Lewis Hamilton's world championship is still on track after the FIA ruled that he was not to blame for the collision between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber during the Japanese Grand Prix last week.

Video footage taken by a fan in the grandstand emerged yesterday which suggested Hamilton had suddenly decelerated ahead of the two drivers, causing them to crash. If found guilty, the Briton faced a ten-point penalty or being placed far down the grid at this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

But after hours of deliberation today, during which time they viewed the footage on Edward Gorman's weblog to use as evidence, race stewards cleared the championship leader.

Vettel had been penalised ten places following the incident last week, but that has been reduced to a reprimand.

"The involvement of Lewis Hamilton in this incident has also been considered in the light of the evidence given by him, his team manager and in particular all other parties present and no penalty is imposed on him," the stewards said.

The crash happened immediately behind Hamilton, who was leading the field during the second of two safety car periods in heavy rain.

Hamilton can claim the championship on Sunday in his rookie season if he finishes ahead of Fernando Alonso, his McLaren team-mate, who crashed in Japan and is 12 points behind with two races to go.

Before the ruling, Hamilton intimated he was prepared to walk away from Formula One as he felt he was continually being made out to be the "bad man" of the sport.

"I had a good weekend, I don't think I put a foot wrong and I didn't do anything to harm anyone else or put anyone else in danger but I've come away to China and no doubt I'm going to be punished for something," Hamilton said. "I just think it's a real shame for the sport.

"Formula One is supposed to be about hard competition - fair - and that's what I've tried to do this year, just be fair.

"If I've been in the wrong, I've been the first to put my hand up, or apologise at least, and I don't mind being given a penalty but there's been some really strange situations this year where I'm made to look the bad person or by the looks of it this weekend could be given a penalty.

"It's just a shame for the sport and if this is the way it's going to keep going then it's probably not somewhere I really want to be."