Formula One's governing body could today puncture McLaren's championship bid and slam the brakes on the title aspirations of their drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
The spy saga' that has gripped the sport, with leaders McLaren stunned by revelations about their chief designer Mike Coughlan, now suspended, and leaked Ferrari data, comes to a head in Paris.
McLaren will appear before the International Automobile Federation's World Motor Sport Council charged with unauthorised possession of documents and confidential information belonging to their Italian rivals.
At stake, according to the governing body, is the credibility of Formula One and belief in sporting fairness. If the Mercedes-powered team are found guilty of fraudulent conduct, in breach of article 151c of the international sporting code, the penalty could be anything from a reprimand to disqualification.
McLaren lead Ferrari by 27 points with seven races remaining, while the 22-year-old English rookie Hamilton and Spain's double world champion Alonso lead the drivers' standings.
A decision, made without Jean Todt, a council member and the Ferrari boss, who will still be present as an interested party, is expected later today. Central to the hearing is the issue of collective responsibility, even if it is accepted that only one McLaren employee knew about the information.
Ferrari's view is that 780 pages of sensitive data found in their rivals' hands have damaged their efforts and cast doubt on all the results so far.
McLaren say that Coughlan, named in a London High Court action brought against him and his wife by Ferrari, acted alone and material in his possession was unsolicited.
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