More details on F1 scandal

This is turning out to be a huge mess as there are multiple implications and ripples from the ruling. The WMSC admits to no evidence of copying but states that the information could have influenced the direction of the team:

"However, it is difficult to accept that the secret Ferrari information that was within Coughlan's knowledge never influenced his judgement in the performance of his duties. It is not necessary for McLaren to have copied a complete Ferrari design for it to have benefited from Coughlan's knowledge. For example, the secret Ferrari information cannot but have informed the views Coughlan expressed to others in the McLaren design department, for example regarding which design projects to prioritise or which research to pursue. The advantage gained may have been as subtle as Coughlan being in a position to suggest alternative ways of approaching different design challenges."

Information that Mike Coughlan possessed had been passed around members of the team, as detailed in a series of e-mails put before the court. I read that the FIA found out that he had more information than first thought and this is the deciding factor of the case, which that factor was Coughlan was looking for a 'sporting advantage'.

I'm reserving judgment until an appeal and until we see what the FIA's reasons were. Something is obviously very fishy about this whole thing... too many agenda's to see through.

If you want some good information regarding this whole thing, just check out Crash.net, which is like reading an open book. Information from the WMSC decision documents to the various reasons of the ruling. An excellent read, too.

Thanks for the site suggestion... It has proved to be useful for all my FIA racing needs!

Any time dude.

Great site... lots of good reads for us now-perhaps ex-F1 schmoes.

McLaren will be fine. With $450mil in the Bank, %100mil down still leaves them with $350mil in the bank. plus they still get their FOM finances. Next year they should be fine also due to the fact the evidence was about this season and it's not as concrete as copying specific products that the FIA would find on next years car. It seems to be more strategy related than anything and strategy is huge in Formula1. With the man with the stolen/leaked information not apart of the team anymore the FIA shouldn't find anything in December and therefore Ron Dennis, Lewis Hamilton and the rest of them can get on with the program in 2008. I really wonder if Mclaren will appeal? I know they can't win Constructors but there is still a Drivers race going on and an appeal to this ruling may hinder the teams focus on the championship especially since Alonso and De la Rosa were implicated in the FIA ruling.

Well coach Belichick thank goodness you cheated in the NFL and didn't take up racing, instead of 500k you would be looking at 100 million, then you really couldn't afford video equipment?

Great comment chuck717 !!
How could a great company like McLaren get involved in a seamy espionage scandal like this? They should have known better. I hope the criminal and civil lawsuits that are sure to follow really hammer those thieves responsible for this.
I'm just a F1 fan who likes the racing part without all the extraneous BS.

BMW995> It makes me crazy how the great want to be even greater and the rich want to be even richer even if it means that their reputaion is at sake and for that no money or wins is worth it take care

I've been using Crash.net for the last seven years. Always on top plus a lot of good features. Check out their radio section where you can listen different audio bites.

Copy and paste into browser and you'll see the F1 audio: http://www.crash.net/news_archive~cid~1~date~~pid~2.htm