Mike Coughlan, the McLaren chief designer who was suspended from the team thanks to his part in the espionage sage which overshadowed the 2007 F1 season, has had his contract with McLaren terminated.
Mike Coughlan and Ferrari technician Nigel Stepney were at the centre of a spying row which erupted last season, the outcome of which saw McLaren being thrown out of the constructors championship. Stepney was fired from Ferrari, however Coughlan was only suspended, reportedly because the team were unable to fire him for legal reasons. Reports now claim that he is no longer a part of the McLaren-Mercedes team.
It is rumoured that the FIA will also recommend that Coughlin should not be employed in motor sports until mid-2009, a similar recommendation to the one they made about Stepney last week.
