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