McLaren escape punishment in 'spying' investigation

McLaren have avoided any sanction in the 'spy' scandal that has rocked Formula One on the basis of insufficient evidence.

Following a six-hour hearing of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris, the FIA's highest power, the verdict was "no penalty" on Thursday.

However, the FIA announced if the information stolen from Ferrari is found to be used in the future, McLaren could face the ultimate exclusion from this year's championship, and also in 2008.

A WMSC statement read: "The WMSC is satisfied that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was in possession of confidential Ferrari information and is therefore in breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

"However, there is insufficient evidence that this information was used in such a way as to interfere improperly with the FIA Formula One World Championship. We therefore impose no penalty.

"But if it is found in the future that the Ferrari information has been used to the detriment of the championship, we reserve the right to invite Vodafone McLaren Mercedes back in front of the WMSC where it will face the possibility of exclusion from not only the 2007 championship, but also the 2008 championship."

Nigel Stepney, who Ferrari dismissed as their head of performance development, and McLaren's suspended chief designer Mike Coughlan, are the men accused of leaking and receiving the confidential information respectively and their futures will now be decided by the FIA.

The WMSC statement continued: "The WMSC will also invite Mr Stepney and Mr Coughlan to show reason why they should not be banned from international motor sport for a lengthy period, and the WMSC has delegated authority to deal with this matter to the legal department of the FIA."

Despite the WMSC's decision, McLaren team principal Ron Dennis was not enamoured, even though it means his team - and drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso - are free to fight for the title.

"The process has been long and detailed," said Dennis. "Although I'm not completely comfortable with the outcome, the punishment fits the crime."

One of the members of the WMSC felt the 25-man board had reached a positive conclusion.

"It was a good decision, not too difficult a decision to make, but the right decision," he said.

Dennis arrived at the FIA headquarters overlooking the Place de la Concorde earlier on Thursday ahead of what was being viewed as a make-or-break hearing.

The charge was one of "'fraudulent conduct", specifically his team "had unauthorised possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Ferrari".

Following a search of his home by High Court appointed officials, Coughlan was caught in possession of a 780-page Ferrari technical dossier.

It is believed Coughlan received the documents from Stepney, sacked earlier this month by Ferrari from his role as the team's head of performance development.

Stepney, who is currently embroiled in a criminal investigation in Italy with regard to the alleged sabotage of Ferrari's Formula One cars ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix in May, has denied the claims.

However, it appears while McLaren have effectively been pardoned, he and Coughlan both face the prospect of never working again in international motor sport.

McLaren had long maintained no-one knew of the documents prior to July 3, the day when Stepney was dismissed and Coughlan suspended.

They had also firmly denied any of the technical information had been used to help design this season's car.

That is now clearly the case, although the door has effectively been left ajar for Ferrari to try to prove otherwise.