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#781 2007 Italian Grand Prix

2023-01-11 00:00

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#2007, Fulvio Conti, Translated by Margherita Schiatti,

#781 2007 Italian Grand Prix

New evidence surfaced against McLaren ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. In a dramatic turn of events that spiced up this summer for Formula 1, on Wedne

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New evidence surfaced against McLaren ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. In a dramatic turn of events that spiced up this summer for Formula 1, on Wednesday, September 5, 2007, an earthquake could shake up the fate of the World Championship, swinging it in Ferrari’s favour. To break the news the FIA uses only a few words.

 

"Following the discovery of new elements, the World Motor Sport Council has been summoned again with McLaren representatives". 

 

It is a concise message, yet meaningful because it clearly speaks of new evidence without going into much detail and it cannot be traced back to what had been written in the sentence from July 26, 2007, the date of the first World Motor Sport Council meeting on the matter in Paris, when a nonsuit had been taken against the British team, although it was evident that the FIA had the right to reconvene McLaren again if new elements surfaced proving that the information from Ferrari in possession of the British team had been used to the detriment of the proper unfolding of the World Championship, threatening to exclude them not only from the current season but from the 2008 World Championship as well. These new elements have clearly been found if the FIA has decided to cancel the hearing of the Court of Appeal scheduled on Thursday, September 13, 2007, in Paris, replacing it on the same date with a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council. Practically they are going back in time, to July 26, 2007, when the team was not sanctioned and they are starting from scratch, given that it has been asked for McLaren to appear before the 26 members to justify themselves. The FIA does not go into detail about their proof, but logically speaking it seems that the position of Ferrari’s rivals just dramatically worsened. If McLaren had not risked anything, the FIA could easily have let the hearing of the Court of Appeals happen, which in turn, after a public hearing (with the possibility for members of the team from Maranello to intervene) would have probably confirmed the sentence of the first instance. With their investigation, the FIA must have found something or received substantial evidence from other teams, first and foremost from Ferrari. Rumour says that the team from Maranello, which is not releasing any comments, was ready to appear before the Court of Appeal with decisive proof. 

 

In particular, they were ready to prove that already in March McLaren knew some Ferrari trade secrets of great importance for the functioning and potential improvement of the car, the infamous floor (McLaren itself, through Dennis, had already admitted to having used Stepney’s e-mail to contest Raikkonen’s victory in Australia on March 18) but also the measuring system for the car’s distance from the ground as well as the distance of the rear flaps, to which was added the brake balance system on April 28 (that is what Stepney allegedly told Coughlan during their meeting), which according to Ferrari is not only engineering trivia, but it can influence the car’s performance. That is valuable information that McLaren’s top managers simply could not ignore. Probably the FIA is thinking the same way if they decided to start over. What still needs to be understood is what is concretely at stake for McLaren, which reiterates its willingness to collaborate fully. Reading their sentence, the exclusion from the World Championship until the end of 2008, a punishment that would be a disaster, as it would automatically release two drivers such as Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton from their contracts, leaving them free to move to another team. It is possible that the sentence could be lighter, allowing them to take part in the World Championship but greatly penalise them in terms of championship points. Though they risk suffering a heavy blow in this case as well (especially if the sentence were to affect not only the Constructors but the Drivers title too), that would mean handing both titles to Ferrari. In this scenario, (World Motor Sport Council and not the Court of Appeal) the possibility of appealing their sentence should not be overlooked. McLaren would certainly do that. And in October, when the World Championship is over, nobody would be able to say who won with certainty. Meanwhile, those the Circus is calling with disdain the two cheats, the British friends from the paddock who were exchanging Ferrari secrets for money and blinded by rage have decided to reveal what they know about this spy story. Separately, and probably consulting with each other beforehand, ex-chief mechanic at Ferrari, Nigel Stepney, and top engineer at McLaren (suspended), Mike Coughlan, in the past few days have sent two detailed notices about the timing and development of the matter from their perspective to Place de la Concorde. 

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It was the FIA Council which invited them to explain the reasons why they should not be removed from International Motorsport for a long time. From these words, it becomes clear that the board had punitive intentions. The two of them did not step away: they carefully drafted two letters laden with arguments and technical definitions and then sent them to the FIA’s legal office in Paris. Among other things, Stepney had recently come back to England these past few weeks for work and he could have been in contact – nothing so far prevents him from doing so – with his old friend from the paddock in Lightwater, at his home in Surrey, to compare their defence statement and smooth out any inconsistencies. On Wednesday evening, Sonia Bartolini and Barbara Pini, lawyers from Modena defending chief mechanic Stepney seemed positively surprised by the timeliness of the FIA’s intervention and among other precautions, confirmed the historical reconstruction done by their client – fourteen years working for Ferrari – and delivered it to the Federation. To write his statement, the technician used some news and insights gathered inside the paddock by a man with experience in Formula 1, hired by the defence team as a consultant. His indications have been invaluable. In this letter for the first time, the former chief mechanic at Ferrari admitted to having spoken with their opponents about the Ferrari floor, then used in Melbourne, but he justified it as only an exchange of opinions with somebody he admired to then evaluate McLaren’s reaction. Therefore Stepney reiterates his conviction and offers new details: 

 

"I met Coughlan in Barcelona but it was not me who gave him the design of the F2007: those were stolen from me inside Ferrari". 

 

In the notice – the first official act released by Stepney after granting a few interviews – the man went into details about the six-person group, inside and outside Ferrari, who had planned to leave Maranello to find new challenges in another team. He should have mentioned them by name and now his lawyers are saying: 

 

"There are other points of view aside from Ferrari: we are only at the beginning of the story, and there will be many striking surprises". 

 

Ongoing sports proceedings aside, Nigel Stepney has so far been involved together with McLaren in a civil lawsuit filed by Ferrari at the High Court in London. At the prosecutor’s office in Modena, he is being investigated for boycotting instead: the prosecutor is increasingly convincing himself that it was he who put the white powder found in Ferrari engines ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. Finally, both British technicians will have to answer for industrial espionage as well: Stepney and Coughlan together, like in the paddock. In recent weeks what emerged is that after the meeting last spring in Barcelona between Nigel and Mike, the one during which supposedly the 780 pages of Ferrari projects were handed over, Stepney was foolish enough to show up at the Montmelò circuit where Formula 1 tests were taking place. He was no longer part of the Ferrari racing team and his presence made the men of the team from Maranello suspicious. Stepney’s legal team, given the way the media is covering a story that in past would have been silently resolved in a hospitality, is now asking once again for a meeting between their client and Jean Todt. 

 

"We cannot go on forever with notices and counter-notices and we believe that Ferrari would also benefit from resolving the matter quickly". 

