There are many who feel that the entire 2007 World Championship season has been tainted, and will be glad when it is at an end in order that we can look ahead to 2008, and, hopefully, a new beginning.

With just one race remaining, this sorry season has taken a further sad twist with the revelation that the FIA is to appoint a special scrutineer in order that there are no 'dirty tricks' in the McLaren camp at the season finale. The official will watch Fernando Alonso's car throughout the weekend to ensure that nothing untoward happens to it, thereby jeopardising the Spaniard's title hopes.

"We can confirm that the FIA is in the process of appointing a special scrutineer for the Brazilian Grand Prix," a spokesman told Reuters today.

The move follows concerns that Carlos Gracia, head of the Spanish Motorsport Federation, and who will attend next weekend's race as a personal guest of McLaren team boss Ron Dennis, expressed to the FIA President Max Mosley last week,

"I showed my concern over the situation that Fernando is going through, which is no secret, and he reassured me," Gracia told Spain's AS newspaper, referring to the conversation with Mosley. "The FIA are going to have an official who is going to watch very closely that nothing bad happens to Fernando, above all in qualifying, which is where there have been most complaints or strange situations in recent races."

Every day this saga gets a little sadder, as the sport becomes ever more tainted.

Since the FIA is so keen to see fair play as far as Alonso is concerned - all part of its quest for transparency no doubt - it seems odd that the sport's governing body never batted an eyelid during the many years Michael Schumacher reigned at Ferrari, other than the blatant move in Austria 2002.