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SILVERSTONE - McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton say a 'spying' controversy involving their team and Ferrari will not damage their Formula One title hopes.
British rookie Hamilton, 14 points clear of double world champion Alonso after eight successive podium finishes including two wins, said he was not concerned ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix.
"It's not something I've really focused on," the 22-year-old said at a karting event on Thursday. "But I think we are a very strong team. If you look at the car, it's totally our car. There's nothing else on there."
Ferrari have dismissed former technical manager Nigel Stepney and taken legal action against him and a McLaren employee, identified in newspapers as chief designer Mike Coughlan, over "the theft of technical information."
Championship leaders McLaren have assured Ferrari none of the leaked information had been incorporated into their race-winning car.
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) is checking that is the case.
However some British and Italian newspapers have speculated that the case could throw the outcome of the championship into doubt, with the possibility of it being decided in a courtroom.
Alonso said it would be business as usual as far as he was concerned.
"I don't know the full story," he told reporters. "From the drivers point of view, we arrived here and drive the car and then fly home on Sunday afternoon. It doesn't change too much."
Ecclestone comments
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone told the Times newspaper that the drivers should not be punished, even if any of the leaked Ferrari information was found to have been used by McLaren.
"It is nothing to do with the driver. He's got the car, he gets into the car, he has no idea," said Ecclestone.
McLaren, who have suspended their employee, are 25 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' standings.
Ferrari also clarified recent events, saying in a statement that English police had not so far been involved in investigating the theft of information.
They said a third party from outside Formula One had informed them in the last two weeks that a senior McLaren employee might have be in possession of "highly-sensitive Ferrari information".
The team then consulted London lawyers last week and made an urgent application to the High Court in London on Monday for their assistance.
- REUTERS
