'Spygate' concerns Lewis

Updated 16.02 Sat Sep 08 2007

Keywords: Ferrari, Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Formula One, sport

Lewis Hamilton is concerned that the race for Formula One's world championship will be decided off the track and not on it.

The British rookie's team McLaren face a second World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) hearing in Paris on Thursday following the emergence of fresh evidence in the spy scandal.

"Unfortunately, whatever happens next week could not only affect the team, but also me and Fernando" - Lewis Hamilton

While the WMSC charged McLaren with "fraudulent conduct" in July, officials said there was "insufficient evidence" for any sanction to be imposed after confidential Ferrari documents were found in the possession of McLaren's suspended chief designer Mike Coughlan.

But with new evidence coming to light a court of appeal hearing has been cancelled so that the FIA council can discuss the information.

There is a feeling that McLaren could face sanctions, the worst being thrown out of this and next season's championships.

And Hamilton said: "Obviously, we're all concerned. We're a team that likes our fights out on the track. Unfortunately, whatever happens next week could not only affect the team, but also me and Fernando."

Hamilton goes into the Italian Grand Prix five points clear of team-mate Fernando Alonso and another ten points ahead of Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who is one point better off than his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.