McLaren intend to appeal Hamilton penalty

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (Reuters) - McLaren said on Sunday they intended to appeal against a stewards' decision that stripped their Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix.

"We have no option other than to register our intention to appeal," said a team spokesman.

It was not clear whether any appeal would be allowed under the sport's rules, however.

Stewards decided Hamilton had cut the chicane and gained an advantage while battling Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen for the lead.

They imposed a retrospective drive-through penalty, applied at the end of the race in the form of 25 seconds added to his race time.

That demoted Hamilton to third place and cut his championship lead over Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa, the race winner, to two points.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; editing by Miles Evans)