The Ferrari investigation (McLaren issues apology)

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 3:55 am

Uh oh, seems the stock market is going for exclusion..........Mad Max must be loving this

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:08 am

GOOORRRRRRN

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:09 am

F1 Update: McLaren Excluded from'07 Constructors Championship

If I'm reading this correctly, the FIA's penalties are as follows..................
~~McLaren DSQ from 2007 Constructors Championship
~~McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are being allowed to contest the Drivers' Championship
~~McLaren's 2008 entry must go through scrutineering to ensure that no benefit to it was gained from Ferrari data
~~McLaren is to be fined around $100 million USD

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:15 am

mlittle wrote:F1 Update: McLaren Excluded from'07 Constructors Championship

If I'm reading this correctly, the FIA's penalties are as follows..................
~~McLaren DSQ from 2007 Constructors Championship
~~McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are being allowed to contest the Drivers' Championship
~~McLaren's 2008 entry must go through scrutineering to ensure that no benefit to it was gained from Ferrari data
~~McLaren is to be fined around $100 million USD

Yup, just posted a new thread under racing.
Sayonara F1

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:19 am

Julian Mayo wrote:
mlittle wrote:F1 Update: McLaren Excluded from'07 Constructors Championship

If I'm reading this correctly, the FIA's penalties are as follows..................
~~McLaren DSQ from 2007 Constructors Championship
~~McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are being allowed to contest the Drivers' Championship
~~McLaren's 2008 entry must go through scrutineering to ensure that no benefit to it was gained from Ferrari data
~~McLaren is to be fined around $100 million USD

Yup, just posted a new thread under racing.
Sayonara F1

First thought when the news broke..................HOLY &^@!!!!! (apologies for the language.........

)
Next thought, Julian...........How in the heck can the FIA throw them out for the 2007 WCC yet a--keep McLaren in for 2008 and b--allow Alonso and Hamilton to race this year in 2007 McLaren entries that, according to the FIA's verdict, used Ferrari data......

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:24 am

Mercedes' perspective..............

F1: WMSC Decision a Shock, Says Mercedes' Haug

From the gist of the article, it sounds like Mercedes is ticked at the decision and will appeal, regardless of what McLaren's plans are..........

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:32 am

Yup, thats Mad Max

I suspect that by the time Mercedes, n McLaren have finished with Mad Max, he will be poling a punt down a creek in Tibet for a living. I HOPE

My take is that there is no legality in law for what he has done.
2 drivers can continue to race for the WDC in illegal cars

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:35 am

Julian Mayo wrote:Yup, thats Mad Max
I suspect that by the time Mercedes, n McLaren have finished with Mad Max, he will be poling a punt down a creek in Tibet for a living. I HOPE
My take is that there is no legality in law for what he has done.
2 drivers can continue to race for the WDC in illegal cars

That's the strange part, Julian......if the cars are illegal now and were illegal then, how in the ever-living h--- can they allow them to drive the cars for the last four rounds?

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:38 am

I would really like to have to travel to Tibet to ask Mad Max, but given the speed of the creeks, it could be a tad hard to find him

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:44 am

Julian Mayo wrote:I would really like to have to travel to Tibet to ask Mad Max, but given the speed of the creeks, it could be a tad hard to find him

Like I've said elsewhere, the FIA and the WMSC's decision-making skills are starting to make Tony George and Brian Barnhart look like geniuses........scary, scary thought!

Ed · Post by Ed » Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:06 am

The FIA issue the following statement:

An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council was held in Paris on 13 September, 2007. The following decision was taken:

“The WMSC has stripped Vodafone McLaren Mercedes of all constructor points in the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship and the team can score no points for the remainder of the season.*

“Furthermore, the team will pay a fine equal to $100m, less the FOM income lost as a result of the points deduction.

“However, due to the exceptional circumstances in which the FIA gave the team’s drivers an immunity in return for providing evidence, there is no penalty in regard to drivers’ points.**

“The WMSC will receive a full technical report on the 2008 McLaren car and will take a decision at its December 2007 meeting as to what sanction, if any, will be imposed on the team for the 2008 season.”

The full reasons for this decision will be issued on 14th September 2007.

*Points gained by other teams so far this season will not be affected.
**No McLaren representative will be allowed on the podium should a McLaren driver win in any of the remaining races of the 2007 season

Ed · Post by Ed » Fri Sep 14, 2007 6:19 am

Ferrari released the following statement:

Ferrari acknowledges the decision of the FIA to sanction Vodafone McLaren
Mercedes for its breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

In light of new evidence, facts and behaviour of an extremely serious nature and grossly prejudicial to the interest of the sport have been further demonstrated.

Ferrari is satisfied that the truth has now emerged.

Ed · Post by Ed » Fri Sep 14, 2007 6:22 am

McLaren have released the following statement:

"The most important thing is that we will be going motor racing this weekend, the rest of the season and every season. This means that our drivers can continue to compete for the World Championship. However having been at the hearing today I do not accept that we deserved to be penalised in this way."

"Today's evidence given to the FIA by our drivers, engineers and staff clearly demonstrated that we did not use any leaked information to gain a competitive advantage."

"Much has been made in the press and at the hearing today of emails and text messages to and from our drivers. The World Motorsport Council received statements from Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Pedro de la Rosa stating categorically that no Ferrari information had been used by McLaren and that they had not passed any confidential data to the team."

"The entire engineering team in excess of 140 people provided statements to the FIA affirming that they had never received or used the Ferrari information."

"We have never denied that the information from Ferrari was in the personal possession of one of our employees at his home. The issue is: was this information used by McLaren? This is not the case and has not been proven today."

"We are also continually asked if McLaren didn't use the information, what was the reason for Stepney and Coughlan collecting all this data about Ferrari? We can only speculate as neither Coughlan nor Stepney gave evidence at today's hearing, but we do know that they were both seeking employment with other teams, as already confirmed by both Honda and Toyota."

"There will be no issue for the 2008 season as we have not at any stage used any intellectual property of any other team."

"We have got the best drivers and the best car and we intend to win the World Championship."

------------------------

It is believed that McLaren will be deciding whether to appeal the decision over the next few days.

Ed · Post by Ed » Fri Sep 14, 2007 6:44 am

I must say that it is odd to see a team stripped of their points while the drivers are allowed to keep theirs if the offense was that serious and that the car these drivers were driving had an unfair advantage.
One can only assume that the only reason the McLaren drivers were not stripped of their points is because the FIA didn't want to wreck the show.
If the team was found in breach and is proved that they have used intellectual property illegally then they should be kicked out or take away the results of the team (including the drivers) for a number of races. End of story.

Recall Honda and the extra fuel tank business, they were banned for two races and lost their points in Monaco (sorry it was San Marino actually). Both for the team and drivers.

I hope the full reasons to be released tomorrow would shed some light on the logic behind the penalty. We await eagerly.

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:34 am

This decision sounds like the stupidist of all. Punish them but keep them so we can enjoy the fight!!!

Can't wait to read all the evidence but I am sure McLaren will appeal

I wonder why Alonso didn't attend the hearing while Lewis and Pedro did