Break-in at McLaren

THE McLaren garage in Buenos Aires was broken into last week and one of the Mercedes V10 engines was tampered with by someone who knew exactly what it was they were looking for. The Mercedes V10 - which is built by Ilmor Engineering - features a variable trumpet system and it seems that someone is keen to know more about it.

This sort of espionage is not new in F1. A couple of years ago two Renault V10 engines were stolen from separate motor shows in France and never traced, and there are often suggestions that information is moved from one team to another in exchange for money.

Shell also reported the theft of some of its F1 fuel, but this was found in the possession of a local, who was pouring it into his road car.