F1’s espionage scandal reached a new and dispiriting low at the Hungaroring on Saturday.
It emerged from the scene of the Hungarian grand prix near Budapest today that Bernie Ecclestone had to think again after summoning the four championship-challenging drivers to his motor home.
The F1 supremo wanted a photograph with himself and the four McLaren and Ferrari drivers; but, because of the tension between the two top teams at present, Ferrari boss Jean Todt barred his drivers from playing along.
The German broadcaster Premiere asked Mercedes’ Norbert Haug what he thought of Todt’s decision.
“Then we should do a photo with Bernie and the other two drivers,” the German said.
It also emerged in Hungary that Renault’s Flavio Briatore has well and truly entered the spy argument by calling for McLaren’s exclusion from the championship.
Italian media quoted him as also threatening to protest the FIA’s decision to use McLaren as its supplier of standard Electronic Control Units (ECU) for 2008.
Premiere asked Haug if he thought Renault’s Briatore was wrongly interfering in the issue between McLaren and Ferrari.
“I don’t see it that way,” the German answered. “If I am right, what he said is that we should be guilty — but we are not.”
