2007 Formula One espionage controversy
A spying scandal that cost McLaren $100 million and the constructors' title.
The 2007 Formula One espionage controversy, also called Spygate and Stepneygate, involved accusations that confidential technical information had been passed between teams. It primarily concerned McLaren, Ferrari, and Renault, and led to a record-breaking fine and the exclusion of McLaren from the Constructors' Championship. The case began with Ferrari's allegations against a former employee and a senior McLaren engineer.
Quick Facts
- First fia hearing
- 26 July 2007
- Second fia hearing
- 13 September 2007
- Renault fia hearing
- 6 December 2007
Facts from the source article.
Background
Nigel Stepney was part of the Ferrari "dream team" alongside Michael Schumacher, Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, and Rory Byrne, credited with the team's resurgence in the late 1990s. In February 2007, Stepney publicly expressed unhappiness following a team reorganization after Ross Brawn's departure. Later that month, Ferrari announced Stepney would become head of Team Performance Development, a role that no longer required him to attend races.
Details
During the week of the 2007 United States Grand Prix in June, Ferrari filed a formal complaint against Stepney, prompting a criminal investigation by the Modena district attorney in Italy. On 3 July 2007, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Ferrari had completed its internal investigation and dismissed Stepney; Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni told ITV Sport the action related to "irregularities discovered at the Ferrari factory prior to the Monaco Grand Prix." That same day, Ferrari announced action against an engineer from the Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team, later named as Mike Coughlan, who was suspended by McLaren. A Ferrari press release stated a search warrant related to Coughlan's home had a "positive outcome," yielding documents believed to originate from Ferrari's Maranello factory. On 10 July 2007, a High Court hearing opened and was adjourned; details revealed that Ferrari alleged Coughlan possessed 780 pages of Ferrari documentation, and that his wife had taken them to a photocopying shop near Woking. Ferrari learned of the theft after a tip from a shop employee who saw the documents were confidential and contacted Ferrari's headquarters in Italy. Coughlan did not submit an affidavit due to potential use against him in an Italian court, but late on 10 July, Ferrari reached an agreement with the Coughlans, dropping its High Court case in exchange for full disclosure and future cooperation. On 16 July 2007, McLaren announced its internal investigation found no Ferrari materials or data in possession of any McLaren employee other than the individual sued by Ferrari, and that the unsolicited materials held at his home were unknown to other team members before 3 July.
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