Auto123.com - Helping you drive happy

F1: Modena court fines McLaren spy engineers

|
Obtain the best financial rate for your car loan at Automobile En DirectTecnic
Khatir Soltani
From GMM

An Italian court has closed another chapter of the Formula 1 'spy saga' by fining four engineers of the McLaren team, according to reports emerging from Italy.

Dailies including 'Il Resto del Carlino' said agreements with the British engineers Mike Coughlan, Rob Taylor, Jonathan Neale and Paddy Lowe, relating to the knowledge of secret information belonging to Ferrari, were reached.

In exchange for not contesting charges of copyright infringement relating to Ferrari's data, Coughlan will have to pay 180,000 Euros (the sacked former chief designer who allegedly originally received the 780-page Ferrari dossier from Nigel Stepney) with the other three engineers will pay 150,000 Euros each.

Stepney, who was sacked by Ferrari, is also being pursued by Italian prosecutors for the espionage as well as the alleged sabotage of the Italian team's Monaco-bound 2007 cars.
photo:McLaren
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 8 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada