McLaren drivers implicated in spy drama

Although there has been no official comment from the FIA or any other involved parties about the nature of the new evidence in the Ferrari spy drama, the McLaren drivers have been implicated after FIA President Max Mosley sent a letter to Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and team tester Pedro de la Rosa on August 31st.

Fernando Alonso, McLaren Mercedes leaves the circuit with Pedro de la Rosa, Test Driver, McLaren Mercedes.

Photo by xpb.cc.

The FIA recently announced that the World Motor Sport Council would reconvene to hear new evidence in the McLaren case relating to a breach of sporting regulations. According to reports from Monza that evidence is in the form of an email exchange between Alonso and de la Rosa that took place shortly after the start of the season.

In the communication it is alleged that de la Rosa referred to Ferrari set up data that he had been given by McLaren's Mike Coughlan, who is previously said to have received it from ex-Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney. There has been no confirmation that the purported emails are the evidence but Mosley's letter to the drivers suggets that is the case.

In the letter, which was today made public, he said the FIA had been made aware that "one or more McLaren drivers may be in possession, or that such drivers have recently been in possession, of written evidence relevant to this investigation." He continued that the FIA had to establish "whether or not this allegation has any basis in fact."

The President requested that the drivers provide any documents that might be relevant to the investigation, including emails. He particularly requested any electronic communications "which make reference to Ferrari, Nigel Stepney or any technical or other information coming from or connected with either Ferrari or Mr Stepney."

Mosley stated that, due to the importance of the matter, any information the drivers might give would not result in action against them but if at a later date it is ascertained that they withheld anything potentially relevant the consequences could be serious.

According to the Monza paddock talk, Alonso and de la Rosa responded to the request and the information they gave prompted the FIA to reconvene the World Council. What exactly was said in the emails is not known, nor is how the FIA came to be aware of them in the first place, but the situation is getting tenser by the day. McLaren stated that it has been advised by its lawyers to make no comment.