Nigel Stepney, the man at the center of the Ferrari espionage row, last night denied any wrongdoing and firmly denied suggestions that he had passed on confidential documents to Mike Coughlan, who was suspended from his role as chief designer at McLaren. Speaking publicly for the first time, Stepney said: 'I have no idea how Mike Coughlan got the documents and I have no idea exactly what is supposed to be'.
Stepney for the first time aware of the legal moves by Ferrari on May 17. There have been suggestions that England was behind the discovery of the powder in the fuel tanks of Ferrari cars being prepared for the Monaco Grand Prix. Searched Stepney in an apartment in Serramazzoni, near the headquarters of Ferrari in Maranello, but no charge. Stepney is still under investigation in Italy.
While Stepney was on holiday with his girlfriend, Ash, and their daughter, aged one year old, Sabine, last week, came news reports about the discovery of documents Ferrari at the home of Coughlan, a development that led automatically to the link between the two engineers as they worked together at Benetton and, later, in a Ferrari. Stepney said harassment by unknown has reached this limit since his return that he was forced to flee from Italy.
'There was a high-speed car chases, and said Stepney. 'We have seen more than one car, with Italian plates, and when we cornered one of them last Thursday evening with the man she refused to speak. I do not think they were journalists. Ash was chasing in the house. There was tracking gear on my car. And someone will get hurt. I'd have no choice but to get out of Italy. '
Stepney began his career as a mechanic with the Shadow team in 1978 before moving to Lotus and Benetton. He joined Ferrari in 1993 and was instrumental in the reorganization of disparate team that went once to win the world championship five times with Michael Schumacher.
'At the first sign of a potential problem came in September last year when Ross Brawn [Ferrari technical director] and he will take a full-time technical and management structure will change, "said Stepney.
The discussions with Jean Todt, executive officer in the Ferrari, Stepney to take responsibility for the race and test teams.
'I wanted to report to Aldo Costa, the head design of the structure of the car, "said Stepney. 'Was the right person to answer. I did not want to respond to Mario Almondo, director of new technology. 'Almondo had been promoted to human resources, in the opinion would Stepney, and lack of understanding of the necessary technical. However, Stepney agreed to continue with the team for another year. At the end of December, caused a stir lightly quoted widely with the expression of his dissatisfaction with the new management structure.
'By mid-February, the relationship began to break, "said Stepney. 'I can not work with them. I missed the relationship one-to-one with Ross. He knew exactly what to do, and I'm always 100 per cent support from Ross. I am now four or five people to report to. It is very frustrating.
'I told Jean Todt I did not want to travel more. I wanted to sit down and look in the future. Ferrari took very badly. The role of head of development on the basis of performance in the factory. I began to feel like I'm some kind of traitor, just because I no longer wanted to travel.
'At that stage, I was not looking anywhere else. But whenever I discussed anything with people in the factory in the context of my job to do, the Fed once again to senior management. People are afraid to talk with me. I put in a position where it was difficult to do my job. By the end of March and the situation was unbearable. Started to look at other teams, and approached Nick Fry [Executive Director of Team Honda F1].
'I met with [Coughlan] Mike at the end of April [28, in Port Ginesta in Spain]. I'd had one meeting with Nick and did not want to go to the second one alone. At first, Mike was not looking at this step, although he was not satisfied with the management team McLaren. He then mentioned three or four people at Ferrari for me, after reading the stories of my approach to Honda, they will be interested in joining the technical team to move to another team. Follow us wanted to go to the temple which they felt comfortable.
'There was a high-speed car chases, and said Stepney. 'We have seen more than one car, with Italian plates, and when we cornered one of them last Thursday evening with the man she refused to speak. I do not think they were journalists. Ash was chasing in the house. There was tracking gear on my car. And someone will get hurt. I'd have no choice but to get out of Italy. '
Stepney began his career as a mechanic with the Shadow team in 1978 before moving to Lotus and Benetton. He joined Ferrari in 1993 and was instrumental in the reorganization of disparate team that went once to win the world championship five times with Michael Schumacher.
'At the first sign of a potential problem came in September last year when Ross Brawn [Ferrari technical director] and he will take a full-time technical and management structure will change, "said Stepney.
The discussions with Jean Todt, executive officer in the Ferrari, Stepney to take responsibility for the race and test teams.
'I wanted to report to Aldo Costa, the head design of the structure of the car, "said Stepney. 'Was the right person to answer. I did not want to respond to Mario Almondo, director of new technology. 'Almondo had been promoted to human resources, in the opinion would Stepney, and lack of understanding of the necessary technical. However, Stepney agreed to continue with the team for another year. At the end of December, caused a stir lightly quoted widely with the expression of his dissatisfaction with the new management structure.
'By mid-February, the relationship began to break, "said Stepney. 'I can not work with them. I missed the relationship one-to-one with Ross. He knew exactly what to do, and I'm always 100 per cent support from Ross. I am now four or five people to report to. It is very frustrating.
'I told Jean Todt I did not want to travel more. I wanted to sit down and look in the future. Ferrari took very badly. The role of head of development on the basis of performance in the factory. I began to feel like I'm some kind of traitor, just because I no longer wanted to travel.
'At that stage, I was not looking anywhere else. But whenever I discussed anything with people in the factory in the context of my job to do, the Fed once again to senior management. People are afraid to talk with me. I put in a position where it was difficult to do my job. By the end of March and the situation was unbearable. Started to look at other teams, and approached Nick Fry [Executive Director of Team Honda F1].
'I met with [Coughlan] Mike at the end of April [28, in Port Ginesta in Spain]. I'd had one meeting with Nick and did not want to go to the second one alone. At first, Mike was not looking at this step, although he was not satisfied with the management team McLaren. He then mentioned three or four people at Ferrari for me, after reading the stories of my approach to Honda, they will be interested in joining the technical team to move to another team. Follow us wanted to go to the temple which they felt comfortable.
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