Ferrari has reacted swiftly and strongly to the FIA World Motorsports Council's surprise decision this afternoon not to impose any form of sanction on McLaren-Mercedes, this conclusion coming despite the 25-member body finding the English team guilty breaching the sporting code and of being in possession of highly sensitive information belonging to the Maranello outfit.

Ferrari issued its own statement shortly after the WMSC delivered its verdict, expressing its dissatisfaction with the outcome, that it legitimises dishonest behaviour in the sport, and confirming that the legal action it is currently taking in Italy and the UK will continue.

Ferrari statement (26/07/2007)

Based on today's decision of the FIA World Council:

- The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team has been found to be in breach of article 151c of the F1 Sporting Regulations and to have therefore behaved in "a fraudulent manner and therefore in a manner prejudicial to the interests of competition or motor sport in general,"
- The World Council has nevertheless decided that, in the absence of any definite proof that information that is the property of Ferrari has been effectively used on the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car competing in the current championship, it can impose no sanction without further evidence.
 

Ferrari notes that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been found guilty by the FIA World Council. It therefore finds it incomprehensible that violating the fundamental principle of sporting honesty does not have, as a logical and inevitable consequence, the application of a sanction. Today's decision legitimises dishonest behaviour in Formula 1 and sets a very serious precedent. In fact, 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 that do not carry any punishment. The fact that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was 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 1 in which small details make all the difference.

Ferrari feels this is highly prejudicial to the credibility of the sport. It will continue with the legal action already under way within the Italian criminal justice system and in the civil court in England.