The espionage scandal continued to worsen for McLaren on Saturday, despite the team locking out the front row of the grid for Ferrari's home race at Monza. It is understood that Italian police entered the paddock shortly after qualifying with formal notices of criminal investigation for key members of the British team, including team boss Ron Dennis and his deputy Martin Whitmarsh. This development - that the leading figures in the spying affair could be charged criminally and even jailed - had been rumoured on Friday, with Modena prosecutors believing McLaren team members knew about, used and withheld their knowledge about Ferrari secrets. McLaren's lawyers advised their client not to comment this weekend, and triple world champion Niki Lauda observed: "I can understand why they are nervous. " Championship leader Lewis Hamilton admitted after qualifying second on Saturday that he is 'concerned' about the steadily worsening saga, and the prospect that the World Motor Sport Council could come down hard on the team next Thursday. "Unfortunately, whatever happens next week could not only affect the team, but also me and Fernando. Obviously we're all concerned," he said. Source GMM CAPSIS International
Yes, but this time was the evil Darth Vader the one who blew the Death planet. But I don´t care who blew it as long as the bad guys die and the good guys finally win.
Wow, yesterday I smiled about the speculation that the Italian police could in fact be involved in Monza... as bad as it is for the sport, it gets pretty entertaining
Wow, Alonso steps forward and offers information to the FIA pertinent to the investigation...and he is castigated?!? If it were any other McLaren employee, all of you would be signing his praises as the honorable whistleblower. But since it is Alonso, you still have to find a reason to criticize. Amazing. Simply amazing
He didn't step forward... FIA wrote a letter to the drivers signifying them that their Super License might be in danger if they didn't answer... we all know they would never sack him, but the threat existed.
Not a very good comment coming from someone who is so up on the FACTS. You seem to think everything great about alonshole nomatter what crap he spews or does...could it be that you were "very close" to him in a previous life? lol
Please think about this. To punish the whole Mclaren team because of the actions of at first two individuals, one a Ferrari employee, would be a travesty of justice. Then a self serving internal rat who at first profited from this information, then betrayed his employer for 20 pieces of silver. To scuttle a whole team for this ? The punishment must fit the crime. The FIA is not stupid. Political yes, not stupid.
You kill me lol....I guess you forgot that the McCheater team profited big time from the stolen infor. It doesnt matter how they got it...the fact is that they used it and then lied about it. I guess this doesnt matter to you though. Even if Lucifer was involved and he more than likely was, you would still back the McCheater team. Blaming Ferrari is like blaming the chick for wearing a mini skirt.
My understanding is that they have evidence that Alonshole and De la Rossa were emailing Ferrari secrets at the beginning of the year. If alonshole hadn't cooperated he could have lost his super license and been banned from F1 perhaps forever. I don't believe Unfairnando came forward freely...he had agun to his head. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy IMVHO.
now, we have a 1-2 win for McLaren in Monza... and Massa actually dropped out! If McLaren really gets tossed out and Ferrari wins by default, then a lot of McLaren fans (and definitely the drivers) will not be happy! Whatever happens, I hope that it doesn't ruin F1. ~shahedc
Yes, something to that effect. I don't know if FIA first had some clues and then wrote the threatening letter or if the just wrote it and Alonso then spoke, but the order is clearly: First letter, then Alonso.
You can see where Ferrari is coming from, but you have to bear in mind that none of this would have happened if Mr. Todt had his own house in order" -Niki Lauda in the August 17th issue of Autosport You do know who Niki Lauda is, don't you?
I can see where he's coming from, but you have to bear in mind that none of this would have happened if Mr. Dennis had his own house in order
No, none of this would have happened if Stepney had not taken it upon himself to sabotage Ferrari. It could have been any team that he sent the info to, it just so happens that Coughlan was at McLaren at the time. Coughlan didn't solicit the information, Stepney proferred it.
