| ESPN Network: ESPN | NBA.com | WNBA.com | NHL.com | ABC | Radio | EXPN | Page 2 | INSIDER | Shop | |
 |
| | Saturday, July 29 Black box violation leads to fine, loss of points | |||||
| Associated Press LONDON -- Mika Hakkinen's victory in the Austrian Grand Prix was upheld Tuesday, but his McLaren Mercedes team was fined $50,000 and stripped of its points from the race because of a technical violation. The black box from Hakkinen's McLaren car was seized by F1 officials after his July 16 victory. The box, which controls vital computer software, was missing a plastic seal. FIA, the governing body of motorsports, investigated and summoned McLaren officials to a hearing Tuesday in London. The team said it will not appeal. Stewards ruled the team did not comply with technical regulations but said the violation was not serious enough to disqualify Hakkinen. Instead, FIA imposed a fine, citing the "exceptional circumstances of this case," stripped McLaren Mercedes of the 10 points it won in Austria in the constructors' championship. "It's a harsh ruling for the team, which we have to accept," said Norbert Haug, sports director for Mercedes. "The abilities of the black box were absolutely inside the rules, as laid down by FIA. "It's fortunate that Mika can retain his victory after his superb performance. Anything else would have been a wrong decision." Hakkinen's victory in Austria on July 16 brought him within eight points of Ferrari's German driver Michael Schumacher in the drivers' standings. Schumacher went out on the first lap. McLaren was leading the constructors' championship with 98 points after the Austrian Grand Prix. The deduction of 10 points drops the team into second place with 88, behind Ferrari with 92. With seven Grand Prix races left in the 17-race season, Schumacher has 56 points, followed by David Coulthard with 50 and Hakkinen with 48. Hakkinen is bidding to become the first driver since Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio in 1956 to win three straight driver's titles. | ALSO SEE McLaren upset over Ferrari letter regarding Hakkinen hearing Hakkinen leads McLaren sweep at Austrian GP | |||||
|
