As Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and the world's F1 fans await news of the appeal which will (hopefully) settle who won the 2007 Formula One World Championship, McLaren Chief Executive Martin Whitmarsh says his team had a duty to appeal the stewards decision at Interlagos.

"We were surprised at and don't really understand the stewards' decision," said Whitmarsh, according to Reuters. "Therefore we feel that if we hadn't 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."

The Englishman was keen to deny that the appeal was to spite Ferrari and Raikkonen, who joined the Italian team this year having left McLaren to make way for Fernando Alonso.

"On the contrary, Kimi won the race fair and square and Ferrari did a good job to finish first and second," said Whitmarsh. "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," said Whitmarsh."