McLaren query stewards' findings

Fernando Alonso was demoted five grid places and will today start sixth after stewards refused to accept his explanation as to why he remained in his pit box for an additional 10 seconds, despite being cleared to exit, leaving team-mate Lewis Hamilton queueing behind him.

The team will also not collect any constructors' points for the race after the stewards dismissed McLaren's explanation as to why they held Alonso for an additional 20 seconds prior to that. The team, however, are today competing under appeal as they hope to have the latter decision overturned at a later date.

A statement read: "The process of managing two such exceptional talents as Fernando and Lewis is made more challenging by having a race-winning car. Every effort was made by the team to maintain our policy of equality.

"However, in the heat of the battle there are occasions when the competitive nature of drivers sees them deviate from the agreed procedures.

"During this intense and frenetic period of qualifying, decisions are necessarily made in seconds to enable the drivers and the team to position their cars on the track at the optimal moment.

"We agree with the stewards that when the team decided to hold Fernando for 20 seconds there were four cars on the circuit. However, we do not understand the relevance of this observation as the team needed to estimate where all the remaining cars would be in the final minutes of the session.

"Similarly the team does not agree with the statement of the stewards that the 20-second hold caused Lewis to be impeded.

"Tensions were undeniably high and the problem at Fernando's first stop, the desire to enter a clear track, and concerns expressed following the fitting of used tyres, undoubtedly contributed to the delay in Fernando's ultimate departure.

"We do not believe that the findings of the stewards and the severe penalty imposed on the team are appropriate."