The FIA has moved to put the recent Formula One spy sagas behind it by agreeing to cancel the WMSC hearing scheduled for February 14th.
The hearing had been scheduled to discuss whether, in the light of recent investigation, Ferrari ideas had been used in the design of the McLaren MP4-23, the team’s 2008 challenger.
However, Mclaren issued an ‘apology’ last week, signed by Martin Whitmarsh, accepting that Ferrari IP had found it’s way to areas that were previously unknown, and requesting that the FIA cancel the hearing in return for them halting development in the areas concerned. The letter went on to insist that while the team accepted information had been available, it had not been used, and added that they did not agree with all the findings of the recent enquiry.
FIA President Max Mosley responded with a letter accepting the apology, and explaining that he would ask the World Motor Sport Council members to consider the request to cancel the hearing.
This morning, a statement on the FIA web-site confirmed that the Council had agreed to the request.
Many observers had commented that the ‘apology’, followed quickly by the response by Mr Mosley, appeared to be a stage managed ploy to put the incident in the past, and this belief will no doubt be enhanced by the publication – yesterday – of a full transcript of the recent hearing in which Renault were challenged with having in possession McLaren IP, by way of a recent recruit from the latter to the former.
This document raises – in the views of some – questions as to the different manner in which each case was approached, and will doubtless continue to do so for some time to come.
For the fans, however, the move on behalf of McLaren and the FIA, with the agreement of Ferrari, can only be seen as the right decision in terms of getting on with the season to come.
It should be noted that, in a different matter entirely, Ferrari are still pursuing action against rogue employee Nigel Stepney, and former McLaren designer Mike Coughlan – the two men at the centre of the ‘original’ spy saga – in the Italian courts.
Written: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:39:55
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