FIA rejects witch hunt claims

Dennis and FIA president Max Mosley are known to have had their differences in the past, and the nature of the latest twist in the investigation - where McLaren's drivers were asked to provide evidence against their own team - has prompted talk of the matter turning personal.

But an FIA spokesman has denied those suggestions, and insisted the FIA was acting solely in the interests of the sport.

"This inquiry was triggered by a letter of complaint from Ferrari which was, in turn, triggered by the extraordinary discovery of 780 pages of their most confidential technical information in the hands of McLaren's chief designer," an FIA spokesman told The Times.

"Under the circumstances, the suggestion that the FIA's ongoing investigation is about anything other than the pursuit of sporting fairness demonstrates a blinding refusal to accept the basic facts."

The one major area of intrigue surrounding the latest 'new evidence' is the identity of the individual who tipped off the FIA about the email exchange between Fernando Alonso and de la Rosa that is now at the centre of the matter.

Paddock gossip has centred about the tip off coming from Renault boss Flavio Briatore, who is known to be interested in luring Alonso back to his team next season.

Briatore was seen visiting the McLaren motorhome twice yesterday, with one of those meetings taking place late into the evening, but he has played down his involvement in the matter.

"I wanted to take a look at their motorhome, as I hadn't yet done that and I would like to build an identical one myself!" he joked to Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The emails? I don't even know how to send them! And besides, I don't even have my mobile phone with me...

"I didn't go to ask for Alonso, I never go asking for anyone. He doesn't like it there? There are many people who don't like where they are, but they must stay where they are anyway."