The McLaren team was fined US$100 million and stripped of all of
its points in the constructors' standings yesterday in the spy
scandal that has rocked the sport.
Team drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who are
currently 1-2 in the championship standings, were not punished and
can continue to compete for the season title.
McLaren could still be penalized for the 2008 championship, FIA
said in a statement after a hearing.
McLaren, which leads the current drivers' and constructors'
standings, was punished by the World Motor Sports Council for
allegedly using leaked secret technical documents belonging to F1
rival Ferrari.
"We have never denied that the information from Ferrari was in
the personal possession of one of our employees at his home," team
chief Ron Dennis said. "The issue is: was this information used by
McLaren? This is not the case and has not been proven today
(yesterday)."
McLaren can appeal.
"We believe we have grounds for appeal. But of course we are
going to wait for the findings of the FIA which are going to be
published," Dennis said. "The most important thing is that we go
motor racing this weekend, the rest of the season and next
season."
The case broke open in July when a 780-page technical dossier on
Ferrari cars was found at the home of McLaren's chief designer,
Mike Coughlan, who was later suspended. Ferrari mechanic Nigel
Stepney, who allegedly supplied the documents, was fired.
"Ferrari is satisfied that the truth has now emerged," the
Italian team said in a statement.
Rookie English driver Hamilton leads the standings with 92
points, followed by two-time F1 champion Alonso of Spain with 89.
Ferrari teammates Kimi Raikkonen (74) and Felipe Massa (69) are
third and fourth. Four races remain in the season, starting with
Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.
Alonso and Hamilton finished 1-2 in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix
-- at Ferrari's home track of Monza -- to extend McLaren's lead in
the constructors' championship to 23 points. McLaren had 166,
Ferrari 143.
Under yesterday's ruling, McLaren loses all its constructors'
points and is ineligible from scoring any more in the final races
of the season.
The US$100 million penalty includes McLaren's expected loss of
income.
McLaren escaped the harshest possible penalty, as FIA could have
kicked the team and its drivers out of the 2007 and 2008
championships. In December, FIA will decide on any possible
sanctions against McLaren for the 2008 season.
FIA said it did not penalize McLaren's drivers "due to
exceptional circumstances" because they provided evidence in
exchange for immunity.
The World Motor Sport Council ruled in July that McLaren was
guilty of fraudulent conduct for possessing the Ferrari documents
but did not punish the team because there was insufficient evidence
the material was misused. However, the council warned that McLaren
could be kicked out of the 2007 and 2008 series if it is found in
the future that the information has been used "to the detriment of
the championship."
FIA announced last week it was calling a new hearing of the
council after "new evidence" had emerged.
Among those appearing at the hearing before the 26-member
council were Hamilton, Dennis and McLaren test driver Pedro De La
Rosa. Alonso did not attend.
Among others attending were Ross Brawn, Ferrari's former
technical director, and team officials from Red Bull, Williams and
Spyker.
FIA president Max Mosley sent letters to Alonso, Hamilton and De
La Rosa on August 31, saying the sport's regulator had been told
that "one or more McLaren drivers may be in possession ... of
written evidence relevant to this investigation."
Mosley asked the three drivers to cooperate "in the interests of
the sport and the championship" and offered them amnesty in return.
Mosley also wrote that "serious consequences would follow" if they
were later found to "have withheld any potentially relevant
information."
The case against McLaren reportedly consists of a 166-page
dossier that includes e-mail exchanges between De La Rosa and
Alonso as well as details of phone and text message traffic between
Coughlan and Stepney supplied to FIA by authorities in Italy.
Separately, McLaren was notified on Saturday that it is being
investigated in a separate criminal inquiry in Italy. Dennis and
five other team personnel are reportedly under investigation.
Those allegations stem from Ferrari's criminal case against
Stepney for allegedly placing a mysterious white powder on the gas
tanks of the team's cars before the Monaco GP, in a supposed
sabotage attempt.
(Shanghai Daily via Agencies September 14, 2007)