F1: Force India vs Lotus Court Hearing date set

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From Force India press release

The English High Court has set aside week commencing 16 January 2012 to hear the intellectual property infringement claim by Force India F1 Team Ltd. against 1 Malaysia Racing Team SDN BHD, 1 Malaysia Racing Team (UK) Ltd, Michael Gascoyne and Aerolab Srl.

Separate criminal proceedings are currently ongoing in Italy in respect of the wrongful disclosure of confidential information, as a consequence of the filing by Force India F1 Team Ltd. of a complaint with the competent authorities.

Force India F1 Team Ltd. had a contractual agreement with Aerolab Srl. throughout the 2008 and 2009 seasons, under which Aerolab Srl. would provide services for the development of aerodynamic components of the VJM02 and VJM03 F1 models.

However, Force India's collaboration with Aerolab Srl. ceased in August 2009 due to Force India's concerns about a breach of confidentiality by Aerolab Srl.


Force India believes that Aerolab Srl. may have, during the course of its contract with the team, disclosed Force India F1 Team Ltd.'s intellectual property to 1 Malaysia Racing Team Ltd. and Mike Gascoyne, with whom Aerolab Srl. was at that time working through a sister company. The intellectual property was used in the development of the Lotus T127.

Force India F1 Team Ltd. believes that the evidence retrieved during the investigations carried out by the Italian authorities would prove that such a transfer took place.