Former world champion Niki Lauda has described the decision that saw Lewis Hamilton stripped of his Belgian Grand Prix victory as "the worst judgment in the history of F1."
Lauda was left incensed after the race stewards handed Hamilton a retrospective 25-second drive-through penalty for 'cutting a corner and gaining an advantage.'
The incident concerned, at the end of lap 42 of the 44-lap race and as rain began to fall, allowed Hamilton to move into the lead ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
However, the 23-year-old immediately conceded the lead back to the Finn, prior to conjuring a superb overtaking manoeuvre into the La Source hairpin.
On a greasy track, an enthralling cat-and-mouse game followed that culminated in Raikkonen sliding into a wall, and Hamilton claiming victory.
But two hours after the race the stewards intervened, awarding a penalty that demoted Hamilton to third, and as far as Lauda is concerned, also throwing the sport into chaos.
"This is the worst judgment in the history of F1, the most perverted judgment I have ever seen," three-times champion Lauda said.
"It's absolutely unacceptable when three functionaries [stewards] influence the championship like this.
"Hamilton did nothing wrong ... There was nothing special in what happened. Hamilton did the right thing in letting him by before again passing him."
Lauda feels Hamilton further underlined his title credentials, even if an eight-point lead after the race was whittled down to just two with the penalty over eventual winner Felipe Massa.
"It was an absolutely perfect drive from Hamilton, although I was disappointed with his spin on the second lap," added Lauda.
"It was very high risk at the end of the race for both of them but he made fewer mistakes and won the race. He couldn't have done any better.
McLaren yesterday registered their intention to appeal, and now have until late tomorrow afternoon to confirm whether they will pursue such a course of action.
However, Article 152 of the FIA's International Sporting Code states a drive-through penalty is "not susceptible to appeal."
McLaren may choose to challenge this given the circumstances, and so take the matter to the International Court of Appeal, where a case would likely be heard before the end of the month.