Formula 1 News

Espionage scandal: Nigel Stepney’s house searched. 

Nigel Stepney’s villa located in Serramazzoni, a municipality in the Province of Modena, was searched today. According to his lawyer: “Nothing legally relevant”. But another McLaren engineer could be involved in the espionage case.

Modena, July 5th – Another perquisition at Nigel Stepney’s house. The villa of Serramazzoni (province of Modena) belonging to ex Ferrari’s mechanics coordinator, accused of having sabotaged the “Reds” and of having passed inside informations to Mike Coughlan, McLaren’s Chief Designer, was searched by the Italian police in the afternoon. This happened in presence of Stepney’s lawyer, Barbara Pini.

Results – The Italian police has taken paper documents probably after having checked Stepney’s computer in seek of potential e-mail addresses. According to his lawyer, nothing legally relevant has been taken. However, Stepney wasn’t present during the search even if some rumors are believing that he is in return to Italy after a vacation in the Philippines.

Ron Dennis’ Defense – In the meantime, Ron Dennis continues to defend McLaren from speculations. “I live and breath this team, and there is no way anything incorrect would ever happen in our team”. According to indiscretions Stepney and Coughlan wouldn’t be the only ones been involved in the scandal: there’s another McLaren engineer in know of the facts since the beginning. However, all of this is just a “political matter” that regards only the teams and not the drivers. As Bernie Ecclestone, explained today: “The drivers have nothing to do with this case and they don’t have to be punished – told The Times newspaper – If McLaren Team will be pleaded guilty, it will lose points in Constructors Championship”.