London, Apr 12 : Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is ready to quit McLaren if his team is banned from races over the Liargate scandal.

Hamilton is still furious after being ordered to lie to stewards following the season's opening Australian Grand Prix, News of the World reported.

McLaren can be kicked out of the constructors' championship for the second time in 18 months when they appear before motor sport chiefs in Paris on April 29.

But they could also be banned from several of this season's remaining races altogether, which would wreck Hamilton's chances of defending his crown.

McLaren's engine suppliers Mercedes are also livid that their name has been tarnished again and could offer Hamilton an escape route at Jenson Button's Brawn GP, which is also powered by the German car giants.

Mercedes sporting boss Norbert Haug declared: "This is certainly not creating the right image. If it would not be bearable then we need to sit down in Stuttgart and take our decision."

Hamilton was forced into making a grovelling apology and has a moral clause in his contract allowing him to quit the team if his image as a sportsman is tarnished.

And a senior F1 source declared: "Lewis' future hangs on what happens to McLaren at the World Motor Sport Council hearing. If McLaren is kicked out of the constructors' championship at least Lewis can still race as he did in 2007 when the team were booted out over the Ferrari spying scandal.

"But if McLaren are banned from several races, which could very well happen, then that would give Lewis' father and manager, Anthony, the excuse to pull him out of there." (ANI)