The McLaren Formula One team confirmed today that it had lodged an appeal against a stewards' decision to strip world championship leader Lewis Hamilton of victory in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

"We hereby confirm that we have now lodged notice of appeal," said the team's chief executive Martin Whitmarsh in a statement.

Hamilton was given a retrospective 25-second penalty after the race at Spa, demoting him to third and slashing his championship lead to two points over Ferrari's race winner Felipe Massa.

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