Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Ferrari still fuming over spy case

Ferrari's senior management has made it clear that it remains far from happy about McLaren's handling of the spy affair - and especially their continued insistence they had done nothing wrong until a recent public letter of apology.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and company CEO Jean Todt both hit out at McLaren during a meeting with the Italian press, stating they were furious at the way their Woking-based rivals approached the FIA hearings into the spying affair.

Quoted by Corriere dello Sport, Todt said: "At the hearing McLaren came with 200 signatures of managers saying they never had access to the information.

"Then, three months later, when the FIA did its verifications, it was demonstrated that was completely false. They went corrupting their own personnel to make them sign false documentation.

"Should Ron Dennis be banned? We can't rule in place of the FIA. Let's see what the organization is like in 2008. This is a world that goes around quickly.

"It's December now and the championship starts in mid March. Many things can happen in three months."

Di Montezemolo was quoted by Repubblica as saying that his low point of the season was in July, when McLaren were not punished despite having been found to have Ferrari documents in their possession.

"I can't forget the first verdict by the FIA, the one on July 26, the worst moment of the season for me," he said.

"If Ferrari didn't come up with certain proof we knew we had, it would have ended up with nothing, and McLaren would have got away with it."

When asked about Mercedes' involvement, he added: "I'm shocked about the behaviour of Mercedes, but I don't want to talk about it. I'd rather joke that I'm proud Ferrari's school of thought is so appreciated in England and in Germany."

Reacting to questions about the McLaren guarantees not to develop parts that could have come from Ferrari intellectual property, di Montezemolo said: "Yes, I'm convinced that at least the colours will be different. I don't expect a red McLaren. It's better if we talk about something else."

And di Montezemolo hit out at the fact McLaren won Racing Car of the Year, and Lewis Hamilton International Driver of the Year at the recent Autosport Awards.

"The English never miss a chance to demonstrate their lack of sportsmanship," he said. "The best car is the one that wins, and that's the Ferrari."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Parente to have prize test in January
Next article Bridgestone signs sole supplier contract

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe