Renault accused of spying
Barely 24 hours after FIA experts swooped on the McLaren factory for a detailed technical check on the team's 2008 car, the rival Renault team found themselves propelled into the centre of controversy when they were summoned to appear before a hearing of the FIA World Motor Sport Council to answer charges of spying. ...
These accusations come two months after McLaren were fined $100m and lost all their 2007 constructors' world championship points after it was established that they had benefited from illicitly obtained technical data from Ferrari. (more)
(update - 11/10/07)
The Renault formula one team yesterday rejected allegations of espionage after being summoned before the FIA's world motor sport council accused of illegally using McLaren data in the design of this year's car. The French team confirmed that a former McLaren engineer, who joined them in September last year, was suspended when it became clear he had brought confidential information with him to his new job. Renault named the employee as Phil Mackereth and said they had been made aware of the problem on September 6. "None of this information was used to influence design decisions relating to the Renault car," the statement said. (more)
