The French Grand Prix will keep its place on the Formula 1 calendar next year, while Australia will retain its traditional role as the season-opener.

The FIA released a provisional 2008 schedule on Friday, listing 18 races including the new events in Valencia - which will take over the European Grand Prix moniker - and Singapore.

France was initially expected to lose its race after Bernie Ecclestone said F1 would not be returning to Magny-Cours, but the Nevers circuit has secured a stay of execution while a new venue is sought in Paris.

The end of the contract between F1 and Indianapolis means there will be no US Grand Prix for the first time since 1999, leaving Canada as the only North American race.

The Montreal event is pending contractual confirmation, while Singapore and Valencia are subject to the street circuits being approved.

The other notable change is the move of the Turkish GP from August to May.


Provisional 2008 calendar

March 16 Australia
March 23 Malaysia
April 6 Bahrain
April 27 Spain
May 11 Turkey
May 25 Monaco
June 6 Canada*
June 22 France
July 6 Great Britain
July 20 Germany
August 3 Hungary
August 24 Europe (Valencia)**
September 7 Italy
September 14 Belgium
September 28 Singapore**
October 12 China
October 19 Japan
November 2 Brazil

* pending contractual confirmation
** subject to circuit approval

Source: ITV.com/F1

I see your point, illegal possesion of another teams documents should be punishable, but it seems insufficient evidence couldn't do it.

But Everyone at McLaren will be watching everyone becuase if anything like this is to happen again McLaren faces expulsion from not only the rest of this year but also next year.

I understand mate, we all share your feelings.

But back to the topic. with 2 points seperating the McLaren drivers in the standings. should be an interesting close to the season.

Good one mate, but i think that should go in the unlikely headline threaf here

Cheers ;)

Ferrari has responded with anger and disgust to the FIA's decision not to penalise McLaren for possessing leaked data.

At today's extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris, McLaren was found guilty of having broken the sporting code when a 780-page dossier of Ferrari information was found at chief designer Mike Coughlan's home - but was not punished because there was no evidence that the team had made use of the data.

This decision has enraged Ferrari, which believes the guilty verdict should have carried a punishment regardless of whether there was evidence that McLaren had benefited from the information.

"Ferrari notes that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been found guilty by the FIA World Council," said a Ferrari statement.

"It therefore finds it incomprehensible that violating the fundamental principle of sporting honesty does not have, as a logical and inevitable consequence, the application of a sanction."

The FIA's original summons to McLaren referred only to the team having "unauthorised possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, including information that could be used to design, engineer, build, check, test, develop and/or run a 2007 Ferrari Formula 1 car."

Ferrari vehemently rejected McLaren's defence that the case related only to a rogue individual rather than the team as a whole.

It claimed that the FIA verdict undermined Formula 1.

"Today's decision legitimises dishonest behaviour in Formula 1 and sets a very serious precedent," the statement continued.

"In fact, the decision of the World Council signifies that possession, knowledge at the very highest level and use of highly confidential information acquired in an illicit manner and the acquiring of confidential information over the course of several months, represent violations that do not carry any punishment.

"The fact that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was in possession of such information was discovered totally by accident and, but for this, the team would continue to have it.

"This is all the more serious as it has occurred in a sport like Formula 1 in which small details make all the difference.

"Ferrari feels this is highly prejudicial to the credibility of the sport."

The team did not make any comment about whether it would appeal against the FIA's decision, but it will continue to pursue the cases it has brought against Coughlan and its former engineer Nigel Stepney, who is the alleged source of the leak.

"It will continue with the legal action already under way within the Italian criminal justice system and in the civil court in England," Ferrari's statement concluded.

Source: ITV.com/F1

Yea, that would of been devastating, lets hope it serves as a warning to other teams to not aquire another teams data and use it on their car, cus this'll be the consequence

EDIT: Below is the official FIA Statement.

The WMSC is satisfied that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was in possession of confidential Ferrari information and is therefore in breach of article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

However, there is insufficient evidence that this information was used in such a way as to interfere improperly with the FIA Formula One World Championship.

We therefore impose no penalty.

But if it is found in the future that the Ferrari information has been used to the detriment of the championship, we reserve the right to invite Vodafone McLaren Mercedes back in front of the WMSC where it will face the possibility of exclusion from not only the 2007 championship but also the 2008 championship.

The WMSC will also invite Mr Stepney and Mr Coughlan to show reason why they should not be banned from international motor sport for a lengthy period and the WMSC has delegated authority to deal with this matter to the legal department of the FIA.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has decided not to impose any penalty on McLaren for possessing confidential Ferrari data at the present time - but warned that the team could be excluded from the championship if more evidence emerges.

The governing body said that while there was no doubt that the team's chief designer Mike Coughlan had had access to the leaked information, there was no proof that McLaren had benefited in any way.

"The WMSC is satisfied that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was in possession of confidential Ferrari information and is therefore in breach of article 151c of the International Sporting Code," said an FIA statement.

"However, there is insufficient evidence that this information was used in such a way as to interfere improperly with the FIA Formula One World Championship.

"We therefore impose no penalty."

But the FIAsaid it wouldsummon McLaren again if it subsequently emerged that the team had made use of the data - and threatened very draconian penalties in that event.

"But if it is found in the future that the Ferrari information has been used to the detriment of the championship, we reserve the right to invite Vodafone McLaren Mercedes back in front of the WMSC where it will face the possibility of exclusion from not only the 2007 championship but also the 2008 championship," it said.

The FIA spotlight will now turn to Coughlan and Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney, the other figure at the centre of the scandal.

Stepney is believed to be the source of the Ferrari data found at Coughlan's house.

He was sacked by Ferrari after an investigation into his actions, and is the subject of a criminal case in Italy.

Shortly after the scandal broke, it emerged that Stepney and Coughlan had made a joint approach to Honda and were interested in joining the team's staff.

The FIA intends to pursue action against the two men.

"The WMSC will also invite Mr Stepney and Mr Coughlan to show reason why they should not be banned from international motor sport for a lengthy period and the WMSC has delegated authority to deal with this matter to the legal department of the FIA," said its statement.

Source: ITV.com/F1

Today is the day McLaren are summoned to the World Motor Sport council and will find out their fate. will it be points deduction? a fine? or at worst complete disqualification.

Lets have your views on D-Day of the Espionage scandel.

Rumours are circulating that the Toro Rosso drivers, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed could be ousted from the team sooner than the end of the season.

Sebastian Vettel looks to be in line for one of the seats