Stepney and Coughlan are not on the same wavelength
The testimonies provided by Nigel Stepney, on one hand, and Mike Coughlan, on the other, do not corroborate. Stepney was questioned yesterday by the Italian magistrate in charge of the investigation into the espionage case between Ferrari and McLaren. The former Scuderia mechanic stated that he had nothing to hide. His lawyer, Sonia Bartolini, stated […]

The testimonies provided by Nigel Stepney, on one hand, and Mike Coughlan, on the other, do not corroborate.
Stepney was questioned yesterday by the Italian magistrate in charge of the investigation into the espionage case between Ferrari and McLaren. The former Scuderia mechanic stated that he had nothing to hide.
His lawyer, Sonia Bartolini, stated that her client denied having given any Ferrari information to Coughlan.
« When my client was questioned, he rejected the accusation that he had given Coughlan the 780-page file for McLaren to use, » said Bartolini in the columns of the Gazzetta dello Sport.
There were always contacts between them, but there was never any delivery of written documents.
« It is true that Nigel and Coughlan met in Barcelona last spring with the aim of organizing an event for Honda. They scribbled a few drawings, that’s all. In fact, Nigel refutes this 780-page document because he never had it in his possession. »
That’s why he is disappointed by Coughlan’s statements which are completely contradictory to his own. The latter are, however, in perfect harmony with the FIA’s statements, she continued.
La Gazzetta reports that there might be the possibility of Coughlan and Stepney being questioned together, face-to-face.
« For the moment, Stepney’s interrogation is more than sufficient. He has cooperated by answering each of my questions, » stated Giuseppe Tibis, the magistrate.
« I will undoubtedly conduct other interviews in the month of March. »
Bartolini added: « The confrontation can turn out to be positive, Stepney has nothing to hide. If anyone has things to be blamed for, it is indeed Coughlan who should clarify his position. »