Ferrari fume at ruling

The furious Maranello team feel the WMSC have set "a very serious precedent," and find it "incomprehensible" McLaren have not been punished for 'fraudulent conduct'.

Following an extraordinary meeting of the WMSC in Paris, McLaren were found guilty of being in possession of confidential documents belonging to Ferrari, yet due to "insufficient evidence" no sanction was imposed.

That has left Ferrari officials raging, and within two hours they issued a damning statement, condemning the WMSC and their bitter rivals.

It read: "Ferrari...find it incomprehensible that violating the fundamental principle of sporting honesty does not have, as a logical and inevitable consequence, the application of a sanction.

"Thursday's decision legitimises dishonest behaviour in Formula One and sets a very serious precedent.

"The decision of the World Council signifies that possession, knowledge at the very highest level and use of highly confidential information acquired in an illicit manner, and the acquiring of confidential information over the course of several months, represent violations which do not carry any punishment.

"The fact McLaren were in possession of such information was discovered totally by accident and, but for this, the team would continue to have it.

"This is all the more serious as it has occurred in a sport like Formula One in which small details make all the difference. Ferrari feel this is highly prejudicial to the credibility of the sport. We will continue with the legal action under way within the Italian criminal justice system, and in the civil court in England."

Ferrari's argument is McLaren did not simply have details relating to the design of the car, but also fundamental basics such as tyre pressures, fuel loads, budgets - all relevant to running a team.