The Ferrari investigation (McLaren issues apology)

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:01 pm

Dzu-Fast wrote:This could drag out in courts for a while

Beyond the end of the season for sure...

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:02 pm

Southernman wrote:I find it hard to believe that someone at McLaren could have this info since late april and no one else knew about it. Could it be a case of we'll turn a blind eye to what you do, but if you get caught your on your own and we will be the first to condemn you.

I hope that things aren't as bad as it seems.

A scapegoat deal perhaps?

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:04 pm

Dzu-Fast wrote:Gonna be one of those " wait and see " things

Hmm, not very sure. May very well become one of them "drop it and leave it alone" things soon

If Ferrari gets mixed up (more than now) in the deal that is.

Dzu-Fast · Post by **Dzu-Fast** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:48 pm

Sorry , but you'll have to explain to me why Ferrari should be punished also . Did I miss something ?

Ed · Post by Ed » Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:30 am

The McLaren team issued the following statement today (4th of July):

Following our statement of 3rd July 2007, McLaren has completed a thorough investigation and can confirm that no Ferrari intellectual property has been passed to any other members of the team or incorporated into its cars.

McLaren has in the meanwhile openly disclosed these matters to the FIA and Ferrari and sought to satisfy any concerns that have arisen from this matter. In order to address some of the speculation McLaren has invited the FIA to conduct a full review of its cars to satisfy itself that the team has not benefited from any intellectual property of another competitor.

Ed · Post by Ed » Thu Jul 05, 2007 2:01 am

I think there will be much speculation on what is/has actually happened but really there is only 2 broad scenario's

- Nigel Stepney was very dissapointed with Ferrari's management decisions that he decided to take matters into his own hands and try and compromise Ferrari's performance, be it by tampering with the car or leaking secrets to another team or teams.
He has worked in the past with Mike Coughlan and may have made a personal deal that Coughlan would get credit for and would satisfy Stepney by seeing that McLaren move ahead.

- Someone in McLaren's Management read well the situation with Stepney and used a close contact (Coughlan) to try and get some secrets from Ferrari. A deal was done by which Coughlan would be the scapegoat if this is uncovered.

Now given that police allegedly found Ferrari material at Coughlan's residence, it sounds like the job wasn't properly covered up and that is was done at a personal level rather than a professional level. (I cannot understand why would Coughlan leave this material at his residence. A chief designer cannot be that stupid!!)
I also very much doubt that McLaren would even consider agreeing to such action as if they are found to have been involved as a team, they would most likely be excluded from the championship for a number of years.

So as simple as it may sounds, I think Stepney has a personal grudge and Coughlan may have wanted to benefit from it!

Ed · Post by Ed » Thu Jul 05, 2007 2:02 am

And the FIA launches and investigation:

FIA Formula One World Championship - Team Investigation
04.07.2007

With the full cooperation of both teams, the FIA has initiated an investigation into matters involving Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes.

The remit of this investigation will focus solely on the requirements of the International Sporting Code and the Formula One Regulations

They mis-spelled Vodafone!!

Dzu-Fast · Post by **Dzu-Fast** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 2:45 am

Ed wrote: So as simple as it may sounds, I think Stepney has a personal grudge and Coughlan may have wanted to benefit from it!

Yup . That's the looks of it to me , also .

Unless RD or others are found to be complicite in this , they will be as much of a victim as Ferrari , really .

Especially if they are punished for one persons actions.

F1greyhound · Post by **F1greyhound** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 7:48 am

I know one thing - had this issue been the other way around, many people on here would be going on about how unfair and "cheating" FERRARI are......

....and MICHAEL would be the one blamed most....

))

Whatever, these industrial spy stories go on a lot and often they are undiscovered....

Actually the whole issue could easily lead to MCLAREN losing some points.......

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:34 am

F1greyhound wrote:I know one thing - had this issue been the other way around, many people on here would be going on about how unfair and "cheating" FERRARI are......

....and MICHAEL would be the one blamed most....))

Whatever, these industrial spy stories go on a lot and often they are undiscovered....

Actually the whole issue could easily lead to MCLAREN losing some points.......

Since the drivers were not implicated in this then I doubt that anyone would be pointing fingers at Michael.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 2:31 pm

Ed wrote:And the FIA launches and investigation:

FIA Formula One World Championship - Team Investigation
04.07.2007

With the full cooperation of both teams, the FIA has initiated an investigation into matters involving Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes.

The remit of this investigation will focus solely on the requirements of the International Sporting Code and the Formula One Regulations
They mis-spelled Vodafone!!

Thats Mad Max...........blind to all F1 Faults, and cannot spell!!!!

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:37 pm

Ed wrote: They mis-spelled Vodafone!!

Tragicomical situation

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:40 pm

Dzu-Fast wrote:
Ed wrote: So as simple as it may sounds, I think Stepney has a personal grudge and Coughlan may have wanted to benefit from it!
Yup . That's the looks of it to me , also .

Unless RD or others are found to be complicite in this , they will be as much of a victim as Ferrari , really .

Especially if they are punished for one persons actions.

I doubt that it goes that high up... If RD were involved he'd have done it more professionally. Or at least I'd rather believe that

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:45 pm

F1greyhound wrote:I know one thing - had this issue been the other way around, many people on here would be going on about how unfair and "cheating" FERRARI are......

....and MICHAEL would be the one blamed most....))

Whatever, these industrial spy stories go on a lot and often they are undiscovered....

Actually the whole issue could easily lead to MCLAREN losing some points.......

It's likely that if anyone loses in this deal it'll be McLaren. Still, I don't think the whole team should be punished if it's a simple disgruntled employee problem. Would border on ridiculous. However should that turn out to be the case and McL gets minced, Ferrari should be as well (fair is fair).

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:55 pm

gkaytaz wrote:
F1greyhound wrote:I know one thing - had this issue been the other way around, many people on here would be going on about how unfair and "cheating" FERRARI are......

....and MICHAEL would be the one blamed most....))

Whatever, these industrial spy stories go on a lot and often they are undiscovered....

Actually the whole issue could easily lead to MCLAREN losing some points.......
It's likely that if anyone loses in this deal it'll be McLaren. Still, I don't think the whole team should be punished if it's a simple disgruntled employee problem. Would border on ridiculous. However should that turn out to be the case and McL gets minced, Ferrari should be as well (fair is fair).

What did Ferrari do wrong?