Formula 1 News

Italian Police presents formal notices of investigation to McLaren 

The espionage scandal continued to worsen for McLaren on Saturday, despite the team locking out the front row of the grid for Ferrari’s home race at Monza. It is understood that Italian police entered the paddock shortly after qualifying with formal notices of criminal investigation for key members of the British team, including team boss Ron Dennis and his deputy Martin Whitmarsh.

This development – that the leading figures in the spying affair could be charged criminally and even jailed – had been rumoured on Friday, with Modena prosecutors believing McLaren team members knew about, used and withheld their knowledge about Ferrari secrets. McLaren’s lawyers advised their client not to comment this weekend, and triple world champion Niki Lauda observed: “I can understand why they are nervous.”

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton admitted after qualifying second on Saturday that he is ‘concerned’ about the steadily worsening saga, and the prospect that the World Motor Sport Council could come down hard on the team next Thursday. “Unfortunately, whatever happens next week could not only affect the team, but also me and Fernando. Obviously we’re all concerned,” he said.

source: GMM