Ferrari has accused its former technical manager Nigel Stepney
and a senior McLaren engineer of stealing technical secrets, the
Italian team's spokesman confirmed.
Ferrari, announcing earlier on Tuesday that it had dismissed
Stepney, filed the lawsuit in England and obtained a search
warrant.
Ferrari sources said that a significant amount of classified
information was found when searching the house of the McLaren
employee and they were not ruling out other teams having also
received some.
McLaren announced that the unidentified McLaren employee had
been suspended. The team said it found out only on Tuesday the
involvement of the employee.
"Whilst McLaren has no involvement in the matter and condemns
such actions, it will fully co-operate with any investigation," the
team said.
Stepney, who is on holiday in the Philippines with his partner
and child, has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that he is the
victim of a "dirty tricks campaign."
McLaren is leading Ferrari by 25 points in the constructors'
championship after eight races, with the British Grand Prix at
Silverstone being held on Sunday.
(Xinhua News Agency via Agencies July 4, 2007)