Saturday, April 11, 2009

Lewis maybe faces WMSC alone in Paris

Lewis Hamilton may be alone when he faces the World Motor Sport Council in Paris, a source at F1's governing body FIA has suggested.

The Guardian reports that Dave Ryan, the former Sporting Director who attended the Australia and Malaysia stewards hearings with the reigning world champion, will not be compelled to answer to the inquiry probing McLaren's alleged dishonesty.

"The FIA has jurisdiction only over its licence holders and their employees," the source is quoted as saying by the British newspaper.

Ryan was initially suspended and then sacked by the Mercedes-powered team, after Hamilton claimed he was 'misled' by the long serving McLaren staffer.

"We cannot compel Dave Ryan to attend or give evidence if he feels unwilling to do so. We have yet to hear precisely who will be representing the McLaren team in attending the meeting," the FIA source added.

The source also gave a damning account of Hamilton and Ryan's explanations to the race stewards, claiming the pair repeatedly insisted that Jarno Trulli was not deliberately allowed past, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

"It appeared that the strategy (Hamilton and Ryan's) was to be extremely vague and not be very direct with the answers. Then the interview where he (Hamilton) said 'I was told to let him past' was played," the source explained.

"At this point both got very uncomfortable, but still denied that's what actually happened."