 

Monza may be the temple of speed but in the paddock the only topic of discussion is Paris, the spy story of course, and the World Motor Sport Council meeting again on Thursday, September 13, 2007, which could prove McLaren is guilty, thereby awarding the World Championship to Ferrari. The names on everyone’s lips are still those of Nigel Stepney and Mike Coughlan, with Ferrari releasing an official statement where it acknowledged the new chapter opened by the FIA, the cancellation of the Court of Appeal and the repeat of the World Motor Sport Council which had met on July 26, 2007. All of this while McLaren, clearly concerned, is offering their full collaboration. Everybody is talking about the spy story, also because there are new plot twists every day. 

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The last one calls into question the three McLaren drivers, official drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton and reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa, claiming that on Thursday in Paris they were present too, summoned by the FIA as witnesses. This is because they could somehow be involved in the matter, or at least according to some leaks that have not been confirmed the two Spaniards Pedro de la Rosa, the test driver, and Fernando Alonso could be implicated. The first supposedly provided his fellow countryman with information via e-mail regarding the setup of the car that he received from Mike Coughlan, the top manager who had already been suspended for a long time due to his contacts with Nigel Stepney, the employee who was accused of espionage and then fired by Ferrari. This exchange of information allegedly took place around the beginning of the World Championship and it is potentially one of the new elements gathered by the FIA, such evidence would have convinced the Federation to summon another World Motor Sport Council. The indiscretions do not specify whether the information revealed by Pedro de la Rosa was about Ferrari and its exposed industrial secrets, but a lot of things would lead us to think that way, seeing as the FIA wants to get to the bottom of it, therefore deciding to summon McLaren representatives. The drivers will be questioned and their answers could frame their team. This does not imply, as some have hypothesised, that Fernando Alonso is ready to testify against his own team, after all, they have given him a car that currently puts him five points away from the lead of the World Championship, but if it were to emerge that the driver knew the source of the information (Coughlan) and that they came from Ferrari, McLaren would be in big trouble. At the moment these issues seem to be following Ron Dennis’ team which in the meantime has been under investigation in Monza for a non-homologated gearbox. A lighter one had been used during the Hungarian Grand Prix without passing the crash test. Later, McLaren did not use it in Turkey and on August 30, 2007, it passed the checks, so much so that it is now in compliance with the rules and will be installed on the cars which on Friday, September 7, 2007, will go on track for free practice but this did not stop some judges from inflicting a 50,000 dollar fine for a breach of article 16.1.2 of the regulations, according to which every significant modification introduced into any of the structures tested shall require another test. In the opinion of the FIA, the percentage of the weight reduction of the gearbox was big enough to be considered significant and therefore be subject to a dispute. McLaren claims they acted in good faith but they are sanctioned anyway. It cannot be said that the leaders of the World Championship are hitting a lucky streak. But it is too much to ask for understanding on the part of Ferrari. On Thursday Luca Montezemolo peremptorily stated: 

 

"We said that it was not going to end there. We have always been convinced that the truth will come out". 

 

A truth that can only go one way according to the president: McLaren being found guilty. That is what Ferrari, present on Thursday in Paris, will fight for. Because as Felipe Massa claims: 

 

"In sports, those who try to cheat get punished. Justice to make sure rules are being followed is more than welcome". 

 

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso denies indiscretions leaked in the Monza paddock about a supposed exchange of information with McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan via e-mail with test driver Pedro de la Rosa regarding Ferrari setups. 

 

"It is a lie, let me race. I will not talk about anything that does not have to do with the race. I came here motivated, concentrated and isolated from everything else. I want to win the last five races".  

 

In the paddock, rumours are going around that the Spanish driver would have wanted to share information with the FIA wanting to penalise McLaren in order to free himself from his contract at the end of the season. His rivalry with Lewis Hamilton is well-known, as well as his wish to leave McLaren at the end of the season, despite having signed a contract until 2009. 

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"If the team is sanctioned, I will be too. I am part of this team and it would be a common problem. We are here to win the Constructors and Drivers World Championships, we are leading both and there isn’t a single person in the team who is not focused on this goal". 

 

Yet, according to Spanish newspaper As, on Friday, August 31, 2007, Fernando Alonso allegedly sent an e-mail to the FIA with some information. This cooperative attitude with the FIA would allow the driver to keep his super license too, necessary to compete in Formula 1. According to what the newspaper As is saying, Pedro de la Rosa also sent a notice to the FIA. Those e-mails from the drivers could have been sent as a reply to the letter sent in the past few days by Max Mosley, head of the FIA, to the McLaren drivers. In the letter, Mosley asks to receive a copy of every piece of electronic communication that has been exchanged or otherwise archived and that could be related to the case, that is to say, having to do with Ferrari, Nigel Stepney or any other technical information coming from or connected to Ferrari or mister Stepney. The letter allegedly made arrangements for a sort of pardon for the drivers in exchange for information. On the FIA website, the content of the message has been published as a way to be fully transparent. Anyhow, the new evidence brought to the FIA seems to be against McLaren, which at this point risks being excluded from the World Championship. The spy story, where Ferrari is playing the victim, will be examined in Paris on Thursday, September 13, 2007, by the Federation’s body, when McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Pedro de la Rosa will be heard too. In the meantime, McLaren lets it be known that they will talk about the spy story only in front of the World Motor Sport Council. 

 

"We intend to make a series of strong considerations". 

 

Then, the team clarified that they understood some information on the matter had reached the media and pointed out: 

 

"The hope on our part is to confront the issue. However, our lawyers have informed us that, seeing as it will be discussed by the World Motor Sport Council on Thursday next week, that is the appropriate location to talk about it. Hence, the team and our drivers will not release any further comments. We kindly ask the media to understand our position". 

 

The champion traitor. The champion accused of dishonour. And he has to defend himself:

 

"I am not a spy". 

 

That champion is Fernando Alonso who is left by himself in the paddock. McLaren does not trust him anymore and looks at him with suspicion. It is the champion himself who could bring them down. Because Fernando Alonso answered the invitation from the FIA and sent his truth to Max Mosley. Which one? That is the point, a painful one for Ron Dennis. Lewis Hamilton, the other driver, who originally was meant to only be a sparring partner and instead now finds himself leading the championship, did not answer, as did the third driver, tester Pedro de la Rosa. So: a disgrace. Ignominy. 

 

"Lies, injustices from the newspapers. I am a professional and I only did what had to be done. I am a man of sports and the International Federation, the leading organisation, made a request. I had an obligation to answer because I am a part of this world". 

 

Too bad that he did not reveal the content of his documentation:

 

"That is a secret".

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The Spaniard then adds that he did not leave the boss, Ron Dennis, in the dark. 

 

"On August 31 I received the letter and I informed Ron". 

 

It is easy to picture the reaction of the boss. 

 

"He was not happy about it, that’s all. But he did not tell me anything either". 

 

What could he have said? Poor Dennis, at first resigned to what he considered to be whims of the media rather than something substantial, then understood he was in great danger, maybe that of the worst kind. That is why yesterday he stayed away from the spotlight, limiting himself to ordering his staff to put out a plain statement: 

 

"Our legal team has suggested that the World Motor Sport Council is the appropriate location to discuss the matter, therefore neither the team nor the drivers will release any further comments". 

