The FIA has requested Renault appear before the World Motor Sport Council next month over allegations that the team had unauthorised possession of confidential data belonging to rivals McLaren.
Oh my word. More drama.
Doubt it will have any effect on the 2007 season, but I'm sure if found guilty Renault will be severely penalised for 2008.
Whatever happened with this? It seems to have disappeared from the news entirely.
To answer my own question:
The legal dossier contains:
* 18 witness statements in which Renault F1 employees admit that they viewed confidential technical information belonging to McLaren on a total of 11 computers owned by Renault F1.
* Papers in the document say that in March 2006, 33 files of confidential technical information belonging to McLaren were copied on to 11 floppy disks, which were loaded on to Renault F1's computer system in September 2006.
* The dossier says the 33 files contain more than 780 individual drawings outlining the entire technical blueprint of the 2006 and 2007 McLaren F1 cars.
* The files were uploaded on to 11 Renault F1 computers, and were discussed by up to 18 Renault F1 personnel, including a group of senior engineering chiefs and heads of department within Renault F1, according to documents in the dossier.
So now the question is what punishment will the FIA meet out. McLaren's fine was huge and they were removed from the constructors. Will Renault be removed from next year's constructors' championship?
It is going to be very interesting to see what the FIA do about this, if anything at all.
And correct me if I am wrong, but this evidence against Renault seems more damning than that which was brought against McLaren?
Sadly I do not have much faith in the FIA, so I will be surprised if Renault receive comparatively equal or even harsher punishment than McLaren.
Renault guilty but not punished
- Planet F1The WMSC revealed that they arrived at a 'guilty, but no punishment' verdict because Renault gained no advantage from the four McLaren drawings that Phil Mackareth brought from Woking.
If more evidence comes to light, like the McLaren case, the Renault case will be reopened. I wonder why there aren't criminal cases. I mean this amounts to corporate espionage, in both cases, and whether an advantage has been gained or not makes no difference in a criminal case.
You must log in to post.
