Oliver White
In a busy couple of days for the World Motor Sport Council, we have yet another decision (of sorts) regarding the future of a Formula One car. Yesterday saw the guilty verdict for Renault regarding the transferral of data from McLaren, and today it has been announced that the Woking team will have to wait until Febraury 14th before learning if the 2008 MP4-23 car will be allowed to run. The FIA have examined the design for the team’s 2008 challenger at their headquarters in Surrey, and after todays meeting have decided to allow both McLaren and Ferrari a chance to review the findings and offer further input before making a final judgment.
Another meeting of the Council has been pencilled in for February 14th 2008, just one month prior to the start of the season in Australia on March 14th.
In its decision of 13 September 2007, the WMSC instructed the FIA Technical Department to conduct an investigation of the preparatory work by McLaren on its 2008 car to determine whether that car incorporates any confidential Ferrari information.
This investigation has been concluded and a detailed report submitted to the WMSC. The WMSC considers that McLaren, Ferrari and the other competitors in the FIA Formula One World Championship should be afforded the opportunity to make considered representations on the report at an extraordinary general meeting of the WMSC to be held on Thursday 14 February 2008 in Paris. FIA Statement.
This news comes after the McLaren team had hoped that this final meeting would conclude the 2007 shenanigans and CEO Martin Whitmarsh was looking forward to concentrating on next year without further distractions. It seems though, that everyone will have to wait a little hile longer before confirmation is given.
[…] Following on from Stepneygate earlier in the year, the FIA wanted to ensure that no part of the information they came to have was integrated in to their 2008 challenger. Representatives of the FIA inspected and examined parts and drawings at the teams headquarters in Woking, Surrey and met in Monaco to discuss the findings. The decision as to whether or the MP4-23 will be allowed to race has been postponed until February next year. Read more… […]
[…] Following on from Stepneygate earlier in the year, the FIA wanted to ensure that no part of the information they came to have was integrated in to their 2008 challenger. Representatives of the FIA inspected and examined parts and drawings at the teams headquarters in Woking, Surrey and met in Monaco to discuss the findings. The decision as to whether or the MP4-23 will be allowed to race has been postponed until February next year. Read more… […]