 

It can be understood that tension is running inside the British team, first in the standings but squeezed into a corner. At McLaren, they expected everything except witnessing some own goals scored by their own drivers. In truth, Fernando Alonso explains that he has no intention of paying for others’ faults. 

 

"If the team gets punished, I get punished. I will not go to Paris". 

 

But, for some reason, nobody believes him. Firstly, because on Friday morning his story is a bit different, only to change in the afternoon. Secondly, because of his desire to redeem himself in the eyes of a team which he accuses of being ungrateful is great. It is no secret that Alonso wants to leave, but the point really is the rescission. So, what those in Spain are saying is that if McLaren were not to win, but rather be sanctioned, sponsors would leave, therefore they would have to release the Spanish driver from his contract. Alonso becomes the key character of this story but would it be possible for him to be so vindictive? It seems like yesterday when during the Brazilian Gran Prix in 2006 he declared that he was going to leave Renault because they were not competitive anymore. 

 

"While at McLaren I will secure my future for another three, four years at the top". 

 

The World Champion was dead-on, except for the arrival of factor H: Lewis Hamilton. The beginning of all of his problems: a Brit in a British team, as well as close to the boss. It was too much for Alonso who was used to being the favourite. As it was with Briatore. But Ron Dennis is not Flavio Briatore and that is why he risks losing everything. 

 

"Speak or you will get in trouble". 

 

That is the message from Max Mosley, president of the FIA, and it is almost too explicit. It is directed to the drivers, all of them, but especially those at McLaren, Fernando Alonso (who already obeyed the highest motorsport governing body), Lewis Hamilton, who has been rather tight-lipped so far and test driver Pedro de la Rosa, the first, according to some indiscretions, to contact in a telematic way Mike Coughlan, head designer at McLaren who had acquired Ferrari secrets, and to receive game-changing information that he then passed on to Fernando Alonso.

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"Come forward".

 

Guaranteeing in exchange, as it is usually done during trials with informants, special consideration when it comes to potential sanctions or even immunity. Clear words that the president of the Federation made public only on Friday, September 7, 2007, but that were part of a letter sent on August 31, 2007, to all Formula 1 drivers. 

 

"We need your help to complete our investigation". 

 

A matter that the FIA has decided to reopen once again, entrusting another World Motor Sport Council instead of the Court of Appeal, given that it came into possession of new evidence (and it appears to be quite overwhelming) against McLaren, like the e-mail exchange between Mike Coughlan and Pedro de la Rosa before and then between Pedro de la Rosa and Fernando Alonso. Many are saying that it was the World Champion himself who obtained the information. He defends himself by denying that he is a spy, claiming he only did his job and that he has never damaged his own team. Probably he is right at least on this last point. The FIA was already aware of these e-mails that were found by their investigators when McLaren gave them permission to access their computers and the Spanish driver, by lying, would have had to deny the evidence. He was likely compelled by the circumstance he was in to say the truth. The point is that he already accepted Mosley’s invitation. On Friday, August 31, 2007, he received the letter and a few days later he replied to the Federation in writing, providing the information they had requested. It seems that Lewis Hamilton did not follow his lead. He did not answer the letter, nor does he intend to appear on Thursday, September 13, 2007, in Paris. It would be understandable for Alonso not to go, considering that his testimony is already on record, instead the behaviour of the Brit may contribute to further bothering the FIA. That is where the assumption was grounded and then spread especially by the Spanish press, that Fernando Alonso will be acquitted (at least in the driver standings) and Lewis Hamilton will be punished, although such a ruling would be hard to explain given that if McLaren were to be found guilty, it would affect both cars, not just one, and the reasons behind such an unequal treatment from the judges would be hard to understand. Another thing is the benefits associated with being a collaborator. Alonso spoke and could get away with a lighter penalty, Hamilton would have the aggravating circumstance of failing to report instead. Whatever attitude McLaren drivers may have, with this letter it is clear that the FIA intends to put great pressure on them. 

 

"The FIA is aware of the accusations according to which one or more of the McLaren drivers may be in possession of written evidence that is relevant to the investigation. All drivers are asked to turn in any document involved with or related to those of McLaren and any document that has been sent or received by drivers themselves. With documents meaning any written piece of information such as e-mails, letters, electronic communications, text messages, memoranda, projects, charts, data and materials stored anywhere and in any digital format. We hope to receive copies of every relevant document as soon as possible. Nothing will be left out, it will be the Federation evaluating their relevance. Any information you provide will not result in a proceeding against you. However, if at a later time we were to find out that you withheld some potentially relevant information from us you would face serious consequences". 

 

Max Mosley strokes and then threatens. McLaren replies with silence. 

 

"The World Motor Sport Council is the appropriate setting, from now on the team and drivers will not speak on the matter". 

 

But maybe Alonso already did. In a decisive manner. Meanwhile, on Friday, September 7, 2007,  the first two free practice sessions of the Italian Grand Prix were held, on the Monza circuit. Maybe the race will be different. 

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But in the fight for pole position, some signs coming from Friday’s practice are not encouraging, with Kimi Raikkonen being the fastest and Felipe Massa second, then McLaren behind, though straight after lunch Fernando Alonso leaves his mark on the day, annihilating his opponents and Ferrari fans alike. Extremely quick, the Spaniard was 0.8 seconds ahead of his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, 1.2 ahead of Giancarlo Fisichello (who is waiting for a sign, that is yet to arrive, from Briatore to renew his contract at Renault), and even more ahead of Robert Kubica and Nico Rosberg, but most of all he was 1.3 seconds ahead of Felipe Massa, only sixth, and almost 1.5 seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen, sadly eighth. These abysmal gaps can only make the Ferrari crowd worried, although Massa tried to put out the fire of despair with water. 

 

"Raikkonen and I tried different things and the same thing can be said both for me and the McLarens I think. The gap is not realistic: tyres, fuel, different strategies and setups certainly had an influence. We have to improve over the single-lap, it is an issue we have always had that we see here in Monza too but I think that with some improvements we can fight with our opponents. For the race? No, I am talking about pole position. I wouldn’t settle for anything else, I only want the first row". 

 

But it is hard to reach. It is true that around the end of the session, Felipe Massa did some laps with a good pace, having a setup for the race, and it is true that for Sunday the premises seem exciting but in qualifying Ferrari is still behind and on Saturday they risk paying the price for it. Those who are more pessimistic even fear that one or both BMWs driven by Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica may qualify ahead, and perhaps even Giancarlo Fisichella with his Renault, drivers and cars that with less fuel could become extremely dangerous. But more realistically there is the risk that McLaren could take over, with the unchained Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, leaving both Ferrari behind. Kimi Raikkonen (fined 5.000 dollars for being eight minutes late to the Thursday press conference) does not go out on a limb on the topic but he implies:  

 

"The balance of the car isn’t bad but we still have a lot of work to do to improve performance over a single lap. In terms of race pace it’s different: we seem to be in good shape in that respect". 

