scottycards
September 7th, 2007, 11:16 AM
Anyone hear about this? :eek: :eek: :eek:
Doesn't look good for McLaren and Alonso!
With Ferrari and McLaren seemingly locked in a private war for speed and success on track today at Monza, off the circuit controversy surrounding the so-called 'spy story' that has overshadowed much of the season, reached new heights.
In this, according to the latest reports in Italian media, McLaren, it is claimed, have been not only in possession of many of Ferrari's technical secrets this year, but also using them to their advantage. This, it is said, is the conclusion drawn from the latest evidence presented to the FIA.
It is alleged that not only did Ferrari, through their now-dismissed 'rogue mechanic' Nigel Stepney - who the team have also accused of sabotage - suffer the loss of a 780-pages dossier of information, which was given to McLaren's former chief designer Mike Coughlan, now suspended, but they also saw some of the key components of that dossier made use of by their rivals.
In the latest reports surrounding this scandal, it is claimed that Coughlan supplied information about Ferrari's work, notably with Bridgestone tyres and car set-ups, to the McLaren team test driver Pedro de la Rosa, who in turn passed it on to fellow-Spaniard Alonso. In both cases, it is said the communication of this data was done by email.
This allegation was confirmed on Friday when a letter sent by FIA President Max Mosley to all teams was revealed to reporters at the Italian Grand Prix by an unidentified source who wished to remain anonymous.
In this letter, Mosley made clear that it was the confirmation of this evidence - email exchanges between the two Spanish McLaren drivers - that had led him to cancel next week's appeal hearing and to call another meeting of the full FIA world motor sport council to consider the matter.
It remained unclear on Friday who had alerted the FIA to the existence of these email exchanges, despite widespread suggestions that it was either Alonso or his former team boss at Renault Flavio Briatore, who has made no secret of his admiration for the Spaniard and his desire to bring him back to Renault.
According to sources in the paddock, Mosley wrote to all the teams last Friday to inform that the two Spanish McLaren drivers had been in possession of 'written evidence relevant to this investigation.'
In this letter, he made clear to the teams that it was their duty to provide any evidence relating to the spy affair.
Doesn't look good for McLaren and Alonso!
With Ferrari and McLaren seemingly locked in a private war for speed and success on track today at Monza, off the circuit controversy surrounding the so-called 'spy story' that has overshadowed much of the season, reached new heights.
In this, according to the latest reports in Italian media, McLaren, it is claimed, have been not only in possession of many of Ferrari's technical secrets this year, but also using them to their advantage. This, it is said, is the conclusion drawn from the latest evidence presented to the FIA.
It is alleged that not only did Ferrari, through their now-dismissed 'rogue mechanic' Nigel Stepney - who the team have also accused of sabotage - suffer the loss of a 780-pages dossier of information, which was given to McLaren's former chief designer Mike Coughlan, now suspended, but they also saw some of the key components of that dossier made use of by their rivals.
In the latest reports surrounding this scandal, it is claimed that Coughlan supplied information about Ferrari's work, notably with Bridgestone tyres and car set-ups, to the McLaren team test driver Pedro de la Rosa, who in turn passed it on to fellow-Spaniard Alonso. In both cases, it is said the communication of this data was done by email.
This allegation was confirmed on Friday when a letter sent by FIA President Max Mosley to all teams was revealed to reporters at the Italian Grand Prix by an unidentified source who wished to remain anonymous.
In this letter, Mosley made clear that it was the confirmation of this evidence - email exchanges between the two Spanish McLaren drivers - that had led him to cancel next week's appeal hearing and to call another meeting of the full FIA world motor sport council to consider the matter.
It remained unclear on Friday who had alerted the FIA to the existence of these email exchanges, despite widespread suggestions that it was either Alonso or his former team boss at Renault Flavio Briatore, who has made no secret of his admiration for the Spaniard and his desire to bring him back to Renault.
According to sources in the paddock, Mosley wrote to all the teams last Friday to inform that the two Spanish McLaren drivers had been in possession of 'written evidence relevant to this investigation.'
In this letter, he made clear to the teams that it was their duty to provide any evidence relating to the spy affair.