NOVEMBER 16, 2007

Mud-slinging in court

The various parties involved in the FIA International Court of Appeal hearing yesterday in London got themselves into a mud-slinging match with Ferrari lawyer Nigel Tozzi accusing McLaren of hypocrisy in its case after McLaren barrister Ian Mill told the court that the BMW Sauber and Williams cars broke the rules on fuel temperature and gained an advantage from the breach.

The various parties involved in the FIA International Court of Appeal hearing yesterday in London got themselves into a mud-slinging match with Ferrari lawyer Nigel Tozzi accusing McLaren of hypocrisy in its case after McLaren barrister Ian Mill told the court that the BMW Sauber and Williams cars broke the rules on fuel temperature and gained an advantage from the breach. Mill argued that the cars should be disqualified and that the others should be moved up the order. Tozzi said that this was exactly the opposite point that Mill argued in the FIA World Council meeting in September when McLaren was punished for bringing the sport into disrepute.

McLaren itself continues to say that the case is about establishing the rules rather than trying to win the World Championship.

The judges are ICA regulars Vassilis Koussis (Greece) and Jose Macedo e Cunha (Portugal), plus American John Cassidy and Jan Stovicek of the Czech Republic. Their judgement is expected later today.

Bernie Ecclestone has said he will consider resigning if the judgement changes the outcome of the World Championship.