Record fine for McLaren

By Michael Wise  Last updated: 13th September 2007

Constructors' championship leaders thrown out of 2007 title race after Paris spy hearing.

The FIA has hit McLaren-Mercedes with an unprecedented $100 million fine and docked the team its constructors' championship points for the current season after finding them guilty of spying on rivals Ferrari.

However, after both the team's drivers gave evidence in the case, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have escaped sanction - meaning they are free to chase this year's world drivers' title.

"The WMSC (World Motor Sports Council) has stripped Vodafone McLaren Mercedes of all constructors points in the 2007 FIA Formula One world championship and the team can score no points for the remainder of the season," the FIA said.

"Furthermore the team will pay a fine equal to $100 million (£49.2 million), less the FOM income lost as a result of the points deduction."

The WMSC has also withheld a decision regarding next year's constructors' championship until the team's 2008 car can be scrutinised to see whether it uses Ferrari intellectual property.

"The WMSC will receive a full technical report on the 2008 McLaren car and will take a decision at the December 2007 meeting after what sanction, if any, will be imposed on the team for the 2008 season," the statement added.

Hamilton leads Alonso by three points in the drivers' standings with just four races - including Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix - remaining.

But the verdict means that McLaren's 23-point constructors' championship lead over Ferrari has been wiped, leaving the latter a full 57 points ahead of BMW Sauber.

Dossier

The team had originally been found guilty of the 'fraudulent conduct' charge in July, after McLaren designer Mike Coughlan was found in possession of a 780-page dossier - given to him by Ferrari's former head of performance development, Nigel Stepney.

However, on that occasion, the FIA decided there was insufficient evidence that McLaren had actually used the information to its advantage.

FIA president Max Mosley then referred the case to a Court of Appeal, but after fresh evidence surfaced - purported to be an email exhange between Alonso and McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa - a second WMSC hearing was instigated.

A detailed breakdown of the FIA's new findings will be released by the governing body on Friday.

Dennis: 'Reputation damaged'

In the aftermath of the verdict, McLaren team boss Ron Dennis said: "The most important thing is we go motor racing this weekend, the rest of the season and every season.

"This means our drivers can continue to compete for the world championship.

"However, having been at the hearing I do not accept that we deserve to be penalised or our reputation damaged in this way.

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

Ferrari responded by saying: "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."

McLaren have yet to announce whether they will appeal against the verdict.

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