McLaren pay Ferrari costs to end F1 spy row.

Even though it's unnecessary payment - they all spy on each other for decades, why drop the hammer on this case? - at least a charity is going to benefit the best out of this.

It is about time this was resolved. McLaren were clobbered in a truly OTT way by a malicious, vengeful Mosley and Todt-led Ferrari because of the acts an embittered Stepney and foolish Coughlan. I never read any evidence of McLaren receiving Ferrari documents from Coughlan, just that Coughlan passed a few bits of info to De La Rosa and Alonso and when that came out Mosley royally shafted McLaren for Euro 100m. In contrast, Renault circulated internally McLaren confidential documents brought across by Mackereth but Mosley them off with no fine because he likes Briatore but hates Ron Dennis. The real story is how Mosley gets away with his clearly biased witchhunts in his FIA fiefdom.

You never read anything because the majority of the press conveniently decided not to report it!

So try a 800 page dossier on the 2007 Ferrari F1 car! Basically everything they needed to know to build a replica and paint it silver!!! Certainly NOT 'a few bits of info'

They were extremely lucky that they didn't get kicked out of the 2008 championship, let alone the 2007 one. And, yeah, I thought that the 100mill fine was excessive until I found out what had gone on, but now I think it was a reasonable amount not to be booted out for 2 years, that the vast amount of money was set as a smaller fine probably would been a drop in the ocean to the richest team on the grid.

****,

Presumably you've read this dossier then??

Hilarious, when McLaren wins its because of LH and supreme RD strategy (except 2007 when they made a dog's dinner out of a 'for sure' World Champ.) and when they lose it's because of Max and Ferrari and the FIA and their anti'RD agenda. I'm surprised they don't include chubby Flavio in their arguments and maybe the Toyota catering team and...
give it a rest!

To I.n.k.y Bloater Actually, I read the entire hearings and FIA report which were posted on the web, which is more than you obviously have done. Stepney passed the documents to Coughlan at a time when they were both interviewing for a job with Honda but there was no evidence that Coughlan passed those documents to McLaren which is why McLaren were not fined in the July WMSC hearing. They were only fined when De la Rosa and Alonso disclosed that Coughlan had passed bits of info, not documents, to them (though not Hamilton). What's more, the disclosure took place well into the 2007 season, far too late for McLaren to change their car. Trying reading rather than just expressing your prejudices.

debs, not wanting to rake over an old story but you are living in a dream world. mclaren fully admitted that their engineers had seen the 780 pages of info and that some, if not all, of the info was on their computers. further when their chief engineer has seen the info, as he was employed by mclaren, this also means mclaren, as a team, had the info. coghlan coud not erase all the info from his brain. by paying ferrari costs,this shows that mclaren have accepted guilt.

rich ard I think you are wasting your time! debs is somewhere in between this Universe and that where everything is tinted in McLaren colours... what a lot of b....... besides why did they pay a conclusion fee.... nice words in British diplomatic service.....

RON, I DONT BELIEVE YOU DID A THING WRONG, I THINK YOU WERE STITCHED UP ME OLD BUDDY.

THANK YA SPANIARD...... HEHEHEHE I HOPE HE GOES TO FERRARI.... THEN LITTLE LEW CAN WHOOP HIS LYING CHEATIN ASS ONCE & FOR ALL...........

PS......... I CHALLANGE ALONSO TO A RACE ANYDAY!!...... BUT ME MUM STICHED ME RACE SEAT, SO ITS NOT FAIR.......

IF FERRARI EMPLOY ALONSO............. REMEMBER THE 70'S & 80'S? THATS WHERE YOU ARE GOING........... HE PISSED OFF EVERY TEAM HE WAS IN.......... DONT DO IT MARINELLO

Luca: Ron, is that you Ron ?

Ron: Yeah Luca, what can I do for you mate ?

Luca: Well Ron, this bad blood has gone on long enough, we were thinking, how about we call it quits and just get on with the racing ?

Ron: Yeah I'd go for that Luca (punches fist into air) Cheers mate, talk to you later, and Thanks.

Luca: Errrm Ron, we were thinking you'd make a final payment to Ferrari, and we would then donate that to charity.

Ron: Errrm yeah okay Luca, we can do that (two fingered salute to phone)

Luca: Okay Ron, I'll get the lawyers to sort out the details, like you said, let both teams concentrate on the racing.

Ron: Brilliant Luca, may the best team win then (points to a sliver and red car)

Luca: Okay Ron, cya around the track mate. Take Care.

Ron: Yeah Luca, you too mate, cya. (Huge Grin)

Luca: Oh Ron, before you go mate...

Ron: Yeah Luca, what is it mate?.

Luca: We've nicked Santander off you.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr *Dial Tone

Ron: Brilliant Luca, may the best team win then (points to a sliver and red car)

Luca: Okay Ron, cya around the track mate. Take Care.

Ron: Yeah Luca, you too mate, cya. (Huge Grin)

Luca: Oh Ron, before you go mate...

Ron: Yeah Luca, what is it mate?.

Luca: We've nicked Santander off you.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr *Dial Tone

Ron: Brilliant Luca, may the best team win then (points to a sliver and red car)

Luca: Okay Ron, cya around the track mate. Take Care.

Ron: Yeah Luca, you too mate, cya. (Huge Grin)

Luca: Oh Ron, before you go mate...

Ron: Yeah Luca, what is it mate?.

Luca: We've nicked Santander off you.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr *Dial Tone

the effort in the last comment was about the same as the effort Mr ALSOALMOST last put in, seems people cant accept he is a ****. (not driver, not person, just a *****)

i still maintain.......... race me Alonso......... i am no one, but you are used to being beaten by nobodies.............

or will you cry????

mick, what on earth are you on. i need to know the name so that i can avoid it and avoid making a fool of myself. no need for bad language!

planet earth, Mr Rich soft......... and yes, i would race the looser Alonso any day..... why would i not? are you in awe of him? i am not.......

mick, no im not in awe of alonso, i am not even a fan of his. incidentally have you never heard of the question "what on earth are you on" not "where are you". your posts still make little sense.

I believe that the fine was based on the FIA feeling that RD was not truthful with them at the July hearing. RD never should have said that Coughan was the only one in possesion of the data. It really was not about spying but about telling the truth.

@debs. Oh dear, MY prejudices!

And it is precisely people's lack of knowledge on spygate that I am seriously disappointed that it is now not going to court. Then the British press may have been forced to reveal exactly what went on last year. Surely if McLaren were so innocent they would've been glad to have their day in court wouldn't they? To prove their innocence? So why pay they way out of it? Oh yeah, to concentrate on the racing, of course..pfft!

I personally hope that more of it gets revealed in the Stepney case.