The controversial decision to strip Lewis Hamilton of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix has been met with blanket bemusement in the media with Niki Lauda, the former Formula One world champion, describing it as "the worst judgement in the history of F1".

Just two hours after one of Formula One’s classic finishes, Hamilton was denied victory by a hugely controversial retrospective punishment by the race stewards in Spa. Lauda, a former Ferrari world champion, told Bild, the German newspaper, that not only had Hamilton driven brilliantly, but that he had not contravened the rules and deserved his victory.

"This is the worst judgement in the history of F1," he said. "It's absolutely unacceptable when three (stewards) influence the championship like this."

In Britain the press reaction has been equally damning. In the Daily Mail, Jonathan McEvoy says the 23-year-old McLaren driver has been the "victim of a conspiracy against McLaren", with the FIA heading a "polluted sport". In The Independent David Tremayne describes the decision to demote Hamilton from first to third as one "that will be long remembered as being farcical and disgraceful by all in motor racing."

In The Daily Telegraph, Simon Arron says "the action was beguiling, the final result was bewildering," while in the Daily Express Bob Mckenzie says "the puppeteers of the FIA have pulled the strings and made Lewis Hamilton and his McLaren team dance to Ferrari's tune".

In the Daily Mirror, Byron Young says the sport is "back in the dock" after Hamilton was "robbed of one of the greatest victories of his career". He added: "As he drove away from Spa-Francorchamps after another tawdry episode in the sport's history the 23-year-old must have wondered what he will have to do to win this world title."

"That same old stench," Young says, "mars the sport and turns fans away. That ruins the efforts of even the best competitors, taints the day and leaves fans wondering what exactly they are 'fans' of."

Around the majority of the world the decision has been met with a equal bemusement, however in Italy, the home of Ferrari, the reaction has been very different.

Gazzetta Dello Sport say "Hamilton penalised!", and go on to justify the decision to punish the McLaren-Mercedes driver.

The Italian newspaper says, "It's true that he let Raikkonen go first on the straight, but because he immediately passed him, he ended up gaining an advantage and therefore, he has been penalised. In order to consider his actions a regular pass over Raikkonen, he should have waited at least another turn rather than attacking so soon."