Ferrari angry as McLaren are let off

FORMULA 1:Ferrari reacted with anger yesterday after the World Motor Sport Council let their rivals McLaren off without penalty in the espionage controversy that had threatened to undermine the British team's push towards the formula one world championship.

The ruling body, the FIA, said that although McLaren had Ferrari data in their possession, there was insufficient evidence that they had gained any benefit from it.

Ferrari described the unanimous decision by the 26-man council as "incomprehensible", although it did come with the proviso that the team will still face possible disqualification from the 2007 and 2008 world championships if it is subsequently proved that the Ferrari technical information had been used to enhance the current McLaren.

The decision also removes the immediate threat of a points deduction from the team that would have harmed the British driver Lewis Hamilton's standing at the top of the driver's championship. "I am pleased with today's decision and can't wait for the rest of the season," Hamilton said.

Ferrari were unrestrained in the language they used, stating: "McLaren-Mercedes has been found guilty by the FIA World Council. It therefore finds it incomprehensible that violating the fundamental principle of sporting honesty does not have, as a logical and inevitable consequence, the application of a sanction. Today's decision legitimises dishonest behaviour in Formula One and sets a very serious precedent. In fact, the decision of the World Council signifies that possession, knowledge at the very highest level and use of highly confidential information acquired in an illicit manner and the acquiring of confidential information over the course of several months, represent violations that do not carry any punishment."

Ferrari went on to emphasise that civil legal actions against Nigel Stepney, the former Ferrari engineer accused of leaking the technical information to the McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan, would continue in Italy and the UK - holding out the possibility that further evidence could be uncovered.

"The WMSC is satisfied that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was in possession of confidential Ferrari information and is therefore in breach of article 151c of the International Sporting Code," said Max Mosley, the FIA president. " However, there is insufficient evidence that this information was used in such a way as to interfere improperly with the FIA Formula One World Championship. We therefore impose no penalty.

"But if it is found in the future that the Ferrari information has been used to the detriment of the championship, we reserve the right to invite Vodafone McLaren Mercedes back in front of the WMSC where it will face the possibility of exclusion from not only the 2007 championship but also the 2008 championship. The WMSC will also invite Mr Stepney and Mr Coughlan to show reason why they should not be banned from international motor sport for a lengthy period and the WMSC has delegated authority to deal with this matter to the legal department of the FIA."

McLaren said that in their view the FIA decision to not punish them was very balanced and fair. "McLaren accepts that the FIA World Motor Sport Council had no alternative other than to find that there was a purely technical breach by reason of the possession of certain information by one individual at his home, without McLaren's knowledge or authority," they said.

McLaren team principal Ron Dennis added: "Moving forward McLaren wants to reaffirm our long-standing commitment to honesty and integrity and restate that we believe we have acted correctly throughout."