 

It is a condition that in his case, during the second session, was interrupted by a hydraulic issue that forced him to wait in the garage for a long time. 

 

"I was able to test the new tyres only the last couple of minutes, I don’t think I can fully understand my value compared to others". 

 

Standings would say that it is low, but the hope is that the work on Saturday can turn it all around. If it was not for the spy story, the air would be completely different in the McLaren garage. Fernando Alonso is glowing after the times he set. 

 

"In the morning I had some issues with the gearbox but in the afternoon it felt like I was flying. Here at Monza Ferrari is always dangerous but we will have to do better". 

 

It is a concept shared by Lewis Hamilton too: 

 

“As the crowd is full of Ferrari fans, beating them here would taste even better. We have the chance to do that, given that we have made considerable steps forward compared to last week’s tests as well”.  

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Where McLaren was the fastest. Hence, it seems they have no match on track. It would not make the news too much but in case of defeat here, Ferrari would have one possibility left: hold onto the Paris sentence. The last hope.

 

Also because on Friday, September 7, 2007, McLaren team principal, Ron Dennis received a notice of investigation from the prosecutor’s office in Modena. 

 

The notice was delivered on the Monza circuit by an Italian lawyer who works for the British law firm currently defending him. Martin Whitmarsh and Paddy Lowe are being investigated as well, respectively managing director and head of engineering at McLaren. A notice is delivered to Nigel Stepney too, ex-chief mechanic at Ferrari. In the following days, through letters rogatory, the notice will be delivered to three other men in the team: Mike Coughlan, currently suspended, Jonathan Neale, head of operations and Rod Taylor, head of designers. The accusations are serious: sporting fraud, revealing industrial secrets and embezzlement. To those asking for a comment on the measures taken by the Modena prosecutor’s office, the McLaren team principal replies: 

 

"Nothing happened yet. I don’t know if something is going to happen but it has not happened yet". 

 

Ron Dennis still does not think about resigning:

 

"I don’t think it would be the right thing for the team". 

 

The British manager does not contradict himself, and as he had already done during the last FIA investigation he reacts by attacking: 

 

"We are strongly suspicious about the nature and timing of this contact which was by no means necessary, right before the start of qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix, as it has upset our preparation for this important session and the meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday". 

 

McLaren-Mercedes made these remarks in a statement about the notices of investigation delivered by Italian authorities to some of its managers regarding the spy story to the detriment of Ferrari.

 

"McLaren is extremely confident that they are going to be acquitted on all counts in any proceeding against them". 

 

Hence, to sum up, McLaren’s defensive line is:

 

"We are not accused of anything". 

 

But six men from McLaren were delivered notices of investigation by the Modena prosecutor’s office. They are being investigated for sporting fraud, revealing industrial secrets, embezzlement and copyright violations.

 

"We were contacted by Italian authorities but we have not been accused of anything". 

 

Meanwhile, the program of the Italian Grand Prix goes on. 

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On Saturday, September 8, 2007, the third session of free practice was suspended due to a scary accident involving the Ferrari of Fin Kimi Raikkonen. At the Ascari variant the single-seater, shortly after passing the straight, went off track and crashed with the right side in the wall, only to end its run into the tyre barriers, used for protection at the edge of the track. The Finnish driver got out of the car without any problem and walked along the escape route of the track as he was greeted and applauded by the Tifosi in the grandstands. Free practice was interrupted by race directors waving the red flag at 11:24 a.m., with 32 minutes to go until the end of free practice. At the moment the stopwatch marking the time limit of the practice sessions is still running. The organisers estimate that around fifteen minutes will be needed to repair the barriers hit by the car of the Ferrari driver. A few hours later, McLaren monopolised the first row of the Italian Grand Prix with Fernando Alonso starting ahead of Lewis Hamilton. They are followed by Felipe Massa who will start in third place, and Nick Heidfeld, fourth with his BMW. Kimi Raikkonen set the fifth-fastest time. At the end of qualifying, Fernando Alonso did not hide his satisfaction: 

 

"I think I had a good qualifying. I came second a lot of times this year, I am happy and I think that we deserve this pole. The team did a great job". 

 

A fight inside McLaren for pole position, as Lewis Hamilton underlines:

 

"I think it was a good fight. My first lap was not extraordinary, the last one was much better but I am not completely satisfied with the balance of the car. I think that we will be able to maintain this level of results in the race as well". 

 

The mood is exactly the opposite in the Ferrari garage. The cars from Maranello have to settle for third and fifth place. President Luca Montezemolo, present in the paddock, does not seem surprised by Ferrari’s performance: 

 

"It is not a great result but everyone already told me that we were going to be in trouble due to the characteristics of the track, hopefully we will be better in the race. Besides, during the race, we have always been better compared to qualifying". 

 

The drivers are on the same page. Felipe Massa certainly is not satisfied but he says:

 

"McLaren was very quick. They seemed far but tomorrow is another day". 

 

The other Ferrari driver, Kimi Raikkonen, is also hopeful for the race: 

 

"We can still achieve a good result, considering our pace over the distance. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that we struggle in qualifying and then are really competitive during the race". 

 

With regard to the accident he was involved with this morning:

 

"For sure it did not help for qualifying. I locked up the tyres while I was braking and the car went right instead of left: at that point, there was little I could do except wait to hit the barriers". 

 

The accident compromised Raikkonen’s performance in qualifying but perhaps that would not have been enough, as the Fin honestly admitted.

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"McLaren was fast both in testing and free practice, therefore I don’t think there was much we could have done to get pole position". 

 

At least he did not hurt himself:

 

"The car turned right instead of left: at that point, there was little I could do except wait to hit the barriers. Luckily I didn’t have to change the engine". 

 

Thus, the Grand Prix has not been compromised: 

 

"I believe we can still achieve a good result, considering our pace in long runs. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that we struggle in qualifying and then are really competitive during the race". 

 

And if Kimi Raikkonen who is starting from the third row (fifth) is thinking positively, imagine Felipe Massa, starting third on the grid. 

 

"It was the maximum we could achieve. We lacked a little bit of speed but we are aware that we are competitive in the long runs: so, we are hopeful thinking about the race. The car was not bad in terms of balance, although a bit difficult under braking. Hopefully, we can have a good start and we can play our cards right in a race that will be very tough. We will do our best to bring a good result to our fans". 

 

In the end, the hope is that maybe a little help can come from the two drivers in the first row: maybe Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in the heat of the moment trying to overtake each other could make a mistake in turn one: 

 

"We need to be careful about what is going to happen". 

