David Richards gives Stepney new job – No

UPDATE Nigel Stepney is not joining either Aston Martin or Aston Martin Racing. The former Ferrari team coordinator has been reported to be working for Aston Martin by the Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sport and has been picked up by other news sources, which have not checked the story.

It is still possible that Stepney is working for one of the customer teams that use Aston Martin machinery in sports car racing but thus far we have not been able to find one that fits the bill.

Thus any conspiracy theories linking Stepney with Aston Martin, with Prodrive and McLaren should be treated with care. Grandprix.com

09/18/07 (GMM) Nigel Stepney, whose alleged actions of sabotage and espionage sparked F1's infamous spying affair this year, has landed a new job, according to reports.

The Briton, fired and now pursued civilly by the Maranello based team and also by criminal prosecutors in Italy, will shortly begin work at Aston Martin in the UK, the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport reports on Tuesday.

The news, however, was not confirmed by Stepney's Italian lawyer, Sonia Bartolini.

Aston Martin, a luxury car firm, was sold by Ford earlier this year to a consortium led by Prodrive chief and incoming F1 team owner David Richards.

"We are confident we have all the right ingredients to take Aston Martin to even greater heights," he was quoted as saying at the time.

The FIA said in July that Stepney, and his 'Stepney-gate' conspirator Mike Coughlan, would be pursued by the governing body's legal department and possibly banned from international motor sport "for a lengthy period".