A few hours before a crucial verdict

This Thursday, the Renault team is facing a hearing on the espionage case involving McLaren. This could prove to be decisive for the return of the double world champion Fernando Alonso to the French team.

The Renault and McLaren teams are therefore present in Monaco and will have to answer many questions before the World Motor Sport Council.

The French team must face accusations of unauthorized possession of confidential information belonging to McLaren-Mercedes. The latter team is still under investigation for another espionage case that came to light this summer involving Ferrari.

Renault is accused of illegally possessing data on McLaren between September 2006 and October 2007. This information was allegedly introduced by former McLaren employee Phil Mackareth, who later joined the French team. Since the discovery of these possible misconducts, he has, of course, been suspended.

McLaren claims that Renault has gained an unfair advantage and was allegedly in contact with 780 technical drawings describing the 2006 and 2007 McLaren cars. Furthermore, 18 Renault employees, including seven engineering bosses or department heads, allegedly reviewed the information.

Renault, which has not managed to win a single race this year, must come to terms with the idea of enduring the same difficulties that McLaren faced earlier in the year.

If this assumption were to materialize, the repercussions could occur where they are least expected. Indeed, after just one season with McLaren, Alonso is strongly expected to join Renault.

But if his former team ends up being penalized with heavy sanctions, then the Spanish driver would probably avoid spending a second consecutive year with a team that has been condemned. A team that is inevitably weakened, at least financially speaking.

Alonso could then move closer to Red Bull, an option considered the most likely despite the presence of two contracted drivers named Mark Webber and David Coulthard.

The World Motor Sport Council is therefore expected to make a decision this Thursday, December 6. Thereafter, attention will be focused on the 2008 McLaren cars, as the FIA has stated that it will be very attentive to ensure that no data belonging to Ferrari has been used.