Ferrari Formula for success goes to court

Today's Telegraph reports on the dispute that has erupted between the Ferrari and McLaren Formula One motor racing teams over alleged espionage, which has now reached the courts. Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney has been accused of supplying McLaren's chief designer Mike Coughlan with 780 pages worth of secret technical information recorded on two computer disks. At yesterday's preliminary hearing Coughlan and his wife were ordered to pay costs following an early-morning search of their home by officials last week.

Right: without a generous helping of Ferrari's secret information, Noddy made slow progress on the Silverstone track.

Counsel for Ferrari is reported as having told Mr Justice Briggs that the Coughlans should not have had the documents which the search recovered and that their conduct might never have come to light, were it not for a tip-off from a photocopying agency. Stepney, who denies any breach of confidence, also faces a criminal investigation in Italy, where Ferrari are based. The trial continues.

The IPKat will be watching this dispute closely for further developments. Merpel says, you can watch for the weak puns, cliches and motoring metaphors too.

Incredible secret formulae here
Ferrari - the car here
Ferrari - the cartelli here