to the title with victory in the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, told the hearing: "This is not the way a Formula One world championship should be won.

"Mr Hamilton himself, potentially the only beneficiary, has said very clearly he does not want to win the championship this way."

He continued: "It could be said McLaren are shameless hypocrites devoid of any integrity, or maybe what their representatives have said should be taken at face value. It would be a serious injustice to Mr Raikkonen should the world title be taken away from him, a fact recognised by Mr Hamilton and Mr (Fernando) Alonso."

On the evidence presented, Hamilton appears highly unlikely to be awarded the title, which Raikkonen won by a point.

With the 22-year-old from Stevenage finishing seventh at Interlagos McLaren would require Williams driver Nico Rosberg and the Sauber duo of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld to be disqualified from the season-ending race and then be elevated to fifth place to make Formula One history.

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