A critical day ahead for McLaren MercedesMcLaren will appear before an extraordinary meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday in the latest chapter of the Formula One espionage affair.
The British team has been summoned to the FIA's headquarters to
answer a charge that they breached article 151c of the international sporting code.
The rule relates to 'any fraudulent conduct, or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition, or to the interests of motor sport generally.'
That follows claims that their chief designer Mike Coughlan received sensitive confidential data from sacked Ferrari chief engineer Nigel Stepney back in April.
McLaren have expressed their disappointment at having to appear before the extraordinary meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council and in a statement this month they stress that the team never used or benefited from the information in Coughlan's possession.
Team boss Ron Dennis, who has vehemently protested their innocence, told the BBC on Wednesday that the team had presented the FIA with a full dossier.
"Whilst it would be wrong to say I look forward to Thursday - because I'm not particularly looking forward to it - nevertheless I am keen to get into the process of putting this behind us," he said. "I am confident the information presented to the FIA is the true account of all the circumstances surrounding this matter."
Dennis has previously stated that "no Ferrari materials or data are, or have ever been, in the possession of any McLaren employee other than the individual (Coughlan) sued by Ferrari."
The stakes are high as if the FIA find McLaren guilty Dennis' outfit could be thrown out of this year's world championship or have points deducted.
In the drivers' championship, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, from Britain, is leading in his debut Formula One season with 70 points from team-mate
Fernando Alonso on 68. McLaren are also leading the constructors' championship on 138 from Ferrari (111).
Source AFPMcLaren will appear before an extraordinary meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday in the latest chapter of the Formula One espionage affair.
The British team has been summoned to the FIA's headquarters to answer a charge that they breached article 151c of the international sporting code.
The rule relates to 'any fraudulent conduct, or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition, or to the interests of motor sport generally.'
That follows claims that their chief designer Mike Coughlan received sensitive confidential data from sacked Ferrari chief engineer Nigel Stepney back in April.
McLaren have expressed their disappointment at having to appear before the extraordinary meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council and in a statement this month they stress that the team never used or benefited from the information in Coughlan's possession.
Team boss Ron Dennis, who has vehemently protested their innocence, told the BBC on Wednesday that the team had presented the FIA with a full dossier.
"Whilst it would be wrong to say I look forward to Thursday - because I'm not particularly looking forward to it - nevertheless I am keen to get into the process of putting this behind us," he said. "I am confident the information presented to the FIA is the true account of all the circumstances surrounding this matter."
Dennis has previously stated that "no Ferrari materials or data are, or have ever been, in the possession of any McLaren employee other than the individual (Coughlan) sued by Ferrari."
The stakes are high as if the FIA find McLaren guilty Dennis' outfit could be thrown out of this year's world championship or have points deducted.
In the drivers' championship, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, from Britain, is leading in his debut Formula One season with 70 points from team-mate
Fernando Alonso on 68. McLaren are also leading the constructors' championship on 138 from Ferrari (111).
Source AFP
