The Spy Who Came in From Maranello: Charges Filed in Formula One Flap With Ferrari
01-18-06, 12:42 AM
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The Spy Who Came in From Maranello: Charges Filed in Formula One Flap With Ferrari
COLOGNE, Germany — Three former officials of Toyota's Formula One racing operation, based in Cologne, have been charged with illegally using Ferrari's aerodynamics-testing technology. The men will be brought before a German court that specializes in "economic crimes," reports BBC News.
Former chief designer Gustav Brunner, former vice chairman Ove Andersson, and former head of aerodynamics Rene Hilhorst have been named. They are accused of having used a data analysis program that they obtained from a former technician for Ferrari when that person came to Toyota in 2002, the year Toyota's Formula One operations began.
German prosecutors accuse the three officials with having used the Ferrari program in 2002 and 2003 to develop racing cars even though they were aware the program had been obtained illegally, Reuters reports.
What this means to you: A little skullduggery to liven up the off season — but also a sobering reminder that the competition in racing is intense even before the cars are started.
Soruce: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=108961
D'oh!
Former chief designer Gustav Brunner, former vice chairman Ove Andersson, and former head of aerodynamics Rene Hilhorst have been named. They are accused of having used a data analysis program that they obtained from a former technician for Ferrari when that person came to Toyota in 2002, the year Toyota's Formula One operations began.
German prosecutors accuse the three officials with having used the Ferrari program in 2002 and 2003 to develop racing cars even though they were aware the program had been obtained illegally, Reuters reports.
What this means to you: A little skullduggery to liven up the off season — but also a sobering reminder that the competition in racing is intense even before the cars are started.
Soruce: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=108961
D'oh!
01-18-06, 03:44 PM
#6
The story itself is very old. The news about the men involved being charged is new though. Toyota and Ferrari have already been in court about the stolen software. Earlier Toyota admited to possessing and using the stolen Ferrari software to develop their program, but refused to return the software back to Ferrari because the claimed they have too much Toyota software within the Ferrari software that returning it back to Ferrari would give Ferrari insight to the Toyota software Anyway, all this was a few years back so I haven't keept up on the latest.
Stealing secrets and technology may indeed come with racing just like cheating or bending the rules in your favor. But when you get caught, you face the consequences. Toyota was banned from rally racing because they bent the rules too far. They came into F1 with that cloud over their head, then very soon after this stolen Ferrari software issue came to light.
Anyway, all this was a few years back so I haven't keept up on the latest.Stealing secrets and technology may indeed come with racing just like cheating or bending the rules in your favor. But when you get caught, you face the consequences. Toyota was banned from rally racing because they bent the rules too far. They came into F1 with that cloud over their head, then very soon after this stolen Ferrari software issue came to light.
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