| Formula-1 racing's governing body, the | | | | McLaren was warned it could be kicked |
| International Automobile Federation, has | | | | out of next year's competition if new |
| fined the McLaren team a record $100 | | | | evidence to the contrary emerged. |
| million after one of its engineers was | | | | Eddie Jordan, the founder and former |
| found with data belonging to a rival | | | | owner of Jordan Grand Prix, a Formula-1 |
| team. Tendai Maphosa has more in this | | | | car builder that operated from 1991 to |
| report for VOA from London. | | | | 2005, said the verdict will have serious |
| The decision in Paris Thursday is part | | | | ramifications for McLaren. |
| of a saga that began in July when | | | | "It is the severest penalty they could |
| McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan was | | | | dish out," he said. "In other words, |
| found in possession of a 780-page | | | | most teams would not survive it. I |
| dossier of Formula-1 rival Ferrari's | | | | think McLaren possibly can, they have |
| technical data. The information | | | | got very well-heeled [rich] backers and |
| allegedly had all the data on the | | | | sponsors. But then do sponsors want to |
| Italian team's 2007 car. | | | | be associated [with McLaren]? |
| Team McLaren will also lose this year's | | | | Effectively, the FIA has come out and |
| constructor points, effectively handing | | | | said we never believed you, you did take |
| the title to the Ferrari team. | | | | other people's information." |
| But the developments in Paris stopped | | | | Jordan said losing the constructor |
| short of disqualifying the McLaren | | | | championship, which McLaren was on |
| drivers, British rookie Lewis Hamilton, | | | | course to win this year, means a loss of |
| who is currently leading the | | | | about $70 million and this will create |
| championship standings, and Spaniard | | | | serious problems for McLaren. Ferrari |
| Fernando Alonso, the defending world | | | | is second and likely to benefit from |
| champion. | | | | McLaren's loss. |
| McLaren maintained that Coughlan was | | | | Motor racing experts say the decision |
| acting independently and it had not used | | | | not to strip the McLaren drivers of |
| any of the information in the documents | | | | their championship points was a |
| on the McLaren car. Coughlan says | | | | pragmatic move, as Hamilton is the most |
| Ferrari senior engineer Nigel Stepney | | | | exciting thing to happen to Formula-1 |
| passed on the documents to him. | | | | for a long time. He is the first black |
| In July, McLaren was found guilty of | | | | driver to compete in Formula-1, has |
| possession of unauthorized Ferrari | | | | already broken a number of records in |
| material. But they escaped without any | | | | his rookie year and he is leading the |
| punishment when the International | | | | championship race by three points, with |
| Automobile Federation's World Motor | | | | four races to go. |
| Sport Counci ruled they had not | | | | It is widely believed McLaren will |
| benefited from it. | | | | appeal the decision. |