LONDON: British Formula One team McLaren expressed their "extreme disappointment" after being charged by the sport's world governing body, the FIA, following claims their chief designer received confidential technical information from arch-rivals Ferrari.
An extraordinary meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council in Paris on July 26 will hear McLaren answer a charge that they breached article 151c of the international sporting code.
The rule relates to "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition, or to the interests of motor sport generally."
McLaren's chief designer Mike Coughlan has been suspended after allegations he received technical information from sacked Ferrari chief engineer Nigel Stepney back in April.
A McLaren statement yesterday said: "McLaren are extremely disappointed to note that they have been asked by the FIA to answer a charge of being in possession of certain documents and confidential information belonging to Ferrari.
"Whilst McLaren wish to continue their full co-operation with any investigation into this matter, they do wish to make it very clear that the documents and confidential information were only in the possession of one currently suspended employee on an unauthorised basis and no element of it has been used in relation to McLaren's Formula One cars."
Ferrari brought a case against Coughlan to London's High Court this week. However, the hearing was suspended on Wednesday after Coughlan said he would provide a sworn declaration as to how he obtained the papers.
If found guilty, McLaren could be thrown out of this year's world championship or have points deducted.
