$100m - McLaren rocked by record fine but Lewis dream lives on - Sport

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But his McLaren team were hit with the largest fine in sporting history — £50million (U.S.$100m) — and expelled from the constructors' championship after being found guilty of cheating.

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Media scrum: Lewis Hamilton pushes past the cameras outside the FIA headquarters in Paris yesterday

The decision of the World Motor Sport Council — reached after nearly 10 hours of deliberation in Paris — came as a huge blow to McLaren boss Ron Dennis, who last night was considering an appeal.

Hamilton and team-mate Fernando Alonso were granted "immunity in return for providing evidence", and will be allowed to fight it out over the final races of the season, starting with Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

The team's points to date will be stripped and they will not be allowed to score again this year.

Points gained by other teams will be unaffected, meaning Ferrari are assured of the constructors' title.

There is also a doubt over McLaren's participation next season. An FIA statement said: "The Council will receive full technical reports on the 2008 McLaren car and will take a decision at its December 2007 meeting as to what sanction, if any, will be imposed for 2008."

Dennis, counting the cost to his reputation, said: "We have the best drivers and the best car and we intend to win the championship."

McLaren's partners, Mercedes, rallied to Dennis' support. Vice-president Norbert Haug said: "This judgment comes as an extreme shock to all team members and the public. We will now fight to give a proper response on the circuit and to get justice before the court."

The ruling could bring some closure to a sorry saga, which started in early July, when 780 pages of Ferrari notes were found at the house of McLaren's chief designer, Mike Coughlan.

It seems that the information was passed to him by Ferrari's now sacked top British mechanic Nigel Stepney.

The question was whether McLaren had benefited from what Coughlan knew? The answer last night was that they did.