PARIS -- Formula One's governing body will hear an appeal regarding its decision not to impose sanctions against McLaren for obtaining confidential information from rival Ferrari.
FIA president Max Mosley said Tuesday he was sending the case to the body's court of appeal to allow Ferrari to present its case and to ensure "public confidence" in the result.
Previously, FIA had said no appeal was permitted.
After a hearing in Paris last Thursday, FIFA ruled McLaren did possess secret Ferrari documents but did not punish the team because there was insufficient evidence the material was misused.
Mosley decided to allow the appeal after receiving a letter from Luigi Macaluso, head of the Italian automobile association, which represents Ferrari.
"Your letter suggests that the outcome may have been different if the Council had given Ferrari further opportunities to be heard beyond those that were in fact offered," Mosley wrote. "Because of this and the importance of public confidence in the outcome, I will send this matter to the FIA Court of Appeal ... with a request that the Court hear both Ferrari and McLaren and any other Championship competitor who so requests.
A 780-page technical dossier on Ferrari cars was found at the home of McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan, who has since been suspended. The Ferrari mechanic who allegedly supplied the documents, Nigel Stepney, was fired.
McLaren said Ferrari had waged a "thoroughly misleading press campaign" and that there was nothing new to discuss.
"McLaren is not aware of any new information or arguments that have arisen since the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council and therefore assumes that these same materials will now be considered by the FIA International Court of Appeal," the team said in a statement. "While this is both disappointing and time-consuming, McLaren is confident that the FIA International Court of Appeal will also exonerate McLaren."
