Nigel Stepney Fired

[B]Ferrari have fired Nigel Stepney amidst allegations that he tried to sabotage the team earlier this season.[/B]

According to reports, Stepney is under investigation in Italy after claims were made that he sabotaged the Scuderia's cars in the days leading up to the Monaco Grand Prix.

A suspicious white powder was found on parts of the F2007 prior to the grand prix weekend. Those parts were replaced and the powdery substance was sent to police leading to an investigation being launched.

However, although Stepney has proclaimed his innocence, as has his lawyer, the Englishman has now been sacked by Ferrari.

A team spokesman told [I]Autosport[/I]: "An internal disciplinary procedure has been completed and Nigel Stepney is no longer an employee of Ferrari."

Stepney, who is currently away on holiday in Philippines and therefore was not present at the disciplinary hearing, is set to a hold a press conference in the near future in order to try to clear his name.

However, Ferrair's now former performance development chief did recently protested his innocence to the British media.

"I have confidence I'll be cleared by the legal process that is now taking place." he told [I]The Times.[/I]

"It is just part of a dirty tricks campaign and everything is in the hands of my lawyer, so we'll wait and see what happens."

Source: Planet-F1.

Ferrari will come up with any excuse when they are behind, first it was the windtunnel flying apart and now this.

It has to be said that there is no certainty that the investigation is anything to do with any mysterious "white powder", neither Ferrari or the police investigating have said anything of the sort. It's just a wild rumour from the Italian media who claim to have 'sources'.

There's certainly a lot of strange goings on in the world of F1 at the moment. McLaren have today sacked an unnamed member of staff as a result of an investigation by arch rivals Ferrari...


[QUOTE=Grandprix.com][B]MCLAREN SUSPENDS SENIOR STAFF MEMBER[/B]

McLaren issued a statement this afternoon saying that "a senior member of its technical organisation was the subject of a Ferrari investigation regarding the receipt of technical information' and that McLaren had only discovered about it on that day. The team added that the person concerned had personally received a package of technical information from a Ferrari employee at the end of April.

McLaren went on to say that it has no involvement in the matter and condemned it adding that it will fully cooperate with any investigation. The individual involved has been suspended by the team, pending "a full and proper investigation of the matter".

The team says it will make no further comment on the subject.

What is clear from this is that McLaren clearly understands that this is a serious problem and that there is no doubt about the allegations. No-one would suspend a senior member of staff if there was any doubt. Thus there must be clear evidence of what has been going on.

By not naming names, McLaren has, to some extent, added fuel to the fire as there will now be a lot of work amongst the F1 journalists to try to find out who is involved.[/QUOTE]

Seems like some sort of industrial espionage type scenario.

The truth is out there...

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[QUOTE=Dino Scuderia;728342]Ferrari will come up with any excuse when they are behind, first it was the windtunnel flying apart and now this.[/QUOTE]

Are you suggesting they broke the windtunnel on purpose? Maybe this Stepney guy sabotaged the windtunnel too.

He's in big trouble! How will this end?

Maybe he just can't forget the red car driving over his leg?

[QUOTE=carsnut;728469]Are you suggesting they broke the windtunnel on purpose? Maybe this Stepney guy sabotaged the windtunnel too.[/QUOTE]

No, I'm suggesting it didn't break at all.

In all seriousness there is something to this Stepney business.

[QUOTE=Dino Scuderia;728568]No, I'm suggesting it didn't break at all.[/QUOTE]

The team have confirmed there was a failure in the wind tunnel which set them back several weeks.

That is up to one to believe, or not.

[QUOTE=Dino Scuderia;728597]That is up to one to believe, or not.[/QUOTE]

What you can say about this is: Bye Nigel:D