Stewards Probe Brazil Result

Doubts have emerged over Kimi Raikkonen's Formula One world championship triumph.

BMW Sauber and Williams are currently under investigation in the wake of today's enthralling Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. Raikkonen grabbed the title by one point from Lewis Hamilton and McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso after taking the chequered flag at the end of the 71-lap race.

Hamilton could only finish seventh due to a gearbox malfunction suffered on lap eight, with the problem relegating him from sixth to 18th and so wrecking his dreams. However, team representatives from BMW Sauber and Williams are in the process of meeting with stewards to discuss a technical infringement, understood to be a fuel temperature irregularity.

The issue relates to Williams driver Nico Rosberg, and the BMWs of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, who finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. It is understood fuel temperature issue can give a car extra horsepower advantage, and so is a clear breach of the rules. The stewards could decide to disqualify all three cars, which in turn would elevate Hamilton up to fourth, and so make him world champion.

A precedent was set 12 years ago at this race when Michael Schumacher, then driving for Benetton Renault, and David Coulthard who at the time was with Williams, were initially disqualified as their fuel did not conform to samples approved by the FIA after finishing first and second respectively. However, a week later the FIA chose to reinstate the drivers' points, while the teams were not allowed to keep the points in the constructors' championship.

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