McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has told a Formula One appeal court in Paris that he gained no advantage from a chicane-cutting controversy that cost him victory in the Belgian Grand Prix earlier this month.
The 23-year-old world championship leader was relegated from first to third at Spa-Francorchamps after cutting a chicane in a thrilling duel over the closing laps with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, and subject to his appeal, his lead in the title race is only one point over Felipe Massa.
McLaren's case hinges on advice from the race director Charlie Whiting who'd told the team at the time of the incident that Hamilton was clear to attack Raikkonen at the next corner, but Whiting said after revisiting the incident, his original advice was wrong.
The court's verdict is expected tonight.
