Suspended Coughlan gives Ferrari affidavit

McLaren's suspended Mike Coughlan avoided court today when he provided the Ferrari F1 team with an affidavit. Photo / Reuters

LONDON - A further High Court clash between Ferrari and suspended McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan was called off after he provided the Italian Formula One team with a requested affidavit.

The court heard in a preliminary hearing on Tuesday that Coughlan and his wife Trudy were alleged to have "behaved disgracefully" by copying and keeping documents belonging to Ferrari.

Judge John Briggs had ordered the Coughlans to deliver affidavits to Ferrari by 1030 local time (0930 GMT) on Wednesday, saying a further hearing would go ahead if they did not comply.

The court heard on Tuesday that the Coughlans' lawyers were considering whether producing the affidavits would potentially affect the couple's rights to avoid self-incrimination in respect of related criminal proceedings in Italy.

Ferrari said in a statement that Coughlan had provided them with an affidavit "relating to relevant facts and Ferrari has agreed not to forward the affidavit to the Italian criminal authorities".

It added that the agreement between the two parties concerned only the procedural aspects.

"The case brought by Ferrari in England against the Coughlans therefore continues in terms of what is decided by the High Court in London."

- REUTERS