Italian police crash McLaren pole party
We reported shortly after qualifying at the circuit that police had served boss Ron Dennis and some of his deputies with avviso di garanzias – or formal notices of pending prosecutions – for alleged crimes including sporting fraud, espionage and embezzlement.
"The team was informed on Saturday evening by Modena magistrates that they are involved in an ongoing investigation," the spokeswoman said.
The Italian news agency ANSA added that, alongside McLaren's Dennis, Mike Coughlan, Martin Whitmarsh, Paddy Lowe, Jonathan Neale and Rob Taylor, sacked Ferrari mole Nigel Stepney will also shortly receive his avviso di garanzia.
09/08/07 (GMM) McLaren boss Ron Dennis at Monza on Saturday denied reports that he had been served with a notice of criminal prosecution by Italian police.
It is understood that the Woking based team's chairman and up to five of his colleagues are under investigation by Modena authorities for sporting fraud, industrial espionage and embezzlement.
But Dennis told reporters at the circuit: "If it happens, it happens, but nothing's happened yet."
The 60-year-old Briton also insisted that the worsening espionage saga and other controversies this season will not trigger his retirement, despite describing 2007 as "the most extreme" challenge he has ever faced in motor sport.
"My job isn't as I would like it to be at the moment," he acknowledged, "and there are a few people around who would like me to (retire).
"If it's something I thought would further the company and was the right thing to do, then I wouldn't hesitate to do it.
"But I don't think it's the right thing to do," Dennis said.
09/08/07 (GMM) We can now reveal more details about the visit on Saturday of Italian police to the Monza paddock.
McLaren team boss Ron Dennis was served with an 'avviso di garanzia'; a formal warning that he is to be investigated by criminal prosecutors in the northern region of Modena.
The notice lists Dennis' alleged wrongdoings as frode sportive (sporting fraud), rivelazione di segreto industriale (industrial espionage), and another unknown offence, with relation to the so-called spy saga involving the British team's championship rival Ferrari.
The recipients of two other notices given out by the police at Monza on Saturday are believed to be Martin Whitmarsh (F1 CEO) and managing director Jonathan Neale.
It is understood that three more McLaren employees, including suspended chief designer Mike Coughlan, will receive their notices at McLaren's Woking headquarters shortly.
The final recipient is Ferrari's sacked Nigel Stepney.
09/08/07 (GMM) The espionage scandal continued to worsen for McLaren on Saturday, despite the team locking out the front row of the grid for Ferrari's home race at Monza.
It is understood that Italian police entered the paddock shortly after qualifying with formal notices of criminal investigation for key members of the British team, including team boss Ron Dennis and his deputy Martin Whitmarsh.
This development – that the leading figures in the spying affair could be charged criminally and even jailed – had been rumored on Friday, with Modena prosecutors believing McLaren team members knew about, used and withheld their knowledge about Ferrari secrets.
McLaren's lawyers advised their client not to comment this weekend, and triple world champion Niki Lauda observed: "I can understand why they are nervous."
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton admitted after qualifying second on Saturday that he is "concerned" about the steadily worsening saga, and the prospect that the World Motor Sport Council could come down hard on the team next Thursday.
"Unfortunately, whatever happens next week could not only affect the team, but also me and Fernando. Obviously we're all concerned," he said.