I'm looking at this case as if it were doping in the TdF: It doesn't matter whether the substance actually made you pedal faster/longer. It is a banned substance and you got caught taking it, therefore you're out. Doping in F1 doesn't help. But the equivalent of doping is actively using your opponents sensitive information which you acquired through illegal channels. It doesn't matter whether it actually made your cars faster. The mere fact that you got caught with using that information should throw you out of the competition. BTW: I would say the same thing if Ferrari had done this to McLaren. The way they finagled their way out of the barge board debacle some years ago was really fishy. And that wasn't even espionage, but "just" bending the technical rules. Quite literally.
Andreas your beating a dead horse buddy. The Mclaren fans that are on this board have been brainwashed with all this so called glory that there seeing come from a team that from the start of the season looked very suspicious ( I’m sorry but no racing team in the world can make such a huge jump on new tires they have no idea about). As far as there countryman Lewis Hamilton is concerned he has been very well trained, maybe too well trained, he knows what to say, when to say it and who to say it to (A bright smile goes along way in the media). The move he pulled on Kimi was not a great move but he knew how to make it look great. I’m also starting to get tired from seeing all the Mclaren fans and even there (UK media) out to make Ferrrai and the Italian public look like a bunch of animals, for the record wasn’t this whole mess started by a couple of “GENTS” from the UK?
You mean like all teams that were to start the season with the new spec tires ? Yes thats it..too well trained. He should take some untraining classes ? Let me say that Kimi is my favorite driver. The move that LH pulled was brilliant They didnt look like animals, they looked like self centered political opportunists who took advantage of a situation while a guest was visiting their country. What I'm tied of is anyone who sees and defends some sort of reason is a Mclaren fan and/or Anti-Ferrari. I am first a fan of Formula 1, then "My" team is Williams. Mclaren and Ferrari share equal favor in my book, which is high.
I intentionally stayed off this thread because I don't mind waiting a few days rather than speculate. However, I'm impressed with everyone's passion concerning the state of F1 and this sad affair. True, well informed fans on here, no question. Just wanted to make two somewhat unrelated comments before I go into hibernation until Friday ; 1) RD in tears ??? ..that rarity unquestionably means something. 2) Hamilton's pass was made unnecessarily on a car that was going much slower with a driver who, without question, was injured. Therefore, it was a good pass, not a spectacular one, not a smart one and had things gone awry, would have had dire points consequences basically affecting only one of the drivers involved(the one in the points battle for WDC). Pointless to have taken such a risk when it could have been made safely at another part of the track with plenty of laps left. There was no chance McLaren would have allowed him to challenge FA unless Fred's car was sick. Spectacular , for me at least, is reserved for Arnoux vs Villeneuve, or Bellof in the rain at Monaco. I seem to remember a crane being involved when rain is mentioned for someone else.
This coming Thursday the World Sport Council will meet in Paris on Thursday at 09:00 AM. Among the 26 council members there will be 2 italians: Marco Picinnini, the Vice-President of FIA and Gino Macaluso representing Italy. It should be noted that Marco Picinnini was not present at the July council. In the meantime regardless of all the posts pro or con, the following are undispuable facts: 1) the FIA has reconvened the Worls Sport Council this coming Thursday because it obtained information that in their opinion was sufficient to cancel the Appeal Hearing. It is widely reported that the information obtained were emails from the McL drivers, specifically Alonso and De la Rosa ( this was reported in the most respected sport newspapers in various european countries and you can hang your hat on this one). 2) today Jean Todt stated that there will be no settlement with the Woking team prior to the council meeting on Thursday ( and you can read into that as in the future that possibility exists for the judicial proceedings) and that "we have new proof" to present to the council ( = other then the McL drivers). He did not want to elaborate on the FIA and the Worls council eventual penalties "as they have to decide on the proof submitted to them. It is our duty to provide them with all the proof we have so that they can examine what happened. We want the truth to come out". McL also agrees that the right venue to clarify this matter is at the World Council and Ron Dennis stated " we intend there to prove our innocence". Amen
Yes I know who he is....He is the guy that enjoys taking the limelight by flaming anyone and everyone whenever he can.
It will be very interesting to see how you attempt to change history this thursday when many facts will hit the presses and your undieing love for your favourite team will once again show.
