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#13353
From itv.com/F1:

ITV Sport commentator Martin Brundle says Formula 1's power-brokers must remember their responsibility to the sport and its fans as the spiral of political intrigue seemingly spun ever more deeply out of control in the Monza paddock.

Rumour and speculation over McLaren's fate when the World Motor Sport Council meets next Thursday to re-investigate how deeply confidential Ferrari information seeped into the team's organisation has entirely over-shadowed the on-track action at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

And Brundle has warned that the sport is in danger of suffering serious long-term damage if the principal characters from the FIA, McLaren and Ferrari do not act responsibly to quieten the off-track row.

"For me , Formula 1 needs to remember its responsibility to the fans," he told ITV-F1.com.

"Events over the last 24 hours here at Monza have had a very bitter feel to them and this is not what the sport is about, or what the fans care about."

In his column for the Sunday Times, Brundle suggested that the circumstances in which McLaren finds itself - facing expulsion from the 2007 and '08 world championships, or at the very least a significant constructors' points deduction if found guilty of espionage - had "the feel of a witch-hunt, driven by the very people who have a primary responsibility to the sport."

Ferrari, whose dossier was allegedly passed to McLaren's now-suspended chief designer Mike Coughlan by Nigel Stepney, is the team that stands to gain most competitively from a McLaren censure.

Felipe Massa is currently 15 points behind Lewis Hamilton in the drivers' championship and Ferrari 11 behind McLaren in the constructors'.

Brundle pointed to a pattern in the timing of previous off-track rows that involved the Scuderia during a world title campaign.

"In all the leaked letters and positioning there is the feeling of a plan, an end game – and it's difficult not to see that through the prism of past controversies, often at around this time of year, involving Ferrari's fight for the world championship," he said.

"Think back to Fernando Alonso's incorrect grid penalty here last year in the midst of his title fight with Ferrari.

"Think back to four years ago when the Michelin tyres used by Ferrari's rivals were suddenly declared too wide, having been the same size for the previous three years."

The FIA denied on Saturday that it was pursuing any agenda against McLaren.

"The suggestion that the FIA's on-going investigation is about anything other than the pursuit of sporting fairness, demonstrates a blinding refusal to accept basic fact," said an FIA spokesman.

While F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone responded to suggestions that McLaren's Ron Dennis was considering withdrawing his team, by saying that he should instead stand and face the music.

"If they've done something really bad, wrong and they've got a big advantage, you've got to take it on the chin and say, 'I've been caught with my hand in the till, let's see how we can get out of it,'" he declared.

Brundle agrees, but added that caution should be used when deciding the nature of the punishment, that it does not hurt the sport, or the public's wider interests.

"If McLaren have broken the rules, they should be punished," he said.

"But if the FIA finds them guilty and bars them from this year's championship and probably the next, it will have a profound effect on the sport. Manufacturers and sponsors will all react to the damaged credibility.

"If the FIA takes further constructors' points from McLaren, it will cost the team tens of millions of pounds and generate potential difficulties with sponsor and driver contracts, but at least it will not wreck the future of Formula 1," he added.

"If it bars them from the remaining races in this year's championship and beyond, it will be like hitting the self-destruct button."


An interesting series of remarks from a very experienced driver and knowledgeable TV commentator. It's nice to know others are feeling exactly the same about with how the issue has been dealt.
By the truth hurts
#13359
so do u think the fia should let mclaren go without punishment if proven that they cheated? its not fair to teams like bmw, renault, etc who dont cheat. what about them? the only people to lose is mclaren. like bernie said be a man and cop it on the chin.
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By McLaren Fan
#13361
so do u think the fia should let mclaren go without punishment if proven that they cheated? its not fair to teams like bmw, renault, etc who dont cheat. what about them? the only people to lose is mclaren. like bernie said be a man and cop it on the chin.

To reply I will give you a part of what I posted on this forum yesterday:

Yeah, I am angered and saddened by the actions of Coughlan and think Alonso is an arse-hole, however, I have no anger against Ron Dennis. He knew the risks when he paired up Lauda and Prost, Senna and Prost and now Alonso and Hamilton. Overall, the risk has been worth taking. As I said in this post, the only major complication was as a result of political decision made by morally corrupt men wearing grey suits in smoke-filled rooms.

If it is proven in a fair hearing that McLaren are guilty then a strict punishment is warranted. However, that's the problem. McLaren are not getting a fair hearing and have been the butt of political decisions. I don't recognise the legitimacy of the stewards or other authorities. It's the same with other jobs: if a person doesn't do his job correctly, he gets sacked. What happens to the FIA et al. when they don't do their jobs properly?


As for Ron Dennis, if you read the Autosport website you would have seen an interview with him. He says he is going nowhere and would only leave McLaren if he felt it was best for the team. He is not going shy away from this spying scandal and will fight to clear his name and his team's name. Yeah, Ron Dennis may have some faults, but he has run McLaren extremely well and is ten times the man Todt and his cheating acolytes at Ferrari.
By the truth hurts
#13377
the fia found mclaren with the ferrari dossier the first time , found them GUILTY and did nothing. and your saying their not getting a fair hearing? are u serious? as far as ron dennis is concerned id like to see him go to a team that didnt win any thing for over 20 years with a one fifth of the budget that mercedes has and make them into one of the front runners for the last 10 years? remember if ferrari dont win the championships there allways second. ferrari is one of the most consistant teams in f1. mclaren have good year,s then they are fighting for 5th 6th position. so before u even start to compare team principles look at the facts first. i think that if ron dennis is found guilty then he should take it in the chin and move on. toyota did and so did honda. what makes ron dennis any different?
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By bud
#13378
sausageface learn your history before you talk s***! Ron Dennis made McLaren what it is today from the his Project 4 days in the 80s! McLarens successful history has been built mostly around the time Dennis took over the team!

and they McLaren were found guilty of not looking after their team personell to follow within the sporting code, in affect Ferrari were also in breach as they didnt control Stepney from going nuts and starting this whole mess!

Mclaren werent found guilty of using the dossier thats the difference, though this new hearing has new evidence that they did according to the italian press, we will just have to wait and see!
By Mafiarrari
#13379
Don't like how Ferrari handle their employee i.e. Nigel Stepney. If they didn't do something extreme to Stepney, he would not do all these stupid things. Ferrari must have done something to Stepney beyond our imaginations.
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By McLaren Fan
#13384
Don't like how Ferrari handle their employee i.e. Nigel Stepney. If they didn't do something extreme to Stepney, he would not do all these stupid things. Ferrari must have done something to Stepney beyond our imaginations.

There is a lot of bad blood between Ferrari and Stepney which has been building up since Ross Brawn left the team. He ruffled the feathers of a few people and paying the price. The spy scandal is the battle ground for a number of personal grievances and people's egos.

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