The Ferrari investigation (McLaren issues apology)

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:53 pm

The McLaren team issued a statement that read:

McLaren is extremely disappointed to note that it has been asked by the FIA to answer a charge of being in possession of certain documents and confidential information belonging to Ferrari. Whilst McLaren wishes to continue its full co-operation with any investigation into this matter, it does wish to make it very clear that the documents and confidential information were only in the possession of one currently suspended employee on an unauthorised basis and no element of it has been used in relation to McLaren’s Formula 1 cars.

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:59 pm

Article 151c of the International Sporting Code states:

151 - Breach of rules
Any of the following offences in addition to any offences specifically referred to previously, shall be deemed to be a breach of these rules :
a) All bribery or attempt, directly or indirectly, to bribe any person having official duties in relation to a competition or being employed in any manner in connection with a competition and the acceptance of, or offer to accept, any bribe by such an official or employee.
b) Any action having as its object the entry or participation in a competition of an automobile known to be ineligible therefor.
c) Any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally.

As for the possible penalties:

Article 153 states:

153. Scale of penalties
Penalties may be inflicted as follows in order of increasing severity :
- reprimand (blame);
- fines;
- time penalty;
- exclusion;
- suspension;
- disqualification.

Time penalty means a penalty expressed in minutes and/or seconds.

Any one of the above penalties can only be inflicted after an enquiry has been held and, in case of one of the last three, the concerned party must be summoned to give them the opportunity of presenting their defence.

For the FIA Formula One World Championship and the FIA World Rally Championship, a penalty consisting of the withdrawal of points over the whole of the Championship may be imposed.

As the McLaren team has been summoned to appear before the World Motor Sports Council, it seems that the FIA are considering a penalty from the last three: exclusion, suspension or disqualification.

Dzu-Fast · Post by **Dzu-Fast** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 3:21 am

I saw this in an article earlier and it was the first time I learned this .....

It seems as if the contact started a lot earlier this year with early phone contacts between the two dated back to the start of this season. Once McLaren realized that there was a regular contact, they asked Coughlan to please stop. The internal telephone system was then updated with new firewalls in order to detect calls from Italy arriving at Coughlan’s desk. http://f1.automoto365.com/news/controll ... s_id=26724

Seems to indicate at least some higher ups new what was going on .

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:33 am

Dzu-Fast wrote:
I saw this in an article earlier and it was the first time I learned this .....
It seems as if the contact started a lot earlier this year with early phone contacts between the two dated back to the start of this season. Once McLaren realized that there was a regular contact, they asked Coughlan to please stop. The internal telephone system was then updated with new firewalls in order to detect calls from Italy arriving at Coughlan’s desk. http://f1.automoto365.com/news/controll ... s_id=26724
Seems to indicate at least some higher ups new what was going on .

Will see...

Southernman · Post by **Southernman** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 8:11 am

If McLaren bosses knew what was going on and did nothing about it, then they are as guilty as the ones passing on and recieving information.

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:20 pm

Southernman wrote:If McLaren bosses knew what was going on and did nothing about it, then they are as guilty as the ones passing on and recieving information.

If that's really the case then they have acted idiotically. It's only too possible that someone would rat em out.

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:52 pm

Southernman wrote:If McLaren bosses knew what was going on and did nothing about it, then they are as guilty as the ones passing on and recieving information.

And what of the powers that be in the Ferrari camp. Could they have taken advantage of the situation???

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:58 pm

jacfan wrote:
Southernman wrote:If McLaren bosses knew what was going on and did nothing about it, then they are as guilty as the ones passing on and recieving information.
And what of the powers that be in the Ferrari camp. Could they have taken advantage of the situation???

They might... However I don't think of the incident as an incrimination case. Looks like the Ferrari administration is innocent.

Dzu-Fast · Post by **Dzu-Fast** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:22 am

jacfan wrote:
Southernman wrote:If McLaren bosses knew what was going on and did nothing about it, then they are as guilty as the ones passing on and recieving information.
And what of the powers that be in the Ferrari camp. Could they have taken advantage of the situation???

If so , all they did was give Mclaren enough rope to hang themselves .

I still believe this is just two disgruntled employees (Coughlan wasn't happy either) and a great season is being ruined because of them . However , Mclaren should have blown the whistle "IF" they knew . This all still revolves around "IF"'s however . We still have no idea what is true and what isn't .

Which is why we should all wait to pass judgement .

But this way is much more fun .

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:32 am

Dzu-Fast wrote:
jacfan wrote:
Southernman wrote:If McLaren bosses knew what was going on and did nothing about it, then they are as guilty as the ones passing on and recieving information.
And what of the powers that be in the Ferrari camp. Could they have taken advantage of the situation???
If so , all they did was give Mclaren enough rope to hang themselves .

I still believe this is just two disgruntled employees (Coughlan wasn't happy either) and a great season is being ruined because of them . However , Mclaren should have blown the whistle "IF" they knew . This all still revolves around "IF"'s however . We still have no idea what is true and what isn't .

Which is why we should all wait to pass judgement .

But this way is much more fun .

No and I doubt we ever will know the entire story. Ferrari have a lot to gain by McLaren being penalised and one has to wonder how much they knew and when.

Dzu-Fast · Post by **Dzu-Fast** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:19 am

jacfan wrote: No and I doubt we ever will know the entire story. Ferrari have a lot to gain by McLaren being penalised and one has to wonder how much they knew and when.

Ya' know , I saw where someone was pointing out the rules on this and they were showing a section that basically said " Teams are responsible for their employees actions " and making the argument that Ferrari could be punished also under that condition for not keeping a closer eye on Stepney .

I can actually see the logic in that . And at this point , if they received some punishment along with Mclaren , enough to drop them both down in the points , I wouldn't mind .

I don't want to see Ferrari win the championship because of this . Or Mclaren for that matter as there would forever be an asterisk by the record . But I suppose at this point , it's going to be there no matter what the outcome .

Hard to find a " silver lining " to this cloud . A pall has been cast over this year already , I'm afraid . And it was so much fun .

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:04 am

On the other hand, Mad Max and his cronies might just walk around beating drums, and making various threats, then when they feel the FIA, and more importantly Mad Max has had enough headlines, they may just retreat to their castle, clad in the warmth of their mutual admiration.

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:36 pm

Julian Mayo wrote:On the other hand, Mad Max and his cronies might just walk around beating drums, and making various threats, then when they feel the FIA, and more importantly Mad Max has had enough headlines, they may just retreat to their castle, clad in the warmth of their mutual admiration.

Which is perhaps the most likely scenario. But most probably not before they eat up some of MCLaren's points.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:34 pm

McLaren being regarded as an English Team, Hambone being English, Max living in England, ...............Methinks his Family already has enough to live down,ancestrally and historically. It might just sway the call.

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:22 pm

Dzu-Fast wrote:
jacfan wrote: No and I doubt we ever will know the entire story. Ferrari have a lot to gain by McLaren being penalised and one has to wonder how much they knew and when.
Ya' know , I saw where someone was pointing out the rules on this and they were showing a section that basically said " Teams are responsible for their employees actions " and making the argument that Ferrari could be punished also under that condition for not keeping a closer eye on Stepney .

I can actually see the logic in that . And at this point , if they received some punishment along with Mclaren , enough to drop them both down in the points , I wouldn't mind .

I don't want to see Ferrari win the championship because of this . Or Mclaren for that matter as there would forever be an asterisk by the record . But I suppose at this point , it's going to be there no matter what the outcome .

Hard to find a " silver lining " to this cloud . A pall has been cast over this year already , I'm afraid . And it was so much fun .