Lewis Hamilton says he will not allow last Sunday's dramatic events in Spa to distract him at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza this weekend.

The McLaren driver was stripped of his Belgian GP win for cutting a chicane and the team are taking their case to the International Court of Appeal.

But Hamilton said: "I don't feel at all disheartened by what happened.

"I don't feel that there's a need for revenge. We want to win on the track. Winning in court is not what we want."

Hamilton had clinched a thrilling victory in Spa passing Ferrari rival Kimi Raikkonen, who later crashed out, as rain began to fall in the closing laps.

But the Englishman was handed a 25-second penalty that saw him drop to third and Ferrari's Felipe Massa promoted to race winner.

Officials judged Hamilton had gained an advantage by cutting the Bus Stop chicane in his battle with Raikkonen, but McLaren have lodged an appeal on the grounds that Hamilton immediately ceded the position back to the Finn.

The hearing will be heard by the court of appeal of Formula One's governing body, the FIA, before the end of the month.

With judicial proceedings under way, Hamilton had to watch his words but did say: "Everyone in the team thinks we've won the race on moral grounds.

"We just have to try our best to stay squeaky clean, stay out of trouble for the rest of the season, and not let them have any opportunity to put us in that position."

As well as examining whether Hamilton surrendered any advantage he gained by cutting the chicane when he let Raikkonen past him on the pit straight, the court may also examine the manoeuvre at the chicane.

Hamilton himself discounted suggestions that a lack of grip forced Raikkonen to brake earlier going into the chicane, causing the McLaren driver to veer off the track.

"We had the same amount of grip," said Hamilton. "That's the way he drives.

"If you don't have the balls to brake late, that's your problem.

"At the end of the day, in those situations, it's the driver who can feel the grip more, and put the car more on the edge.

"I'm great in those conditions, and I felt the grip more than he did. I knew where to place my car, I placed it in a different position to him and I found the grip."

For now, the 23-year-old is determined to put the appeal to the back of his mind and focus on the looming battle with Ferrari in Monza.

Hamilton arrives at the Italian marque's home race two points ahead of Massa in the drivers standings but believes McLaren have the upper hand going into the weekend.

"I hope what has happened does not have an effect, and I plan to make sure it has no effect on the championship," insisted Hamilton.

"I still have a two-point lead and we will continue to attack and perform like we did in the last two races. If anything we can use this [the Spa incident] as our fuel to keep pushing.

"Massa is on his back foot. He has to work damn hard to keep up with me.

"We do have a close battle but I'm in a very strong position. I have a great car and we will continue to take points from them.

"I feel like I'm coming away from a win and moving on to the next race.

"We're having a great season battling the Ferraris and it's a real pleasure. But I think we're coming here for a great win to beat them on home turf like last year."

Whats the strategy this time?

I think its Heiki gonna block everyone at certain points to make the pack tighter for Lewis to come in from the back. Whether Heiki will move over for Lewis thats another matter as  I'm 100% sure Massa will pass Vettel easily.

Kimi will play blocking Lewis tomorrow.....

So we can expect terrible things to go wrong for Lewis...
What ever it is, the gonna be a very tough day at the office for both Heiki, Lewis and the McLaren team.

Kimi will bang Hamilton tomorrow... call the ISA!!!

1 point is almost like no point.

Heikki should done more better on this race,

Hamilton try his best today to get the point, lucky Massa not really hit the form today.
Hamilton still lead the champions by 1points.

I think during Lewis pit, if he change to intermediate he would be on podium... coz few laps later Alonso change to intermediate.

The FIA's International Court of Appeal has decided to reject the McLaren team's appeal of its Belgian Grand Prix penalty, declaring it inadmissable.

The sanction given at Spa-Francorchamps was a drive-through penalty, which cannot be appealed. When such a decision is taken by the race stewards after the conclusion of a race, 25 seconds are added to the driver's total running time as a substitute.

The ICA considers that the 25-second penalty replaces the drive-through option, and therefore cannot be appealed as well.

"In view of the foregoing, it follows that there is no need to examine the substance of the appeal submitted by McLaren," reads today's decision.

Hamilton cut through a chicane to avoid contact with Kimi Raikkonen during the closing stages of the Belgian race, passing ahead of the Ferrari driver. He immediately pulled back to give the lead position back to Raikkonen, just before overtaking him again at the following corner. The stewards considered the move improper.

Now that the matter has been closed, Felipe Massa is confirmed as the winner of the Belgian Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton's victory is transformed into a third-place result. The move in the final positions cost Hamilton four championship points, while Massa gained two.


Statement from the FIA:

At the Grand Prix of Belgium, run on 7 September 2008, and counting towards the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship, the Stewards of the meeting imposed a drive-through penalty upon the driver of car No.22, Lewis Hamilton, for a breach of Article 30.3 (a) of the 2008 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations and Appendix L, Chapter 4, Article 2 (g) of the International Sporting Code.

As the drive-through penalty was imposed at the end of the race, 25 seconds were added to the driver's elapsed race time in accordance with Article 16.3 of the FIA 2008 Formula One Sporting Regulations.

Article 152 of the International Sporting Code states that drive-through penalties are "not susceptible to appeal."

The competitor Vodafone McLaren Mercedes appealed the Steward's decision before the International Court of Appeal in a hearing in Paris on September 22nd.

Having heard the explanations of the parties the Court has concluded that the appeal is inadmissible."