McLaren will have to wait until February to find out if its new MP4-23 will be approved by the
FIA for the 2008
Formula 1 season.
The team was ordered to allow the FIA to examine the car to ensure that no intellectual property from
Ferrari has been used in its design following the
F1 spying row, when McLaren was found guilty of being in possession of data belonging to its rivals.
Following on from a detailed examination of the new car, the FIA World Motor Sport Council was due to discuss the legality of the car during a meeting in Monte Carlo today, but instead a new meeting will now take place next year which will allow both McLaren and Ferrari to have some input into the findings of the report.
"In its decision of 13 September 2007, the WMSC instructed the FIA Technical Department to conduct an investigation of the preparatory work by McLaren on its 2008 car to determine whether that car incorporates any confidential Ferrari information," an FIA statement read. "This investigation has been concluded and a detailed report submitted to the WMSC.
"The WMSC considers that
McLaren, Ferrari and the other competitors in the FIA
Formula One World Championship should be afforded the opportunity to make considered representations on the report at an extraordinary general meeting of the WMSC to be held on Thursday 14 February 2008 in Paris."
McLaren themselves acknowledged the decision taken by the WMSC, pointing out that it had co-operated fully from the outset with the investigation.
"McLaren acknowledges the World Motor Sport Council's announcement to defer its decision regarding the team's 2008 car to an extraordinary general meeting to be held on Thursday 14th February 2008 in Paris," a short team statement said. "From the very beginning McLaren has provided the FIA with full access and complete co-operation, and remains confident no confidential information has been incorporated within the team's 2007 and 2008 cars."