 

Happiness on track, venom in the garage. It has been a strange day at McLaren. As Ferrari feared, they left their mark in the fight for pole position, therefore they will start from the first row with their two drivers. The McLaren team is overjoyed as the stopwatch, in complete disregard of the 100.000 Ferrari fans coming on Sunday, already reached its verdict. Then comes the spy story and the smile of the British team fades. Because with this affair, plot twists are a daily occurrence and the one on Saturday is about formal notices (the real notices of investigation will supposedly be sent on Monday) being delivered directly to McLaren lawyers at the track, notices coming from the prosecutor’s office in Modena, via postal police, and they allegedly have to do with Dennis who was determined in his denial of any accusation as well as having received anything, along with five other top managers from the team, Whitmarsh, Lowe, Neale, Taylor and Coughlan who are under investigation for sporting fraud, embezzlement and revealing industrial secrets, then adding Stepney, the employee fired by Ferrari who was already being accused of damages with the infamous sabotage with the white powder ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix: in total, seven. These notices of investigation become the other side of the coin of this unusual Saturday, with the protagonists being even, together with the two great times set by Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, and interrupt the quiet of the British team, forced to defend themselves, entrenched in their own garage, not mentioning their sporting exploits, particularly this story that could be buried on Thursday in Paris. McLaren wants to win in Monza and they have a big chance of doing so. Fernando Alonso proved, at least over the single lap, to be very competitive, with a gap of almost 0.6 seconds to Felipe Massa and 1.2 seconds to Kimi Raikkonen, also penalised by the fact that he had to qualify using a spare car after his main car ended against the wall. The gaps are extremely heavy, even more so than a good prediction ahead of the race. But whatever exploit risks taking a back seat because McLaren, in terms of appearance, is hitting the dead end of the spy story by now and does not know how to find the light again. 

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On Saturday Montezemolo, Ferrari’s president, made an appearance in Monza, and in one of his pastoral visits, he met with Mansour Ojjeh, a Lebanese entrepreneur, who owns 15% of McLaren and has always been one of the most influential stakeholders. Ecclestone was also present at the meeting and word got around that Ojjeh tried, apparently without succeeding, to make peace with Ferrari, or at least a possible escape route to avoid a more severe punishment. Some speculated that the package offered to Ferrari also included the firing of Ron Dennis. It is difficult to set gossip apart from reality, but the fact is that great and underground political manoeuvres are now rampant in the paddock. Secretive and not in broad daylight, like the perfect racing lines drawn by Fernando Alonso. Who may be an inconvenient informant. But in Monza, he has proven once again to be a phenomenal driver. A worthy heir to Schumacher, present in the garage. And disappointed with the evident Ferrari defeat. Surrounded in his mega motorhome, Ron Dennis ended his day - before leaving the paddock - passing by every team and accusing them all in general terms of having copied McLaren in the past. Letting off steam, in truth. The nervous snap of a powerful man who is being cornered. His Saturday in Monza is one to forget. Not even the time to finish qualifying, with his two drivers in the front row, and in the dreamland of F1 the word is out that the boss of the British team has received a notice of investigation from the Italian postal police. The McLaren team principal resigned himself to the questions not related to motorsport at all but rather legal in character. The answer is always the same, monotonous. 

 

"I cannot say anything. I can’t, lawyers will deal with it". 

 

Surely McLaren is collecting a series of litigations that are not too shabby: initially the one regarding the spy story, obviously. To that were then added the fifteen points that were taken away by the FIA to the Constructors World Championship standings for the scuffle they got into in Budapest (the team appealed) and another 50,000 euro fine for using a non-homologated gearbox. Now the notices of investigation. Denied by Ron Dennis who instead hints at the tough trial he will face soon. At this point an outflanking question comes up: Did you think about it, about retiring? And Dennis, after hesitating for a moment, replies: 

 

"If I thought that by resigning I was acting in the interest of the company and if I thought it was the right thing, then I wouldn’t have hesitated and I would have done it. But I don’t think it is the right thing to do". 

 

Truth is that in the rooms that matter in Formula 1, where they attempted and still attempt to find an honourable way out for everyone, the request was unanimous: fire Ron Dennis. Probably his resignation would have meant overcoming a deadlock as well as paving the way for solutions liked by everyone. But the penned-up and isolated boss said no and he indirectly admits it: 

 

"I think that some would like for me to leave but I will say it again, it is not the right thing to do". 

 

Dennis, as he said in his own words, is McLaren, he is the heart and soul of this team. His moving defence, accompanied by some tears, when the case Stepney-Coughlan blew up is a recent episode in Formula 1 history that has not been forgotten yet. The captain, if he still is one, will go down with his ship. Meanwhile, Luca Montezemolo has a thirty-two-minute meeting with Flavio Briatore. In the Renault motorhome, in the office of the head of the French team, certainly not to talk about the Alonso-Raikkonen exchange. At this moment, for the future of the Spaniard, it is more appropriate to wait for the sentence in Paris. Not even, as Luca Montezemolo claims with a joke, to negotiate a transfer for Del Piero to Queen’s Park Rangers in exchange for some young British footballer. The meeting is about the spy story. Same as the topic of the other long summit having Ferrari’s president as a protagonist, the meeting with Mansour Ojjeh, an influential stakeholder at McLaren, the presence of Bernie Ecclestone and probably that of Jean Todt too. Montezemolo is in Monza to attend qualifying but also for some politically relevant meetings. 

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F1, particularly its top managers, realised that they had gone too far and for a while they tried to find a credible exit strategy to indulge Ferrari, the great victim of the affair, but not to bury McLaren too deep, having in mind the World Championship of today and tomorrow. Rumours say that Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore (Luca Montezemolo would have never gone to meet him in his motorhome these past few years, at best the opposite could have happened) offered to act as mediators in recent weeks to try and settle for a peace between the two teams, a move wanted by McLaren to cut their losses, given the overwhelming proof that is continuously surfacing. Mercedes gave its tacit approval from the beginning and Mansour Ojjeh personally made sure to try and open a breach in the wounded heart of Luca Montezemolo but Ferrari did not hear any reasons, not even if McLaren was able to convince Ron Dennis to resign. The team from Maranello felt defrauded, according to their thinking due to their industrial secrets being stolen they are losing two World Championships and they demand justice. Asked about the various meetings he attended, Luca Montezemolo was still vague:  

 

"It is my first time coming this year, I met Briatore and Ecclestone to talk about spectacle and regulations, reducing costs, all things that Formula 1 desperately needs". 

 

But on the spy story remains the usual rigour:

 

"I expect that the World Motor Sport Council will bring out the truth and that justice will be made, it is fundamental for everyone. What happened is really bad and for Formula 1 it is a difficult moment". 

 

Regarding the notices of investigation sent to McLaren: 

 

"Out of respect for the justice system, I prefer not to make any comments, I don’t even know the motivations very well. Moreover, the sports aspect should be safeguarded with the new trial around the corner. I don’t want to add anything else". 

 

But for sure there is no opening toward a peace by default. By now the FIA got the short end of the stick and president Max Mosley, who this time is pushing for an exemplary punishment toward McLaren, will have to put an end to this. About Fernando Alonso joining Ferrari, Luca Montezemolo diverts the conversation: 

 

"He is a great champion, life is long but I am very satisfied with our two drivers who have managed to fill in some big shoes after Schumacher. Alonso coming here is not a matter of public affairs".

