Lewis Hamilton faces being suspended or disqualified from the Formula One world championship after lying to FIA stewards.

Just four days after one of the drives of his career to finish third in Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton was today excluded from the classification.

Hamilton was elevated from fourth to third by the stewards due to Jarno Trulli being handed a 25-second penalty for passing the reigning world champion behind the safety car late on.

But in the light of further evidence, notably radio transmissions between Hamilton and the pit wall, and in an interview given by the 24-year-old soon after race, he has been caught out.

Hamilton and McLaren have been accused of acting "in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of the event by providing evidence deliberately misleading to the stewards" at the hearing on Sunday.

In re-opening the investigation, stewards at a further hearing in Malaysia ahead of Sunday's race at the Sepang circuit have taken the appropriate sanction against Hamilton they felt was necessary.

However, the situation contravenes the International Sporting Code and is viewed as so grave that the FIA have it within their power to pursue the matter further.

A FIA spokesperson confirmed: "Given the seriousness of this matter, we cannot rule out further action at this stage."

As Hamilton has been excluded from the race at Melbourne's Albert Park, should motor sport's world governing body take up the case, only two additional punishments are open to them.

One would be to suspend Hamilton from a further race or races, or alternatively they could disqualify him from the championship altogether.

In an effort to be more open and transparent this year in relation to decisions taken by the stewards, the FIA are now publishing the key considerations of their findings.

On Sunday, the stewards did not have the benefit of radio exchanges or comments from Hamilton to the media, and instead acted solely on video footage.

In their submissions, they note: "During the hearing, held approximately one hour after the end of the race, the stewards and the race director (Charlie Whiting) questioned Lewis Hamilton and his team manager, David Ryan, specifically about whether there had been an instruction given to Hamilton to allow Trulli to overtake.

"Both the driver and team manager stated no such instruction had been given.

"The race director specifically asked Hamilton whether he had consciously allowed Trulli to overtake. Hamilton insisted he had not done so.

"The new elements presented to the stewards several days after the 2009 Australian Grand Prix which led to the reconvened stewards' meeting clearly show that:

"a. Immediately after the race and before Lewis Hamilton attended the stewards' meeting he gave an interview to the media where he clearly stated the team had told him to let Trulli pass.

"b. Furthermore, the radio exchanges between the driver and the team contain two explicit orders from the team to let the Toyota pass."

To lend weight to their case against Hamilton, the FIA have also included the audio clips of the interview and radio exchange.

In the interview Hamilton explains: "I was behind Trulli under the safety car, and clearly you are not allowed to overtake under the safety car, but he went off at the second to last corner.

"He went wide onto the grass. I guess his tyres were cold, and I was forced to go by. I had slowed down as much as I could."

Crucially, Hamilton adds: "I was told to let him back past, but I don't know if that's within the regulations, and if it isn't then I should have had third."

With regard to the radio transmission, that went as follows:

Hamilton: "The Toyota went off in a line at the second to last corner. I overtook him, is this okay?'

Team: "Understood, Lewis. We'll confirm and get back to you.

Hamilton: "He was off the track. He went wide.

Team: "Lewis, you need to allow the Toyota through. Allow the Toyota through now."

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has made it clear there will be no appeal, although has jumped to Hamilton's defence, insisting he did not lie.

Speaking before the FIA made public their findings, Whitmarsh said: "There is no implication Lewis lied to the stewards.

"I think he answered the questions put to him in an honest manner but, according to the stewards, the team should have provided a fuller account of what happened."

Attempting to explain his team's version of events, Whitmarsh added: "During the closing stages of the race there was a safety car incident whereby Jarno Trulli fell off the circuit and Lewis could legitimately pass him. I don't think that is in question.

"Of course, the team could not see it. Lewis informed the team that he had passed Trulli - and there was understandably concern within the team he had passed Trulli under a safety car.

"At that time, we did not know Trulli was right off the circuit and Lewis was asked to give back the place to Trulli.

"That was a team view, having not seen it, and we thought it was the safest thing to do.

"Once that instruction was given to Lewis, he did not agree. He said: 'Look, the guy was off the circuit, I don't need to do this'.

"A discussion was occurring and before that was finished, Trulli had re-passed.

"At the stewards' meeting, we mistakenly believed the stewards were aware, Charlie [Whiting] was there, and the FIA was there, of that radio conversation.

"The stewards now believe we were not explicit enough about that radio conversation, and felt therefore that was prejudicial to the decision that they reached.

"Obviously we regret that, and that was a mistake by the team, but we have got to accept the decision that has now been made."

Insisting it was "a regrettable day", Whitmarsh remarked: "It's a harsh decision.

"But I think experience has told us that you have to accept these decisions and these things that come along, and you focus on this weekend and the races beyond that."