This was on the news today
“A record $US100 million ($A119 million) fine at least isn’t likely to cost McLaren the Formula One drivers’ title.

In the biggest scandal to hit auto racing’s premier circuit, McLaren was not only fined but also stripped of all points in the constructors’ standings by the World Motor Sports Council for allegedly using leaked secret technical documents belonging to rival Ferrari.

But Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who lead the drivers’ standings, weren’t punished and are well ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa with four races left.

Hamilton, in his debut Formula One season, leads with 92 points, followed by two-time champion Alonso with 89. Raikkonen (74) and Massa (69) are third and fourth.

FIA said it did not penalise McLaren’s drivers “due to exceptional circumstances” because they provided evidence in exchange for immunity.

The fine dwarfs the previous Formula One record of $US2.5 million ($A2.99 million) imposed on the Turkish Grand Prix organisers in September 2006 for allowing the Turkish Cypriot leader to present the winner’s prize.

Asked whether the futures of Hamilton and Alonso at McLaren had been compromised by the spy scandal, McLaren chief Ron Dennis said the two drivers remained under contract.

“We have contracts with both of our drivers, multi-year contracts, and there has been no discussion about varying them,” Dennis said.

“We have two of the best drivers in the world. If there is any variation to those contracts then it will be by mutual agreement.”

The case broke in July when a 780-page technical dossier on Ferrari cars was found at the home of McLaren’s chief designer, Mike Coughlan, who was later suspended.

Ferrari mechanic Nigel Stepney, who allegedly supplied the documents, was fired.

The World Motor Sport Council ruled in July that McLaren was guilty of fraudulent conduct for possessing the Ferrari documents, but didn’t punish the team because there was insufficient evidence the material was misused.

However, FIA called a new hearing of the council last week after “new evidence” had emerged.

Dennis said that the evidence given by his drivers, engineers and staff clearly demonstrated that his team did not use any leaked information to gain a competitive advantage.

“The evidence today was primarily e-mail traffic between our drivers, and in one instance, Mike Coughlan,” Dennis said. “These were a few e-mails and the drivers have stated categorically that no information was passed to the team, and of course, the team had no knowledge of this e-mail traffic at any stage.”

Among those appearing at the hearing before the 26-member council were Hamilton, Dennis and McLaren test driver Pedro De La Rosa. Alonso did not attend.

“There will be no issue for the 2008 season as we have not at any stage used any intellectual property of any other team,” Dennis said.

Dennis argued that the fine is effectively halved because McLaren doesn’t have to forfeit any revenue it’s earned this season. He added that the financial strength of McLaren also would help absorb the impact of the fine.

“We turn over roughly $US450 million ($A538 million) to $US500 million ($A598 million) a year and we are debt free, so we’re a very strong company (with) phenomenal growth.”

Alonso and Hamilton finished 1-2 in Sunday’s Italian GP – at Ferrari’s home track of Monza – to extend McLaren’s lead in the constructors’ championship to 23 points. McLaren had 166, Ferrari 143.

Also under the ruling, McLaren is ineligible from earning any more points in the final races of the season.

McLaren escaped the harshest possible penalty – banishment for it and its drivers from the 2007 and 2008 championships.

The England-based team said it will wait for FIA to publish its findings Friday before deciding whether to appeal, but Dennis said that his future plans to hand over control to McLaren COO Martin Whitmarsh won’t be expedited because of the scandal.

Separately, McLaren was notified Saturday that it is being investigated in a separate criminal inquiry in Italy.

Dennis and five other team members are reportedly under investigation.

Those allegations stem from Ferrari’s criminal case against Stepney for allegedly placing a mysterious white powder on the gas tanks of the team’s cars before the Monaco Grand Prix, in a supposed sabotage attempt.”