Ferrari: spying 'likely' benefited McLaren

As McLaren prepare to appear in front of the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday, Ferrari's standpoint on McLaren's involvement was made public for the first time since the affair began less than a month ago.

According to British newspaper the Guardian, Ferrari state in a recent document submitted to the London High Court that the stolen documents found in Coughlan's possession were beneficial to the McLaren team in the Formula One championship.

"The difference between the two teams [in the world championship standings] is so close that it is likely that McLaren's superior number of points is a consequence of its chief designer having the Ferrari documents," Ferrari's representatives write.

According to Ferrari, the fact that Coughlan "was in possession of the Ferrari documents has given McLaren an unfair advantage over Ferrari" and that "Ferrari will suffer loss of at least 5.5 million euro" if they lose the constructors' championship - as well as "suffer loss in respect of damage to the Ferrari brand."

According to the Guardian, Ferrari's court document also contests McLaren's claim that Coughlan was the only employee who knew about the documents.

The newspaper report says Ferrari's lawyers list five different occasions on which confidential Ferrari information was made known to high ranking McLaren executives, including McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh, and the team's engineering director Paddy Lowe.

These occasions include not only ex-Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney informing McLaren about Ferrari's floor, but also leaking to McLaren information about Ferrari's brakes and rear wing-flap separators.

Ferrari are adamant the information Coughlan obtained unlawfully benefited McLaren.

"The chief designer is part of the key group of three to four people who drive the technical team to improve the car," Ferrari's lawyers have told the High Court.

"The opportunity for a chief designer to influence the car's performance in all areas is huge."