Dennis calls for honour among thieves

Photographs taken of rival teams' machinery is often used by F1 outfits to keep abreast of the technical innovations which are so important in keeping cars on the pace.

While Dennis accepts that an amount of spying is bound to take place, he believes measures should be put in place to prevent team members loitering around rival teams' garages.

"I think it's inevitable," said Dennis. "This kind of thing goes with the pitch. It's a very competitive sport and taking pictures of other people's cars is an understandable practice as long as you don't overstep the line, like taking pictures inside the garage at night.

"I don't particularly like other team members standing in front of the garage during practice. I would rather have a code of practice, because it would be the same for everyone."

Eddie Jordan agrees with Dennis and says the ease of poaching information is all too easy, but if teams did not do it, then they would quickly fall behind.

"Unless you have some sort of control on photography," said Jordan, "it is too easy to give away your scientific bit of knowledge. I personally have never done it, but I'm sure my team probably has. If they did not, we would be crazy."

Teams have attempted to take action against 'spying tactics' by using screens in front of their garages, but the move angered Australian Grand Prix boss Ron Walker in Melbourne and the teams agreed to remove them.