Formula 1 News

Flavio Briatore considering to sue McLaren 

Flavio Briatore, ING Renault boss, said his team will consider legal action against McLaren if they are cleared of charges of spying by the FIA World Motor Sport Council today. Renault are facing the court in Monaco today to answer claims that they had intellectual property in their hands that belonged to McLaren.

The matter revolves around a number of floppy disks that former McLaren engineer Phil Mackareth took with him when he joined Renault in late 2006. And in the wake of a press briefing given by McLaren a few weeks ago, which contained factual errors that the Woking-based team had to correct in a statement last night, Briatore has made public the fact that he is ready to pursue the matter further.

Speaking to British newspaper The Daily Express, Briatore said: “A lot of very bad things have been said about us by McLaren in the last few weeks, very damaging. We will be cleared and once the verdict is announced we will consider legal action. Our reputation has been defamed.”

The McLaren press briefing contained comments from the team’s solicitors that made it clear they felt Renault had gained an unfair advantage by using the information at the centre of the case. The solicitors said: “It is clear that McLaren’s confidential design information was knowingly, deliberately and widely disseminated and discussed within the Renault F1 design and engineering team, thereby providing them with a clear benefit and unfair advantage.”

Interest in Renault’s case has increased because the outcome of the matter could play a decisive role in whether or not former world champion Fernando Alonso rejoins the team after a tumultuous 2007 campaign with McLaren.