McLaren disappointed with Mosley decision

The British team were not penalised when the World Motor Sport Council found that although they were guilty of possession of unauthorised Ferrari documents, there was no evidence that the team had made use of the information to the team's benefit.

But FIA president Max Mosley agreed in a letter to the head of the Italian Automobile Club that the matter should go to the Court of Appeal in order to allow Ferrari to present their case, and this decision has not been well-received by McLaren.

"Following a thoroughly misleading press campaign by Ferrari and pressure from the Automobile Club D'Italia, the FIA has asked the FIA International Court of Appeal to consider the unanimous decision made by the World Motor Sport Council on 26th July 2007," the McLaren team said in the statement.

"Having considered in great detail the full submissions of both Ferrari and McLaren, the World Motorsport Council determined that there was no evidence that any information, passed by a Ferrari team member to a McLaren employee, had been brought into the organisation or provided any benefit whatsoever to the McLaren programme.

"McLaren is not aware of any new information or arguments that have arisen since the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council and therefore assumes that these same materials will now be considered by the FIA International Court of Appeal.

"Whilst this is both disappointing and time-consuming, McLaren is confident that the FIA International Court of Appeal will also exonerate McLaren and we will in the meanwhile continue to focus on our current World Championship programme."