The FIA begins its investigation into the 2008 McLaren

The FIA has begun its investigation into the 2008 McLaren car this week, in perfect alignment with the decision of the motorsport council in the espionage case that shook the F1 world this year.

The McLaren team was excluded from the 2007 Constructors’ Championship after confidential Ferrari information was leaked to McLaren’s chief designer Mike Coughlan.

McLaren had suspended Coughlan, but the World Motor Sport Council stated in its judgment in September that it would make a subsequent decision on whether or not to further penalize McLaren for the 2008 season after a thorough review of the 2008 cars.

The investigators in charge of this mission have visited the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking over the past two days, where they reportedly conducted a thorough examination of the premises. Additionally, they took data with them for further analysis.

Asked about the investigation, a McLaren spokesperson told autosport.com: “We have no comment to add knowing that we were fully aware of what was going to happen since the announcement of the decision and of course, we are fully cooperating with the FIA.”

According to some sources, the FIA has prohibited McLaren from revealing certain details of the investigation conducted. The governing body of the sport also stated that it would not comment on the ongoing investigation.

Max Mosley, the President of the FIA, revealed last week that a person other than the experts will examine the data collected on the McLaren 2008.

« The investigation will be thorough, » he stated to the BBC.

« He will use outside experts and we will do everything possible to ensure that the McLarens do not have any elements of Ferrari’s intellectual property. »

« If that is the case, we will have to consider taking some kind of sanction. »

Mosley said, however, that McLaren would not necessarily be excluded from the new championship.

« The probability of a new exclusion from the constructors’ championship is very low. It would be more likely for the team to be given a negative point, » concluded Mosley.