Monday, April 27, 2009

Whitmarsh to face FIA by himself

McLaren Mercedes will face the FIA next Wednesday without its usual swathe of lawyers.

Amid the 'lie-gate' scandal, the British team has been summoned to the World Motor Sport Council to face multiple charges of fraud.

But, as indicated in boss Martin Whitmarsh's leaked letter to FIA President Max Mosley, McLaren is simply prepared to face the consequences for lying to the stewards in Australia and Malaysia.

The team's approach to the Paris hearing means Whitmarsh will simply front up alone, not contesting the charges. The approach is expected to net a points deduction and suspended race ban, but not harsher penalties like exclusion or draconian fines.

"I will go into the hearing alone.

But I have yet to take the advice of the stakeholders and the FIA," Whitmarsh said in Bahrain on Sunday.

"It's not a complicated hearing. We have chosen not to contest the charges and that makes the process simpler," he added.

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