The Formula One McLaren team has been slapped with a three-race ban for lying to stewards at the Australian Grand Prix. But the ban is suspended pending the exposure of further violations, according to the BBC. The ban was imposed by the motor sport's governing body, the FIA.
 
British defending champion Lewis Hamilton and his team will be subjected to the penalty if "further facts emerge" regarding the incident or if there is a "further breach" of protocol.
 
Reportedly, McLaren have admitted to contravening Formula One regulations, during an inquiry held on April 29 in Paris. They admitted five charges of breaching Article 115c of the International Sporting Code by deliberately misleading stewards in Melbourne and then sticking to their story at the subsequent Malaysian Grand Prix.
 
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren's principal, had decided that honesty would be the best policy considering his team's dreadful start to the season. Apparently his approach had an effect on the FIA decision process.  
 
According to the UK's Daily Telegraph, Whitmarsh had earlier apologised in person to Formula One's FIA and hoped his team could move on and continue with its season.
 
"We've made mistakes, we've apologised to the FIA and the public," he said. "I hope that this will draw a line under the affair and that we can carry on racing."
 
The ban will now only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code.