The road to Malaysia continues

Wait, it gets better. Toyota withdrew their appeal, because technically the penalty given to Trulli was a drive-through penalty, and drive-through penalties can't be appealed. Of course, some people might argue that it's a bit weird to assess an unappealable drive-through penalty after the race, but what do you expect?

However, now the FIA is investigating Lewis Hamilton's actions. Hamilton is facing a possible "perjury hearing" for lying to the race stewards in Malaysia. Says speedtv.com:

He is believed to have specifically told the stewards and the race director Charlie Whiting that he did not deliberately let Trulli past under the safety car. However just a few minutes earlier he had told this journalist and a TV crew that the team had asked him to do exactly that.

The FIA has apparently now got a copy of McLaren's radio transmissions
from the race, which were recorded by its equipment, but not heard live
by officials in race control.

Trulli had told the stewards that Hamilton had gone so slowly that he thought he was in trouble, and the FIA Sporting regulations allow a driver to pass another car behind the safety car if he believes it to have a problem.

It seems highly likely that Trulli could get his third place back if Hamilton's original story does not stand up, and the World Champion could clearly face some kind of punishment.

Of course, it must be pointed out that it is highly unlikely that the FIA will penalize the anointed messiah of F1, Lewis Hamilton, or that Bernie will let them.

So let's try this again. The possible podiums remain the same, but here are the possible drivers' championship point totals.

Drivers:

Jenson Button: 10 or 0
Rubens Barrichello: 8 or 0
Lewis Hamilton: 6, 10 or 0
Timo Glock: 5 or 0
Fernando Alonso: 4, 8 or 10
Nico Rosberg: 3 or 0
Sebastien Buemi: 2, 6 or 8
Sebastien Bourdais: 1, 5 or 6
Adrian Sutil: 0, 4 or 5
Nick Heidfeld: 0, 3 or 4
Giancarlo Fisichella: 0, 2 or 3
Jarno Trulli: 0 or 6
Mark Webber: 0, 1 or 2
Sebastian Vettel: 0 or 1

The first number is the points they have now. If all the teams using the new diffusor are disqualified, then everyone goes up four spots with the Brawn, Williams and Toyota cars being eliminated; that's the second number. If the diffusor teams stay in, Trulli gets his third place back and Hamilton is eliminated, via DQ or a 25 second penalty, then Trulli and Hamilton swap places and nothing else changes. If that happens and the diffusor-using teams are eliminated, then Fernando wins!

Here are the alternate podiums:

1. Jenson Button
2. Rubens Barrichello
3. Jarno Trulli

or

1. Jenson Button
2. Rubens Barrichello
3. Lewis Hamilton

or

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Sebastien Buemi

or

1. Fernando Alonso
2. Sebastien Buemi
3. Sebastien Bourdais

We'll know part of the story tomorrow after Hamilton's hearing, but the rest only next week after the FIA appeals court.

Did I already mention this is unbelievably stupid?