 

On Sunday, September 9, 2007, as the Italian Grand Prix begins Fernando Alonso has a good start and keeps the first position, while Lewis Hamilton tries to defend his position by sending Felipe Massa into the grass, but to no avail. The Brit recovers his position by going around the outside of the Brazilian into turn one, with a slight contact as well that forces him to cut the variant; there will be no penalty. Kimi Raikkonen is fourth, followed by Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica and Heikki Kovalainen. On lap two, David Coulthard goes off track and hits the wall at Curva Grande due to a mechanical failure. The safety car is sent on track and leads the group for four laps. During lap nine, Felipe Massa suddenly comes into the pits, only to retire on lap 10 due to a mechanical issue. Kimi Raikkonen is up to third position but he has a heavier load of fuel and after 15 laps he has a ten-second gap to Fernando Alonso. Throughout lap 18 Lewis Hamilton pits, while Fernando Alonso refuels on lap 20, leaving the first position to the Finnish Ferrari driver. Kimi Raikkonen comes into the pits for his only refuel on lap 25, re-joining the track behind both McLarens. At this stage, Fernando Alonso is considerably faster than Lewis Hamilton and he increases his advantage. On lap 40 Lewis Hamilton has his second refuel, re-joining the track behind Kimi Raikkonen. 

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But on lap 42 the Brit takes back the second place thanks to a good overtake under braking at the first variant. Fernando Alonso calmly stops for the second time and wins the Italian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton comes second, followed by Kimi Raikkonen, Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica, Nico Rosberg, Heikki Kovalainen and Jenson Button. Round of applause for Fernando Alonso. At the end of the race and on the podium. For his feat, for his domination, for how he drives because, at the end of the day, the side of Italy longing for motorsport loves him, although his wins are Ferrari defeats, sometimes, like in Monza, galling ones. People even laugh at his celebration, miming with his hands, which has become a staple when the Spanish driver is really happy when he knows he is the best, with the fastest car, that he was able to reopen the battle, now that Lewis Hamilton, the teammate who dared to challenge him, is now only three points away. Fernando Alonso triumphs. It had never happened to him in Monza before, there was no match. He had a great start, he held on in the first two corners from Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton attacking him, and then others couldn't catch up with him. A man on the run until the final glory. But praise is due to Lewis Hamilton as well. Which amounts to criticising Kimi Raikkonen. 

 

The British driver was able to resist Felipe Massa’s attack in the first corner and that is fair enough. The Brazilian driving for Ferrari tried and gave it all he had, with the two even making contact, so much so that Hamilton was not given a penalty by the stewards for cutting the chicane with this move helping him defend the second place, but McLaren had the upper hand, and there was not much else Massa could have done. Another thing is Lewis Hamilton atrociously beating Kimi Raikkonen on lap 43, taking second place from him by force. Ferrari excelled in terms of strategy, knowing that their car was slower but by halving Kimi’s pitstops (one instead of two) they managed to put him behind Fernando Alonso. With ten laps to go, the Fin, who is dealing with an annoying neck pain following his accident on Saturday makes the grandstands burst with joy. He is in front of Lewis Hamilton. But he only holds on for a couple of meters, with Lewis Hamilton on fire behind him who goes side by side, then overtakes him on the inside, making him drop him into third place, with a move which brings to mind Jacques Villeneuve in Jerez in 1997 when he got the better of Michael Schumacher and won the World Championship. Frenzy turned into disappointment, with Hamilton being overjoyed while Raikkonen ends under the spotlight. Still, better than Massa, some will say, overlooking the humiliation of the overtake, focusing only on the points scored instead. The Brazilian is not under the spotlight now, but he was when he ended the race on the tenth lap: rear suspension failure. First of all, congratulations to Fernando Alonso: in the end, you managed to win the Italian Grand Prix. 

 

"Indeed, I am very happy, it was a perfect weekend".

 

And you are getting closer and closer to Hamilton.

 

"Yes, but it was important for me to win in Monza".

 

To break your curse. 

 

"Because it is special winning here, in front of the Ferrari crowd. Tifosi that are passionate about F1 too and that makes me emotional". 

 

Now you have four finals to win.

 

"Exactly: at the moment I won the first of the remaining five". 

 

But a special Grand Prix will be held in Paris in the middle of the week. 

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"Stop, I am not going to talk about that. Or better, I have nothing to say". 

 

The World Championship could be decided differently. 

 

"Four days. Let’s wait until Thursday and then we will know everything". 

 

You spoke of a perfect weekend. Yet what about the start…

 

"True. My start was not the best". 

 

Is there a reason why?

 

"No. All I know is that I immediately looked in my mirror after the start and I saw Massa behind, so I thought I had to defend my position". 

 

So what did you do?

 

"I braked late. But into turn two I caught a glimpse of Hamilton on the left and I was scared we were going to make contact. I got worried. But then everything went well". 

 

And what if Kimi Raikkonen managed to hold onto second place, now you would only be one point off Lewis Hamilton. And what would Michael Schumacher have done? 

 

"I don’t know, maybe he would have been in front of me". 

 

It is an important win at this point of the season. 

 

"Undoubtedly. But in Monza, I have always had issues, I lost out on winning each time, that is why today is such a special day. Also for this reason".  

 

Sorry, but did you not risk it with the Safety car as well?

 

"Is this because Hamilton was closer after the restart? It is normal in Monza, I knew I was not taking any risks in that sense". 

 

Now an intense week awaits. Apart from the Paris sentence, on Sunday, September 16, 2007, there is another Grand Prix, in Belgium. 

 

"We will have to prove ourselves, to see how the car performs in Belgium. As I always say, things change from track to track. In Turkey Ferrari dominated, in Monza it was different. But the objective is still the same, to win the World Championship".

 

Three points, that is all you need. 

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"Yes, but let’s not get carried away. Nothing will be decided in one race, there are always too few points of difference, and nothing is done yet. I talked about four finals, these things have to be taken as a whole". 

 

What do you mean?

 

"In Magny-Cours, I was fourteen points off. Now I closed the gap to three points. Hence: I have to maintain the trend". 

 

True, and winning the World Championship after a season like this, what would it mean for you?

 

"What would it mean? Every driver wants to become a champion. In Australia it was twenty-two of us, in Bahrein we understood that only four, or six of us could actually do it". 

 

So what?

 

"We are lucky enough to be driving a fast car, but to me, it is not as good when there are issues surrounding the team. Then, to be honest, something else needs to be said". 

 

What is that?

 

"I am a driver. It is essential for me to win the Driver’s World Championship, the Constructors’ is not as big. But that is only my point of view, that of a driver". 

 

Are you starting another debate?

 

"No, I just think that when I win the team wins as well". 

 

But you did not greet them after the finish line.

 

"Only because I would have endangered them, I was going too fast".

 

Not a word on the controversies before the weekend, on the newspapers that accused him of playing dirty against his team in the spy story. Only a hint:

 

"The Constructors’ World Champions (which McLaren risks losing, ed) is not that important: the Drivers’ title is better". 

