McLaren will learn later today how precisely it is to be punished after being charged on five counts of bringing the sport into disrepute.

While the team is showing obvious signs of improvement on track, all that could come to nought today should the FIA take a tough stance with the Woking outfit for events in Melbourne and again, a week later, in Malaysia, when it is accused of repeatedly lying to the Race Stewards.

Since Lewis Hamilton and Sporting Director Dave Ryan attended that first stewards hearing in Melbourne, much has happened.

Ryan has been dumped by the Woking team, as too, effectively, has Ron Dennis. Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he came close to quitting the sport, such was his despair at what has happened, but (thankfully) found inspiration in his fans and Nelson Mandela.

Martin Whitmarsh, who took over as Team Principal from Ron Dennis on March 1, has since become Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing as the British team distances itself from its former boss, and part-owner, almost to the point of airbrushing him from its history. Indeed, Whitmarsh is at pains to point out his team's ever improving relationship with the FIA, the sort of cosy relationship which previously would have resulted in sarcastic derision from Max Mosley.

Whether all this has worked will be known later today, when McLaren will hear how it is to be punished for its second serious case of cheating in as many years.

There has been much speculation, with some claiming that the Woking team has already suffered enough, and others that such a serious second offence must be seen to be punished and punished hard.

Either way, while McLaren may have enjoyed a certain amount of sympathy for what happened in 2007, there is not quite as much public support today.

The British media has a new hero in the shape of Jenson Button and Brawn GP, and can therefore afford to remove the kid gloves when dealing with the latest saga, while the fans, though despairing of the latest episode of shoot-yourself-in-the-foot silliness from the Woking team, merely want to see the team moving up the grid.

Then there are those who are simply saddened by the whole episode, embarrassed not only by the manner in which Whitmarsh and his team are so publicly brown-nosing the FIA, but also for the way in which Ryan and Dennis have been treated.

Whitmarsh will be the Woking outfit's sole representative at today's hearing, though he will be accompanied by Timothy Murnane, the team's in-house lawyer, who will be present merely as an observer.

The worst case scenario is that the team will be excluded from the championship, however, the most likely punishment will involve a fine, deduction of race points or being banned from a number of races, or possibly a combination… it all depends on how effective Whitmarsh's grovelling has been.

However, as previously reported, a seriously senior (but short) F1 insider last week was at pains to point out to a member of the Pitpass team that McLaren is effectively still on probation for its role in the 2007 spy saga.