Lewis Hamilton Now Maybe Negative For F1

Lewis Hamilton has been phenomenonal in his first season.

Motorsport boss Max Mosley has said Lewis Hamilton could have a negative effect on Formula One if he is as successful next year.

Mosley added that Hamilton's role in revitalising F1 had been exaggerated.

Mosley added that it was very unlikely that Hamilton would be installed as champion following a hearing next month into the results of the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix.

McLaren have appealed against the decision not to punish the Williams and BMW Sauber teams for having fuel that was too cold.

If McLaren are successful in having their three points-scoring drivers excluded, Hamilton could be moved up in the results to fourth, giving him enough points to displace Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen as world champion.

Mosley described the 2007 season as very positive, on the whole, despite the controversies that plagued the sport, because "although the behind-the-scenes stuff was annoying for us and the people concerned, for the public it really adds to the general interest".

There was a thrilling three-way title climax this season One of those controversies was the spy-gate saga, when Hamilton's McLaren team were fined $100m (£49.2m) and thrown out of the constructors' championship after being found guilty of possessing confidential Ferrari technical information.

Mosley said McLaren's 2008 car would be closely scrutinised by the FIA to ensure the team had not included any Ferrari ideas on it.

Mosley's remarks are the latest in a series of provocative comments about McLaren this season.

The FIA president is known to have a difficult relationship with McLaren boss Ron Dennis, dating back more than 20 years.

A McLaren spokeswoman said the team were reviewing the entire content of the interview before deciding whether to comment.