At a time when Formula One is hoping to push its green credentials, proudly pointing to Honda's Myearthdream concept, Max Mosley has accused McLaren of "polluting" the 2007 World Championship season.

The Englishman was reacting to claims that the punishment meted out to McLaren - a $100m fine and exclusion from the 2007 Constructors' Championship - was overly harsh.

"It is a very modest penalty indeed," Mosley told reporter ahead of today's qualifying session. "They are extremely lucky that we didn't quite simply say: You have polluted the championship in 2007, you have probably polluted it in 2008, so you had better stay out of the championship until 2009… if you are still around.

"When history looks back at this, maybe that is what we are reproached with," he added. "Not with doing too much but with maybe doing too little. It is absurd to say it is unfair or disproportionate."

Revealing that half of the money would be distributed between the other ten teams, Mosley said that the remainder would be used to create a global fund for upcoming drivers.