Ferrari pulling all stops to avoid spying

Former Ferrari mechanic Nigel Stepney was accused of leaking confidential information to rival McLaren, and legal proceedings against the Briton continue in Italy following the scandal that overshadowed the 2007 season.

Almondo said Ferrari, who banned photographers from today's launch of their new car, are pulling out all the stops to avoid a repeat in the future.

"Our level of IT security has been high for several years," Almondo told reporters at Maranello.

"This is not my personal judgement but is the result of periodical audits to ensure this is objectively true. So we have periodical programs and meetings to monitor the level and the efficiency of our IT security.

"Obviously security can't be achieved without discipline and organization. So all this is linked with the organization and the behaviour of the people. Who is hired by Ferrari must subscribe to certain kinds of regulations from the ethical point of view and with regards to the use of the information systems.

"This is aimed at making all the people working with sensible data aware of the fact that that info is Ferrari's assets, because the company's assets are the know-how and the people working here.

"So we are trying to work full circle on these issues in order to increase awareness, because sometimes there is frankly superficial behaviour. So it's awareness and technical know-how on what can and can't be done."