Honda dismisses espionage speculation

Honda boss Nick Fry has dismissed speculation that his team is involved in the industrial espionage saga currently surrounding Ferrari and McLaren.

Earlier this week Ferrari dismissed their head of performance development Nigel Stepney, which was followed a few hours later by McLaren suspending chief designer Mike Coughlan.

Both men are under investigation by Italian police for the theft of technical information belonging to Ferrari.

It is understood, after a High Court order was obtained by Ferrari on Monday, a search of Stepney’s Surrey home was conducted.

There, a 500-page dossier was discovered covering many aspects of the Maranello team’s racing operations.

Suggestions have since surfaced that Stepney and Coughlan – close friends who worked together in the past – then met with Honda’s chief executive officer Fry to discuss the documents.

Fry has confirmed he met with both men, but only to talk over the possibility of job opportunities within his team.

A statement read: “Given the speculation surrounding the legal investigations at Ferrari and McLaren, Honda would like to clarify that earlier this year Nigel Stepney requested a meeting with Nick Fry.

“Nigel Stepney subsequently met in June of this year with Nick Fry and brought with him Mike Coughlan of McLaren, with a view to investigating job opportunities within the Honda team.

“Honda would like to stress that at no point during this meeting was any confidential information offered or received.

“Nick Fry informed Jean Todt and Ron Dennis of the meeting and has offered to provide any information required by Ferrari and McLaren.”

Dennis has confirmed a meeting took place this morning between three team bosses – himself, Ferrari’s Todt, and it is understood, Fry.

World motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, are currently conducting their own investigation into the matter at the end of which Dennis is confident his team “will be completely exonerated”.