''It doesn't seem credible to me''The lawyer of Englishman Nigel Stepney, the former Ferrari Technical Manager accused of sabotaging the Italian team ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, dismissed the accusation against his client on Saturday.
Ferrari on Friday announced
that they had requested prosecutors in Modena to open an enquiry into Stepney, who is facing a criminal investigation following an official complaint filed by the team last month.
"The only thing I can say is that Stepney has been placed under investigation but the charge is at present very hazy and uncertain," lawyer Luca Brezigar told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"From what I've heard there are a number of legal definitions such as aggravated damage or sporting fraud, but I would exclude sabotage," he added.
According to sources, traces of a mysterious powder were discovered on the fuel tanks of the cars of Finnish driver
Kimi Raikkonen and Brazilian Felipe Massa on May 21 at the Maranello factory, six days before the Monaco Grand Prix.
Brezigar, who was appointed by the court, said that he has had "no contact" with his client, adding that the whereabouts of Stepney were unknown although he ruled out that the Englishman has fled.
"I'm convinced that he is on holidays. It doesn't seem credible to me that a professional of his calibre could damage his own team," added Brezigar, whose client's home at Serramazzoni, 40km outside Modena, was searched on Friday.
Stepney, who remains a Ferrari employee, had requested at the end of 2006 to cease traveling to the Grand Prix circuits and had been given a factory-based position in Maranello relating to development and performance.
Source AFP
