Toyota s Jarno Trulli believes that both McLaren drivers should have been thrown out of this season s title race, and to that end, they both got off lightly.
“It’s very difficult to judge the spy story. You never know the truth if you’re not inside the team,” Trulli explained. “But if you disqualify a team you should probably disqualify the drivers as well because they’re all involved and work for the same team.
“It’s difficult for me to judge so I don’t want to say any more. It’s just a shame Formula One has suffered. The sport has been hit hard by this spy story all around the world.”
Trulli s team-mate Ralf Schumacher is not so sure and believes that throwing the two McLaren drivers out of the championship would have been too sever a punishment. “I think it’s only fair that they are not punished,” Schumacher remarked.
“The drivers are not really involved in the development of the car. I don’t know about the other drivers but for myself, and the people I’ve talked to, they should not be punished.”
Schumacher has his doubts that either of the drivers gained any advantage from the Ferrari technical data and points to his own experience when a mistake by the team cost him some points.
“It’s honestly very difficult. It was clear they had some information at some point but I don’t think it was ever clear McLaren or the drivers benefited from what they got.
“It would be unfair. It’s always arguable but I think for the championship it’s important that everything stays as it is. I had it four years ago at Williams. I finished third but there was some mistake in measuring the brake ducts and my third place got cancelled. The brake duct was slightly too big but by three millimetres or so. I mean, what’s the driver’s mistake in that?”
