Hakkinen has won the Austrian GP!

[wodonnell]

Results of the investigation into the missing seal on Mikas car have been announced.

Mika will keep the win but McLaren will lose the ten points.

See http://www.fia.com for more info

[Ralf's Girl]

I just read about it on Ceefax. McLaren have also been fined around £32,500.

[Dino IV]

Fine solution. WDC standings remain very exciting with TGF 58, DC 50 and Mika on 48 points, as well as WCC where Ferrari is 4 points ahead of McLaren. Throwing back Mika down the WDC standings to 38 would have spoiled a lot of excitement don't you think?

I hope this was the last FIA decision on championship deciding points this season.
Let's race!!!

[TimD]

WHAAAATTTT!!!!!

They're letting Mika keep the win?

Well, all I can say is that this shows the blatant, unashamed favouritism that the FIA shows to McLaren time and time again. I think it's an absolute disgrace, a scandal and so help me I'm going to write to my MP about this.

Ahem.

Sorry, but it seems so strange not hearing anti-Ferrari people crying foul that I felt someone had to do it.

[Pamella]

Three cheers for consistency!

Mika is part of a team! If the rule was broken, all points should be lost; if the rule was not broken, all points should be kept.

[Ralf's Girl]

But the seal missing from the electronic box was down to McLaren, not Mika Hakkinen, therefore it wouldn't be fair to punish him for it.

[Crash Test]

Therefore should Mika Hakkinen build the chasis and engine as well? Heck he doesnt make them, but i thnk they help him win...

[Liz]

All those people who were screaming that RULES ARE RULES, where are you guys? Rules are Rules except for McLaren? Or except when it would change the outcome of the WDC? Are you saying that you'd rather have another tainted championship than justice? Yes of course you would. Doesn't matter if you win or lose - it matters if you WIN!

Oh, but Ferrari are going to win anyway, it was decided in the third race this year.

[Minardi fan]

Good! Hakkinen deserves to keep his win - it's the fault of the team not him.

[EERO]

Liz, "Rules are Rules", and frankly, for the good of the sport, despite the fact that it would cost Mika ten points, he should have be rulled against as well.

[Liz]

If it was still a sport, that is what would have happened. Now it's "entertainment" and that, apparently, can be twisted to suit the needs of the marketplace.

If Mika had any honour he'd be ashamed. But he probably just thinks it isn't cheating if you can get away with it... *sigh*

[Valve Bounce]

Common Liz. Why should Mika or anyone be ashamned for a decision made by the FIA of all people. Mika had nothing to do with the missing seal, so how can you suggest he was cheating? Even the FIA admitted that the black box was not tampered with. I just tried to put a piece of sticky tape on my outside wall where there is a crack, so that it can be identified for repairs later. It came off very easily also. If whoever put the tape on the black box had an oily finger, or if there was a slightest smudge of oil on the box, the tape will come off. It's just a strip of sticky tape. It had absolutely no effect on the race, so how Gilbert & Sullivan of a spectacle are we going to make of this?