F1 » Stepney avoids ban

WEll Well Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The culprit runs free!!!!!!

That''s very encouraging. Stepney harmed the F1, harmed Mc Laren, harmed Ferrari and all supporters of these teams and the sport, yet he can still destabilise F1 and any team.
He should have been BLACKLISTED by the FIA - heavily BLACKLISTED not just formal warnings.

I am certainly no expert on EC laws but I do not believe that unless laws have been broken,the FIA can restrict a persons right to earn a living for his family which is why I suspect it has been worded in this way?To me it smacks of a big brother threat to teams who may wish to use his abilities?What can the FIA do to Team Gigawave who in January said they had signed him to help in their GT programme?

Blacklisted..

as the FIA has no say whatsoever in who a team can or cannot employ other than drivers through their respective license, there is no way the FIA could, or indeed should, blacklist someone. I'm sure some motorsport teams/companies will avoid Stepney like the plague, but others will have more respect for his true credentials.

What a cop out. Stepney has already started work with a GT team, but this kind of statement is just so weak and no doubt potentially libelous towards Stepney. I am certainly looking forward to reading Stepney's side of the story (due in a book with all proceeds to charity, I believe) because Ferrari and Luca di Montizemelo are just being sickeningly self righteous about the whole affair even now. Never have I wanted McLaren (with Ron at its head) to win a world championship more! No doubt I'll now get slated by all of the Ferrari sycophants...

ok he is not banned. but what team is going to want him after the trouble he has caused. i could only imagine a small team would want him like super aguri but they could not afford him

Yes, i can understand that Stepney was wrong to actually give ferrari information to Coughlan, but there is a large amount of "spying" between teams that does not end in a huge fine and a longwinded courtcase.

For example, the bridge across the nose cone of the Renault R28 and the Williams FW30 bears a striking resemblance to last years Mclaren. Neither Renault or Williams ran this bridge across their nosecones during 2007. So, could Mclaren (or any other team that used a bridge during 2007) claim that Renault and Williams have copied their nosecone design?? No, because nobody would care.

F1Fan,

First, I am not taking sides here. I think the whole thing was a mess. However, one thing that came out of it is a pretty clear distinction about what is considered "Up for grabs". Aero treatments are clearly visible (mostly) and therefore really can't be protected, nor should they expect to be. However what is inside of your car hidden from view should be. It is kind of like with the police, and the question of reasonable expectations (Do you have a reasonable expectation of privacy) applies. If you have a hidden damper system, you should expect some privacy. However if you motor around the track with a new wing, I don't think you have any expectation of privacy. Just my thoughts.

F1 is like watching corporate banks 'dealing' for superior trade, rather than a sport.

Alonso mentioned this fact in 2006 and he's right. It's not a sport.

Watch MOTO GP on Sunday to see a sport.

I wonder who is afraid of letting Mr Stepney officially and publicly expose EVERYTHING he knows about that spying scandal???

Maybe this whole saga was just blown out of all proportion to gain Ferrari an advantage over McLaren? It worked, Ron got a divorce, Alonso left....etc etc.

Ferrari make mind blowing road cars that we all worship, yet play dirty in this 'sport' because......because they can.

In a way, it would be funny (we shall see) if Hamilton really is the new Senna, and blows away everyone. Ferrari will weep, and F1 = sport again.

Because like it or not, if Ferrari loose badly in 2008, their messing around with the FIA & F1 Politics totally failed - which to anyone out of a red car, would be justice for F1 in general.

If manipulation fails - then Ferrari need a better driver to beat McLaren