McLaren disappointed with 'severe' penalty

McLaren's F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh labeled the penalty imposed on Lewis Hamilton as severe following the Briton's incident in the pitlane in Canada

Charles Bradley Pablo Elizalde Jun 8, 2008, 8:56 PM

Hamilton was hit with a 10-position grid penalty for the French Grand Prix after he ran into the back of Kimi Raikkonen at the end of the pitlane in Montreal.

The penalty will be a big blow for Hamilton, whose chances of fighting for victory in Magny-Cours are likely to be minimal.

"It's disappointing," said Whitmarsh of the penalty. "It's a decision the stewards have made so we've got to now make the best we can out of it."

The McLaren chief reckons the penalty was severe, and said the stewards had acted differently when Raikkonen crashed into the back of Adrian Sutil in Monaco.

The Finn, who had lost control of his car, did not receive any penalties.

"It is," he said when asked if the penalty was severe. "There was a different view taken in Monaco so we've got to work with what we're given."