After a brilliant showing at the start of the season and the sensational performance of rookie Lewis Hamilton, McLaren Mercedes is now facing what could be a season-ruining scandal. The Formula One team has already been summoned by the FIA, the governing body of the sport. This is in connection with the Ferrari dossier found in possession of McLaren's chief designer Mike Coughlan.
The scandal turns for the worse for McLaren recently after it was reported that McLaren has already discovered technical details concerning the Ferrari cars even before the start of the season. This made things worse for the Woking-based Formula One team after it said in a statement that no one in the team has seen the dossier aside from Coughlan.
According to the Autosport magazine, the 'Ferrari spy' Nigel Stepney allegedly sent an e-mail to Coughlan before the start of the season. According to reports, the e-mail contained details about Ferrari's moveable 'floor' design. After denying that Coughlan is passing the information to other team members, McLaren questioned the FIA as to the legality of the movable 'floor' design of the Ferrari cars. The team approached the governing body of the sport at the Australian Grand Prix.
After McLaren approached the FIA concerning the 'floor' design of the Ferrari cars, the ruling body mandated Ferrari to change the design. According to reports, this caused the slump the Italian team met after the Australian Grand Prix. This shows that McLaren has information concerning the technical details of Ferrari cars.
McLaren will be meeting with a World Motor Sport Council four days after the upcoming European Grand Prix. McLaren has much to loose in the scandal. For one, the reputation of the team will be undermined. Partners Vodafone and Mercedes-Benz may also be dragged into the scandal. After years in the sport, the team has created a reputation of playing fair.
Analysts though are saying that it is almost impossible for McLaren to steal technical data from Ferrari to use on their cars. This is because the teams take different strategies in building their own cars. Using a particular Ferrari design for a McLaren car could even result to a poor performing car. For example, a Ferrari part designed for a Ferrari car can not be used to replace a particular part in the McLaren cars like the Mercedes-Benz control arm and the like which their engine partner Mercedes-Benz provides the team with.
McLaren currently leads the constructors' championship standings ahead of Ferrari. Rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton is also leading the drivers' championship standings ahead of teammate Fernando Alonso. The British Formula One driver though is not worried even if the FIA has the power to expel him and Alonso from the championship race.
"I don't think it's going to happen, so I'm not worried," said Hamilton. "I'm confident with what the team has done over the years and I have all faith in the team. I don't believe anything like that (passing secrets) would happen in the team."
"I've only been with the grand-prix team a year, but I have known Ron nine years and this is something he would never do. That's why I have such great belief in the team. I do feel they are one of the most honest teams out there. There are always teams trying to bend the rules in some way, but I believe we are the most honest. For me, I believe we will be all right," Hamilton concluded.
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