Sports / Motor Racing |
Stepney says not to blame for leaked Ferrari data(Reuters)Updated: 2007-08-01 09:08
Former Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney continued to protest his innocence on Tuesday regarding the Formula One spying controversy. Stepney was accused of passing Ferrari information to McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan, who has since been suspended by the world championship leaders. "I did not take any designs away from Ferrari. Someone passed on the designs but it wasn't me," Stepney told Italy's La Repubblica. "I do not want to involve other colleagues. I know one part of the story, not all. Ferrari know the whole story." The International Automobile Federation (FIA) ruled last week that although McLaren had Ferrari data in their possession, there was insufficient evidence that they had gained any benefit from it, therefore no penalty was imposed. However, the FIA reserved the right to punish McLaren if further proof emerged with exclusion from the 2007 and 2008 championships. It said it may also ban Stepney and Coughlan. Ferrari have taken legal action in Italy and England against Coughlan and Stepney. The Italian action against Stepney, who was sacked by Ferrari, is set to progress in the coming days after court officials in Ferrari's home town of Modena returned from holiday. McLaren are 27 points clear of Ferrari with seven races remaining in a championship led by their 22-year-old British rookie Lewis Hamilton. His team mate, double world champion Fernando Alonso, is two points adrift, with Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa third, a further nine points back.
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