Motor Sport: McLaren today insisted their fight is not with Ferrari as they prepare to appeal the result of yesterday's Brazilian Grand Prix. The team's decision to formally notify the FIA of their intention to appeal is likely to be seen as sour grapes in many quarters.
In particular as it comes at the end of a turbulent year when McLaren have often been hauled over the coals by the world governing body, notably in the defeat to Ferrari in the spy case.
At Interlagos, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen pipped Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso to the title by one point. Stewards later discovered Williams driver Nico Rosberg and the BMW Saubers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld were in breach of a technical regulation relating to fuel temperature irregularities.
The stewards decided there was "sufficient doubt" not to impose a penalty, otherwise they could have been thrown out, so potentially elevating Lewis Hamilton up to fourth and handing him the title.
Yet Martin Whitmarsh of McLaren said: "We were surprised at, and don't really understand the stewards' decision.
"Therefore, we feel if we had not lodged our intention to appeal we would surely have been criticised by fans and Formula One insiders alike for not supporting our drivers' best interests.
"But I want to stress our quarrel, if you can call it that, is not with Ferrari or Kimi Raikkonen. On the contrary, Kimi won the race fair and square, and Ferrari did a good job to finish first and second. Our argument is with the stewards' decision in relation to the cars of Rosberg, Kubica and Heidfeld. Hence, our decision to lodge our intention to appeal."
McLaren are confident they have the evidence to prove the stewards missed crucial information that could change the outcome of the result. If their appeal is successful, Rosberg, Kubica and Heidfeld could be stripped of their points, but as it transpires not necessarily their positions.
Under the FIA's International Sporting Code it would then be up to the stewards to decide whether the drivers who finished behind the aforementioned trio would be elevated. There are instances in the past when drivers have lost points, but kept their race result.
The most high profile of which was in 1997 when Michael Schumacher was stripped of the title, but allowed to retain his results for the official records.
McLaren's argument would be that a technical infringement during a race leads to a driver being black-flagged, so in this instance it follows the three drivers should have their results wiped out.
Alonso, meanwhile, has revealed he would be "embarrassed" if his team-mate was crowned champion.
"If he (Hamilton) wins the championship due to this, it wouldn't be fair and I would be embarrassed for this sport," said the 26- year-old Spaniard. "I'm not sure what he (Hamilton) would think. I guess if they give you the title you don't think it's a present, but rather that you deserve it.
"He would be delighted."
Alonso has no doubt Raikkonen is worthy of the title, adding: "He is the deserved champion. If you have more points you are the deserved champion like in football. He won six races and Hamilton, like me, won four."