Renault suspend 'spying' engineer

Renault have suspended an engineer who brought technical information with him from McLaren.

The French team, which is vowing to co-operate fully with Formula One's governing body after being caught up in the latest 'spying' scandal to rock the sport, is certain that none of the data found its way into their cars.

The FIA has ordered the 2005 and 2006 World Constructors' Championship winners to appear before the World Motor Sport Council in Monaco on December 6, to answer a charge in relation to a breach of article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

Renault stand accused of possessing confidential information belonging to rivals McLaren.

And a spokesman for the team said: "Ever since the matter was brought to our attention, we have acted with complete transparency towards McLaren and the FIA - and we will continue to do so."

The FIA said that between September 2006 and October this year "the Renault F1 team had unauthorised possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes".

This included - but was not limited to - "the layout and critical dimensions of the McLaren F1 car, together with details of the McLaren fuelling system, gear assembly, oil-cooling system, hydraulic control system and a novel suspension component used by the 2006 and 2007 McLaren F1 cars".

McLaren, who were hit with a £47.5 million fine and thrown out of the 2007 World Constructors' Championship after being found guilty of a similar charge in September, have yet to comment on the matter.

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