Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (My Sportsbook) - Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified and stripped of his third-place finish from last week's season-opening race in Melbourne, for reporting inaccurate information.

Hamilton, the defending Formula One champion, originally finished fourth in Australia, but was then awarded third place after Jarno Trulli was penalized 25 seconds for passing Hamilton during the safety car period, which is prohibited.

During the race, Trulli was in third when he ran off the circuit during a safety car period, at which point Hamilton passed him -- an allowed move. Trulli later re-passed Hamilton back into third, earning the penalty.

After the race, Trulli said he saw Lewis slow down and pull over, which is consistent with the supposed advice Hamilton received over the radio from his team -- to give the third spot back to Trulli.

Race stewards re-opened the investigation into the matter because of new evidence -- including radio transmissions -- and came to the conclusion that Hamilton and his team provided misleading information after the race about the incident. They then released a statement:

"The Stewards having considered the new elements presented to them from the 2009 Australian Formula One Grand Prix consider that driver No. 1 Lewis Hamilton and the competitor Vodafone McLaren Mercedes acted in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of the event by providing evidence deliberately misleading to the Stewards at the hearing on Sunday 29th March 2009, a breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code."

As a result, Trulli was reinstated to his original third-place finish and earned six world championship points, while both Hamilton and McLaren were erased from the results with no points.

McLaren released its own statement, saying it will not appeal the decision.