Spygate: The scandal that would change the sport

Spygate is arguably the biggest scandal in F1’s history. Ferrari’s former Chief Mechanic, Nigel Stepney, was fired after sharing confidential technical information with a close friend at McLaren. Ferrari took legal action against the McLaren employee, who was later revealed to be Chief designer Mike Coughlan.

Stepney had shared almost 800 pages-worth of Ferrari’s secrets, which Coughlan would then have his wife photocopy at a photocopying shop in Woking.

Ferrari’s allegations against former employee Nigel Stepney, Senior McLaren engineer Mike Coughlan and his wife Trudy Coughlan became a subject of legal action in Italy and a FIA investigation, with a FIA hearing taking place on July 26, 2007. McLaren walked away without any penalties as investigations found that no Ferrari document “had been passes to any other members of the team or incorporated into our cars”. The FIA had found that McLaren had been in possession of the documents, but there was no evidence that Ferrari’s design secrets were incorporated into the design of the car.

Noise around the scandal rose again at the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix during a heated qualifying session. After Hamilton refuses Alonso to past, the Spaniard retaliated by holding up Hamilton in the pits, denying the Brit from setting a faster lap time.

Following the incident, a heated discussion between Alonso and McLaren Boss, Ross Dennis, Alonso allegedly threatening to share incriminating emails relating to the ‘Spygate’ scandal. Dennis reportedly phones FIA President Max Mosley, telling him what Alonso had said leading to a hearing that would change the sport.

A second hearing took place on September 13, 2007, to re-analyse claims that McLaren had benefited from Ferrari’s information to gain an advantage. McLaren were found guilt and fined a record breaking 100 million dollars. In addition to the enormous fine, McLaren were also disqualified from the Constructors championship.

While the team had suffered from the second hearing, neither McLaren drivers were affected by the decision, being found not guilty and allowed to continue battling for the title. Ultimately, it was Kimi Räikkönen who would take the title for the 2007 season.