McLaren charged with spying
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that representatives of the team had been asked to appear before an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on July 26.
The FIA charged that between March and July the championship leaders had "unauthorized possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro".
The March date is earlier than had previously been suspected, raising a question mark over the entire first half of the season.
The statement added that the information included data that could have been "used to design, engineer, build, check, test, develop and/or run a 2007 Ferrari Formula One car".
The FIA referred specifically to article 151c of the International Sporting Code, which refers to "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally".
If McLaren are found guilty, possible sanctions range from a reprimand to disqualification. twnz.co.nz
07/12/07 McLaren Statement: McLaren is extremely disappointed to note that it has been asked by the FIA to answer a charge of being in possession of certain documents and confidential information belonging to Ferrari. Whilst McLaren wishes to continue its full co-operation with any investigation into this matter, it does wish to make it very clear that the documents and confidential information were only in the possession of one currently suspended employee on an unauthorized basis and no element of it has been used in relation to McLaren’s Formula 1 cars.