UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Todt waiting on Mclaren appeal

Decision yet to be made

Sep.16 (GMM) Jean Todt on Sunday said he is not ready to accept that Ferrari has won the 2007 constructors' world championship.

Given McLaren's exclusion from the teams' title after the espionage affair, Ferrari's one-two at Spa-Francorchamps means that the Italian team can provisionally not be beaten to first place in the final three races by BMW-Sauber.

But Ferrari made no mention of the constructors' triumph in its post-race statement, as Todt explained to reporters that the result was subject to McLaren's right to appeal the World Motor Sport Council's verdict.

The Maranello based team's principal revealed that Ferrari is "unhappy" that McLaren was not also excluded from the drivers' championship, and judged the $100m fine and constructors' title exclusion as a "soft penalty".

Todt also said Ferrari was holding out for McLaren to appeal the sentence; presumably so that the sanction is increased by the International Court of Appeal.

McLaren's Ron Dennis confirmed in a statement on Saturday that his team would shortly make its decision about the appeal "in the interests of formula one, our partners and our team".

It was rumoured that Dennis' acceptance of the FIA sanction would be in exchange for the ending of any separate legal action, such as that waged by Ferrari in Italy.

But Todt explained on Sunday that Ferrari would press ahead with the civil and criminal cases.

The Frenchman added: "If there is a chance of them doing the appeal, I think it will change quite a lot the drivers' situation.

"So then probably the appeal will be judged before the Japanese grand prix and we may be facing a completely different situation."

Written: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:26:28