F1 Spy affair rumbles on as Stepney issues denial

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2007

ROME (AFP) — Nigel Stepney, the man at the centre of the Formula One spy controversy, has denied that he informed McLaren of an illegal floor mechanism on the Ferrari car at the season opening Australian Grand Prix.

His denial follows McLaren chief Ron Dennis' praise of Stepney, who was a Ferrari engineer at the time, for "blowing the whistle" on the Italian team's rule breach back in March.

According to Dennis the English team acted on Stepney's tip-off and brought the matter to the attention of the FIA who then forced Ferrari to make changes to their car.

"Were it not for Mr Stepney drawing this illegal device to the attention of McLaren there is every reason to suppose that Ferrari would have continued to race with an illegal car," Dennis wrote in a...