UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > McLaren to drop fuel appeal?

Ecclestone sees '11th hour' reprieve

Nov.14 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has tipped his countryman Ron Dennis to drop an appeal that could take away Kimi Raikkonen's 2007 title.

F1's 77-year-old chief executive is quoted as threatening to retire if on Thursday the FIA's Court of Appeal in London hands the championship to McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton.

Dennis' Woking based team appealed Brazilian GP stewards' decision last month to not penalise four rival cars despite their fuel being found arguably colder than the regulations allow.

But Britain's The Times newspaper says it is possible that McLaren, "at the eleventh hour", will drop the appeal.

"I don't think Ron has really got the intention of continuing with it," Ecclestone agreed.

The diminutive Englishman, commonly referred to as 'F1 supremo', compared the 'cool fuel' infringement to McLaren's own error at Interlagos, where mechanics illegally fitted an extra set of rain tyres to Hamilton's car in practice.

The stewards' punishment was a token fine and the tyres' confiscation.

Ecclestone observed: "So maybe if anything does happen at this Court of Appeal, maybe they'll treat it exactly the same as the tyres."

Written: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:59:45