Ferrari and McLaren have brought to an end the legal proceedings between them resulting from the 'spy' saga last year, although the Italian Formula 1 team's court action against its former mechanic Nigel Stepney remains unaffected.

Ferrari and McLaren have brought to an end the legal proceedings between them resulting from the 'spy' saga last year, although the Italian Formula 1 team's on-going court action against its former mechanic Nigel Stepney remains unaffected. Both firms issued statements on Friday, with McLaren agreeing to pay Ferrari's legal costs.

The 'spy' scandal rocked F1 last year and resulted in the English team receiving a record US$100 million fine from the FIA as well as being stripped of its constructors' championship points. The FIA ended its action late last year after McLaren admitted that the Ferrari information was seen more widely that had been previously admitted, while new Scuderia Team Principal Stefano Domenicali, who replaced Jean Todt for this year, is believed to have been keen to move on from the whole affair and instrumental in this conclusion.

"Ferrari acknowledges McLaren's reiterated apology for the well known events which occurred during the 2007 F1 Championship and, in the best interests of Formula 1 and taking into account the formal closure in December 2007 of the FIA and FIA World Motor Sport Council proceedings against McLaren, it confirms that it has accepted to put an end to all outstanding controversies between the two teams," said the statement issued in Maranello. "Ferrari will donate to charity the concluding payment received from McLaren," its added before concluding: Ferrari will pursue its claims against Nigel Stepney in connection with the matter."

Meanwhile McLaren also issued a statement the same day: "In light of the formal closure in December 2007 of the FIA and FIA World Motor Sport Council proceedings against McLaren, and of McLaren’s public apology to Ferrari which we have reiterated, Ferrari and McLaren have agreed to bring the various disputes between them in relation to this matter to a final conclusion," the statement issued in Woking read. "McLaren has also agreed to the reimbursement of Ferrari’s costs and expenses relating to these matters and a concluding payment," it concluded.