Formula One ruling

The punishment was handed down on Wednesday following a hearing at motorsport's governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh attended the hearing in Paris after world champion Lewis Hamilton's McLaren team was charged with five counts of bringing the sport into disrepute.

The body found that team members misled race stewards about an overtaking manoeuvre involving Hamilton when the safety car was out at the Australian Grand Prix on March 29.

Both Whitmarsh and Hamilton had previously admitted that rules had been violated and had issued apologies.

"Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh addressed the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) and the change in culture he made clear is taking place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deemed appropriate," the FIA said in a statement.

The three race suspension will only be applied if the team carries out any further breach of competition rules over the next 12 months.