F1: McLaren to bring Renault down to their level?

[Rory Phoulorie]

Thursday 6th December 2007

After going head-to-head in the courtroom today, McLaren and Renault are likely to have to rub shoulders at the pauper's end of the pitlane in 2008.

In an echo of the Stepneygate crisis that saw the team stripped of its 2007 Constructor points, McLaren have accused their rivals of using 'stolen' technical information. The allegations will be considered by the World Motor Sport Council on Thursday.

McLaren have been forced into an embarrassing climbdown ahead of the hearing by the governing body, an indication, perhaps, that the FIA are preparing to look favourably on Renault's defence.

However, as The Guardian points out, 'For Max Mosley, the FIA president, a guilty verdict against Renault would offer an opportunity to demonstrate to the sceptical that the governing body is even-handed in imposing penalties for seriously infringing the rules. On the other hand, some rival team principals point out that disqualifying Renault from third place after a season in which they failed to win a single race hardly equates to the penalty handed out to McLaren, who were locked in a championship duel with Ferrari when they lost their points at the end of August.'

The likelihood is that Renault will be deducted their 2007 points. While such a punishment would not preclude Fernando Alonso from rejoining the team, it would mean that, with the position of the teams along the pitlane determined by the previous year's Constructors' Championship, Renault would be placed alongside McLaren next to F1's poor cousins such as Spyker and Force India.

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