Stepney's conduct

Nigel Stepney, the Ferrari engineer at the centre of a legal investigation in Italy, has been dismissed by the team, according to reports in the Italian press. Ferrari confirmed to ITV Sport at the French Grand Prix that it was carrying out its own inquiry into Stepney's conduct in parallel with the police investigation. Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport now reports that Ferrari's investigation is complete and the squad has formally ended Stepney's contract. Stepney is currently on holiday in the Philippines, but is expected to return later this week. He has maintained his innocence throughout the affair and is expected to give a press conference when he returns. According to Gazzetta, Stepney's lawyer Sonia Bartolini was not surprised by Ferrari's decision, but says the British engineer will be able to prove that he has done nothing wrong. Although few details have been released about the nature of the investigation, Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni told ITV Sport that it related to irregularities discovered at the Ferrari factory prior to the Monaco Grand Prix.