Hamilton faces axe in F1 spy probe

LEWIS HAMILTON’S bid to win the Formula One championship could be under threat after his McLaren team were charged with breaking the sport’s rules.

McLaren will appear in front of the FIA on July 26 amid claims that their chief designerillegally received information from rivals Ferrari. The sanctions open to the FIA range from fines to disqualification. McLaren haveexpressed their “extreme disappointment” at being charged and deny all the allegations.

British rookie Hamilton leads team-mateFernando Alonso by 12 points in the drivers’ standings, while McLaren have a 25-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ race.

McLaren’s chief designer Mike Coughlan was suspended last week following allegations that he received technical information from sacked Ferrari chief engineer Nigel Stepney back in April.

A 780-page dossier of Ferrari designinformation was found at Coughlan’s house and he has said he will provide a sworn declaration as to how he obtained the documents.

A McLaren team statement said: “McLaren areextremely disappointed to note that they have been asked by the FIA to answer a charge ofbeing in possession of confidential information belonging to Ferrari.

“Whilst McLaren wish to continue their full co-operation with any investigation, they wish to make it very clear that the documents were only in the possession of one currentlysuspended employee on an unauthorised basis and no element of it has been used in relation to McLaren’s Formula One cars.”