Planet F1 has an interesting on Stepneygate, the regular spying that goes on among the F1 teams, and some details of how Ron Dennis handled what could only be described as a blackmail attempt on the part of Alonso.
The fact that the FIA cannot demonstrate exactly where Mclaren gained a technical edge from Ferrari indicates a case not entirely proven, but proven enough for the FIA to send a big warning shot across the bows of any other team that might want to develop a relationship with an unhappy employee in a rival team. They have shown that Coughlan tried to get a lot of information out of a willing source and then denied most of it.
Something had to be done, be it a hard line on Constructor points, huge fines, or drivers points. I am glad that the FIA did not decide to rebalance the Constructor points; kick out Mclaren and be done with it. To be honest, I do not know enough about the ins-and-outs of what happened to know if Mclaren actually gained and used some advantage(s) that should in turn have lead to being excluded from the 2007 Constructors’ Championship.
With the revelation that Fernando Alonso might have threatened Ron Dennis with going to the FIA clucthig his e.mails unless he was made No.1 in the team – forcing Ron to go to the FIA himself – adds a further twist to the case. If that is so, why didn’t Ron just get his I.T. department to send the various inboxes.
This is pretty damning and shows sad desperation (win at all costs) on the part of Fernando. Ron had no choice except to go to the FIA to put the ducks on a table.
In the end, this is just a sorry state of affairs that shows how far F1 has fallen, the power of corruption, and does nothing to inspire confidence that the sport can return to happier days.