 

Lewis Hamilton, on his part, is enjoying first place in the standings but he surely is not happy about his rival’s win: 

 

"The car behaved well. I wanted to get a podium for the team, I knew how hard they worked. I think that this result has been great for the team. At the start, I saw Massa overtake, and then I had a second chance to maintain a good pace. Fernando did it, and there was nothing I could do. At some point I had some issues with the front tyres, there were some vibrations and I had to have a pit stop". 

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Ron Dennis gets on the podium, happy about the McLaren 1-2 finish. He takes the trophy for the team, and who does he meet? Clemente Mastella, Minister of Justice. After meeting the four policemen in uniform on Saturday, it must have seemed like a conspiracy against him. As soon as Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line, Ron Dennis left the pit wall in a hurry to find the comfort of Lisa, his wife, as he cried on her shoulders. Tears of relief, and then emotions running high with the usual team picture. But celebrations at McLaren did not last long, as these days have been filled with fights and hatred. The next four days are going to be hell and they could change Formula 1. Jean Todt, Ferrari team principal, repeats: 

 

"A deal before Thursday? Impossible".

 

But the British team has no desire to meet the Maranello team halfway, rather the contrary. Even before the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren released a statement to acknowledge their contacts with Italian authorities but without any accusation. It sparked controversy once again: 

 

"We are strongly suspicious about the nature and timing of this contact which was by no means necessary, right before the start of qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix, as it has upset our preparation for this important session and the meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday". 

 

At this point, a mystery emerges about the time of delivery of the notice of investigation, since Dennis had denied, at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, that he had received anything. And then there is also the FIA, which indicates the delivery time as 8:45 p.m. But there are other significant problems. On a scale lies not only the outcome of this saga: the spy story risks ruining the very image of F1. There are those - like Flavio Briatore - who would like to put an end to all these controversies.

 

"It is important for the sport but it is just as important that if somebody made a mistake, they have to pay for it. It is important to close a chapter and start a new one". 

 

Ferrari is not exactly in line with it, starting with Jean Todt.

 

"Scandals happen: in athletics, in football, in cycling. It’s a shame that they happen in F1, but it has happened". 

 

It will be four days of hectic consultations and so far, nobody could predict how it could end. Excluding McLaren? Penalising McLaren? Jean Todt answers again:

 

"It’s not like a menu, with option one or option two. It is a trial and there is evidence. We have discovered new proof; it was our duty in the name of truth. We delivered it. Let’s see if they will let us talk". 

 

This last thing did not happen on Thursday, July 26, 2007: FIA president Max Mosley moved the order of the day for the board of the World Motor Sport Council. Now Mosley can tip the scales again and we can only wait and see what will prevail: legal or political decision?

 

"We will wait and then we’ll make an evaluation". 

 

That is what Jean Todt repeats, suggesting that there could be further developments in the story. 

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Even Bernie Ecclestone, who generally is more focused on the show (every Grand Prix is worth 100.000.000 euros) cannot anticipate what will happen:

 

"I don’t have an opinion. Rather, I don’t want to have one".

 

For now, it is game over. The World Championship seems over. Or maybe not, because in the Ferrari pinball machine, a special has appeared, there is one more ball, if Paris does its duty in front of the FIA World Motor Sport Council, they could still attempt an attack, if not for the record, to the two world titles, the Drivers and Constructors Championships. All that is left for the men of the team from Maranello, if they do not wish to insert another coin and get ready for next year’s game, is to hold on to the spy story, on the trial on Thursday and on that sentence which given the emergence of new evidence should nail McLaren, excluding them from the World Championship or taking many points away from both championships. They have to trust the judges because they cannot trust their drivers anymore. On track, if the game stays like this, if there are no big shocks, after the win in Monza by Fernando Alonso the battle is over. The Spaniard was too fast in the temple of speed, and the McLaren drivers were too far ahead to give the stuttering Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa hope for a comeback. Yes, the fight can be fierce up until the last corner, the Brazilians of Sao Paulo, the crowd of the last race, could witness a heated duel for the win of the World Championship. There will not be a Ferrari driver in the mix but the two great rivals in grey overalls, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, separated only by three points at the moment. Those in red overalls, especially the drivers, may think the opposite, but you have to be realistic. 

 

Kimi Raikkonen is 18 points away from Lewis Hamilton and 15 points away from Fernando Alonso, not even four wins in the last four races could be enough. And Felipe Massa is even further away, 5 points off his teammate, therefore his gap from Hamilton is 23 points. More than two wins by the Brazilians and just as many retirements by the Brit, while he is more than twenty points off Fernando Alonso and the races to go are still four. The World Championship cannot go on forever, it will end, and Felipe Massa will be behind the two rivals. All of this if the pinball machine of Formula 1 had not decided to add more balls this year, filling its world with a number of plot twists, contradictions, and uncertainty. Nothing can be taken for granted and in Paris, with the meeting on Thursday, everything can change. Ferrari did all in their power to uncover new evidence, Jean Todt clearly admits it, he let loose like Fernando Alonso on track, and now he hopes to get justice. Because without their secrets being revealed, they swear in Maranello, in Monza McLaren would not have won. There is little to cry about for Ron Dennis who could have thought about this beforehand. And what if the World Council were to decide differently? Then Ferrari fans would be left to tear their hair out. They were hoping for success and witnessed a resounding defeat. If qualifying, in the words of President Luca Montezemolo, were mediocre, the race went even worse. Everything burns on this Sunday of scorching sun in Monza. Jean Todt, after hours of meetings, frantically searching for a reason, is baffled:

 

"We feel sorry and disappointed. After the 1-2 finish in Turkey, we were hoping to bring home way better results for our Tifosi. McLaren was by far superior; it is useless to deny it. Moreover, our cars proved to lack reliability once again, the necessary talent, the quality that a team needs to have if they want to challenge for a World Championship. Massa is not at fault, it is the team’s responsibility. The rear suspension broke, we didn’t allow him to cross the finish line, and once again he lost precious points". 

 

Indeed, the countless failures cannot give credit to a team that until last year made indestructible cars. On the other side, it is only fair enough to mention that on a strategic level, the ideas of the technicians were right. 

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Once they realised that they were no match for the speed of their rivals, it was smart to have Kimi Raikkonen start with 20 kilograms of fuel more than Hamilton and 15 kilograms more than Fernando Alonso. It was the starting point for a one-stop strategy, a plan that allowed Kimi Raikkonen to find himself ahead of Lewis Hamilton with ten laps to go. But here it was the Finnish driver who was lacking, and he explained himself by saying:

 

"It was the most painful Grand Prix of my life, the most difficult one, and for sure not because of the track or how the race unfolded but because of my accident on Saturday. I had some terrible neck pain, and I was suffering every time I braked. Getting to the end was a challenge". 

 

There is no saving from physical issues. But what is left is that humiliating overtake. 

