Stepney sabotage trial begins in Italy

(GMM) Three years after the 'spygate' scandal of 2007, a case alleging sabotage by espionage conspirator Nigel Stepney began in Italy on Wednesday.

As the Monaco paddock is set up on Wednesday, the case harks back to the fabled street race of 2007, with sacked former chief mechanic Stepney accused of trying to ruin Ferrari's chances by adding white powder to the fuel tanks.

According to reports including by the ANSA news agency, the trial began on Wednesday in a court in Sassuolo, in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region.

Briton Stepney did not appear in person, the German news agency SID reported.