FIA tells teams to snub Stepney UPDATE Former Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney has expressed his delight after he escaped being charged by Formula One's governing body over the sport's 'spy' saga.
Stepney was sacked by Ferrari last year for passing data to then McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan, something he has admitted to.
But he has strenuously denied providing Coughlan with a 780-page dossier that the FIA found in Coughlan's possession, sparking a scandal that ultimately led to McLaren being fined a record £50million.
Stepney said today he was "delighted that the FIA have backed down" from their threat to ban him from motor sport.
Despite deciding not to impose a suspension, the FIA have advised teams it would be inappropriate to employ Stepney.
"As Mr. Stepney is not a license-holder of the FIA, no formal action may be taken against him under the International Sporting Code," the FIA said in a statement.
"As a matter of good order, the FIA recommends to its licensees that they do not professionally collaborate with Mr. Stepney without conducting appropriate due diligence regarding his suitability for involvement in international motor sport.
"This recommendation stands until July 1, 2009."
Stepney hit back, insisting it had taken six months for the FIA to even approach him for his version of events.
"They may want to do some due diligence themselves before simply accepting one side of the story," he said.
Stepney admitted Coughlan had obtained very limited information as a result of his carelessness.
He said: "Frankly, I should have known better. But it sure as hell wasn't the 780-page dossier the FIA saw and which I've just been shown for the first time by the Italian authorities." Sporting Life
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| The FIA wants Nigel Stepney to never step foot in a F1 paddock again |
03/08/08 (GMM) F1's governing body has advised motor racing organizations to not employ sacked Ferrari spy Nigel Stepney.
In a press statement released late on Friday, after a meeting with the Briton, the FIA said it is not able to totally ban Stepney from international motor sport because he is "not a license-holder" of the Paris body.
But "As a matter of good order, the FIA recommends to its licensees that they do not professionally collaborate with Mr. Stepney without conducting appropriate due diligence regarding his suitability for involvement in international motor sport".
The FIA, adding that Stepney "admitted" to passing secret Ferrari information to McLaren's Mike Coughlan, said the recommendation will stand until 1 July 2009.
Full FIA Statement
In its investigations of last year regarding the unauthorized use of intellectual property within Formula One, the FIA heard allegations that Mr. Nigel Stepney, then employed by Ferrari, had passed confidential Ferrari information to an employee of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Mr. Stepney has admitted this allegation and apologized to the FIA, though he disputes the seriousness and extent of his involvement.
As Mr. Stepney is not a license-holder of the FIA, no formal action may be taken against him under the International Sporting Code (though the FIA is co-operating with the Italian police, who are investigating Mr. Stepney's actions). As a matter of good order, the FIA recommends to its licensees that they do not professionally collaborate with Mr. Stepney without conducting appropriate due diligence regarding his suitability for involvement in international motor sport. This recommendation stands until 1 July 2009.
