McLaren receive suspended three-race ban

McLaren were today handed a suspended three-race ban for bringing the sport into disrepute, motorsport's governing body, the FIA, announced.

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes-backed British-based team were in the dock on five counts of misleading stewards at the season-opening race in Melbourne.

The FIA said in a statement that, at an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, McLaren had "admitted five charges of breaching article 151c of the International Sporting Code relating to events at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix".

"Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate," the FIA said.

"That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code."