15/11/2007
NEWS STORY
Following a season in which Formula One became one of the most far-fetched soap operas, it comes as no surprise that the fate of the World Championship title will not be decided on the race track but in the (quaintly named) Woolpack Exchange in the heart of the City of London.
In the building, situated just a few yards away from the Guildhall, home to Gog and Magog, the four independent 'judges' - John Cassidy (U.S.), Vassilis Koussis (Greece), Jose Macedo e Cunha (Portugal) and Jan Stovicek (Czech Republic) - that comprise the International Court of Appeal, will ultimately decide whether Kimi Raikkonen or Lewis Hamilton wears the 2008 crown.
The appeal follows McLaren's protest of the decision of the race stewards at Interlagos not to punish BMW and Williams - and more crucially, in respect of the World Championship title, their drivers - for fuel irregularities.
McLaren has repeatedly argued that it does not seek to win the (drivers') championship by default, but is merely looking for clarification and consistency when it comes to the rules of the sport and enforcing them.
World Championship runner up Lewis Hamilton has said that he doesn't want to win the title by default, while Bernie Ecclestone has said that he will consider retiring from the sport should Raikkonen lose his crown.
Although the hearing got underway at 10.00 promptly this morning - having been moved from the FIA's Paris HQ due to transport strikes - a decision might not be reached until Friday.