 

"Hamilton was going twice my speed, I tried to defend but there was nothing I could do. I had old tyres, but even with new tyres, it wouldn’t have changed anything. I was worried going into the braking zone and he was great at squeezing in there. I tried doing my best, but it wasn’t enough".

 

There are even some suggesting that Kimi Raikkonen, worried about his neck, did not even realise that Lewis Hamilton was about to overtake him, that the McLaren driver’s manoeuvre took him by surprise, as the odd hesitation of his hands on the steering wheel would suggest. But the Fin does not clarify that. He only goes so far as saying that the World Championship is not over and that there is some hope left, that he is ready to fight until the end of the season until it is mathematically over given that he is now 18 points behind Lewis Hamilton and 15 points behind Fernando Alonso. Someone who certainly can no longer have dreams of glory is Felipe Massa. As some have said, with such a heated finale, he who stops, is lost. And he stopped, parked in the pits after a few laps.

 

"It is painful to end a race like this, without being able to fight. Suddenly, at the Ascari corner, I felt the car touching the ground, I thought I had a flat tyre and I hastily got back to the pits. We changed tyres but the issue was still there. There was a problem with the left rear suspension, to the dampers. The contact with Hamilton has nothing to do with it, maybe it was because of a kerb. The point is that our comeback is over. I had more fuel than the McLaren drivers. Aside from Alonso, I could have finished second, ahead of Hamilton". 

 

Instead, he left empty-handed. 

 

"This retirement was a disaster". 

 

On Monday, September 10, 2007, Mike Coughlan too, head of designers at McLaren who was suspended in July but never fired by Ron Dennis, from his house in the countryside near London wrote a defence statement addressed to the High Court in London, as he is undergoing a civil lawsuit filed by Ferrari against McLaren and him. In the statement, the engineer goes into detail about the transfer of the papers (780 pages of Ferrari copyrighted material) obtained from Nigel Stepney on Saturday, April 28, 2007, in Barcelona. 

 

"I understood only later on that what Stepney was giving me was confidential information belonging to Ferrari. I was not the one demanding those papers, rather Stepney insisted I take them". 

 

And then:

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"I only looked at them a few times, occasionally". 

 

With head of operations, Jonathan Neale, Coughlan writes:

 

"I talked about the e-mails I received from Stepney in mid-March". 

 

And in a meeting on May 25, 2007:

 

"I showed him a few digital pictures". 

 

Coughlan reiterates an old concept shared by McLaren team principal, Ron Dennis, who maintains that McLaren did not benefit from those papers. In the most heated days of the year for Formula 1, waiting for a FIA World Motor Sport Council that could destroy his McLaren, the rock-solid team principal decides to bring Ferrari and Renault down with him. They have hunted him down for a long time and they would like to see him banished from the pinnacle of four-wheel racing. Dennis feels surrounded, fearing that this time the evidence against McLaren is really overwhelming. And that is where the counterattack starts, beginning from the Monza weekend when he went through every garage, accusing teams of having never hesitated to copy their opponents’ secrets and then carried on announcing that he is going to present two dossiers against Ferrari and Renault on Thursday in Paris, a move aimed at counterbalancing the accusations against his team, an attempt to put his two great rivals in a difficult position and to push the FIA toward into a colossal withdrawal. An attack that could turn the situation around for Ron Dennis as he feels confident about the irregularities performed by Ferrari and Renault these last few years; however, that does not create any concerns in the two rival teams. The team from Maranello, through its chief executive officer, Jean Todt, had been declining any peace offerings for a long time. And in Monza, there was no shortage of great political manoeuvres or mediation proposals but on Sunday night Jean Todt was very clear about where Ferrari stands. 

 

“From our part, there is no will to come to a compromise with McLaren, the FIA has decided that it will be the World Motor Sport Council to decide; we have brought new evidence and we will be present in Paris, convinced that the truth will come out. We are hoping for justice. And if also this time the World Council is not going to agree with us, we are ready to start a civil procedure in England and Italy”. 

 

A war till the bitter end, then. In Paris and eventually, even afterwards. But even Flavio Briatore, Renault team principal, is not taking a conciliatory approach with Ron Dennis:

 

"I don’t know what is in that dossier, I don’t know what he alludes to, he is throwing stones at everything but we are completely relaxed". 

 

But the same calm does not belong to the McLaren boss. According to sources close to him, the dossier against Renault allegedly contains an unspeakable secret, a possible illegality, the nature of which is unknown, which could cause the immediate exclusion from the World Championship of the French team. The matter would be so serious that Flavio Briatore, Friday in Monza, would have met with him, begging him to desist, to calm down and sign a peace, which Ron Dennis would have disdainfully refused. As for Ferrari, the McLaren team principal's dossier contains a considerable list of completely illegal technical and mechanical elements. They would be the infamous skeletons in the closet that Nigel Stepney, the fired Ferrari employee, mentioned in one of his many heartfelt defence statements, then handed to Ron Dennis. Proof that would put the two teams at least on the same level. It is not clear whether these moves are done out of desperation or real counterattacks, the fact is that Ron Dennis has decided to launch a very hard offensive. 

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The issue for him is that more than a free-for-all, right now Formula 1 seems all against him. Certainly, Bernie Ecclestone also made some decisive moves, and it seems that the drastic solution was his idea, the radiation of the McLaren team principal as a move to calm everyone down and restore collective peace, with the addition of course (otherwise Ferrari would never accept) of penalisation for the English team (maybe only in the Constructors’ standings), that would give the Maranello team at least one World Championship. Ron Dennis must have figured it out. And that is why he wants to bring everything down with him. 

 

"Being handed the World Championship would still be a well-deserved win". 

 

It is Luca Montezemolo who makes official what everyone predicts at the Frankfurt Motor Show: a resounding punishment for McLaren as the new evidence that has been uncovered could really strip them of the Constructors’ title, while the Drivers’ would still be at play according to the indications of the track. 

 

And that is no small feat: the Constructors’ title is worth 80.000.000 euros because whoever wins it is entitled to 20% of all the revenue from television rights. 

 

"If the conditions for handing the Championship to us were met, we would have deserved it starting from the assumption that those who won did it in an incorrect, illegal and unsportsmanlike manner. And then it would be a well-deserved victory”.

 

Luca Montezemolo does not want to add more to the spy story:

 

"Because it is something that hurts Formula 1 as a whole and the less it is talked about, the better. What matters to us is that this ugly story is resolved quickly and especially that it can end with the truth". 

 

Ferrari’s president also speaks about the Italian Grand Prix, pointing out that he was left disappointed: 

 

"Because we cannot lose out on these opportunities due to reliability. This year it has happened too many times and that is not good. Anyway, I hope next Sunday we can do better". 

 

In any case, at McLaren, they are worried and not only because of the seven notices of investigation delivered by the Modena prosecutor’s office: the new World Motor Sport Council summoned in place of the Appeal Court has been a plot twist for insiders as well. The sentence that will be given on Thursday, September 13, 2007, could really change everything. 


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