In a reversal of their July decision, the World Motor Sport Council today fined McLaren $100 million and stripped them of any Formula 1 Constructors’ points which they have or might still score this year.
In a nutshell, the so-called Stepneygate spying saga began when Nigel Stepney (then employed by Ferrari) is alleged to have stolen some Ferrari technical data and sent it to Mike Coughlan (then employed by McLaren) because both of them wanted to get a job with Honda. Both of them have, of course, strongly denied this.
In July the World Motor Sport Council found that while McLaren may have had the data, there was insufficient evidence that they had misused it.
Something obviously must have changed since then but, in a bizarre move, they have decided to announce McLaren’s punishment today while the “new evidence” that it was based on will not be made public until tomorrow.
This decision will not affect the Drivers’ Championship as FIA President Max Mosley offered the McLaren drivers immunity if they came forward voluntarily. As Mosley has reportedly long been at odds with McLaren boss Ron Dennis this may be his way of hitting out at Dennis while only partially ruining the season for the fans.