It could only happen in Formula One. Just last Sunday, Lewis Hamilton was being lauded for a stupendous drive from 18th on the grid to third place in the Australian Grand Prix. The way in which he carved through the pack, exploiting his exquisite driving skill to make up for the deficiencies of a clearly uncompetitive McLaren, confirmed his world title last season was no fluke.

Today, he has effectively been labelled a liar by stewards investigating the circumstances by which the British star was awarded a podium place in Melbourne at the expense of Italian rival Jarno Trulli.

Hamilton's reputation for being a hard but fair competitor has been called into question. Three weeks after being presented with an MBE by the Queen for his services to sport, his sportsmanship has been left open to question by an official ruling that he and his team provided "deliberately misleading" evidence to an inquiry in Melbourne looking into the Trulli affair.

As a man who takes his responsibilities as a role model extremely seriously, that will hurt. But then the first black driver in Formula One has already been battered and bruised by a litany of run-ins with the authorities in addition with being targeted for racial abuse.

Hamilton's dream, almost from when he was first able to walk, was to become a successful racing driver. But he must now be wondering whether the years of single-minded dedication aimed realising his ambitions were worth it.

For not only has his own reputation been called into question, but the whole credibility of Formula One lies in tatters.

Barely had the sport recovered from the Spygate scandal, in which McLaren were fined £50million for being in possession of technical secrets belonging to Ferrari, and from a sex scandal involving the president of the international governing body, Max Mosley, than the new season has been tainted by new rows and controversy.

Don't forget that we're still not sure who finished first and second in Australia. Television pictures showed Britain's Jenson Button taking the chequered flag ahead of Brazilian team-mate Rubens Barrichello in their Brawn GP cars.

It was a magnificent feel-good story, with a team that had barely existed at the start of last month successfully clearing all kinds of obstacles not only to get their cars onto the starting grid but to beat the world's elite into the bargain. But three members of that elite - Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull - were not happy with team owner Ross Brawn's interpretation of rules regarding diffusers, which aid aerodynamic performance.

A protest was lodged, and the outcome of the opening round of the title chase will now be decided by the FIA at their Paris headquarters on 14 April.

Were Brawn to lose then Trulli, who crossed the finish in third, was kicked down to 12th within an hour and restored to third five days later will be named the winner of the Australian Grand Prix 16 days after everyone had packed up and left Melbourne.

If that proves to be the case, ridicule will pile upon ridicule and the whole pit lane may as well pack up and go and find a fairground where they play dodgem cars to their hearts content.

Because Formula One, for all the millions of pounds spent on it, for all the interest manufacturers take in it, for all that drivers like Hamilton commit to it, will be rendered meaningless.