Corriere della Sera reports that the two former Ferrari employees, Angelo Santini and Mauro Iacconi, have been found guilty of industrial espionage.

Both men left Ferrari and joined Toyota, and though both were subsequently fired by the Japanese team, there were accusations in November 2003 that Toyota's 2003 car, the TF103, bore an uncanny resemblance to the all-conquering Ferrari F2002.

Santini, who left Ferrari at the end of 2002, has been sentenced to nine months imprisonment for disclosing industrial secrets, while Iacconi has been sentenced to sixteen months for the misappropriation of a CD containing (undisclosed) data, together with files and industrial drawings. In both cases the sentences are suspended, and the respective lawyers have revealed that they will appeal.

When speculation regarding the similarity between the TF103 and the F2002 first surfaced, suspicion immediately fell on the two former Ferrari men, though both were fired by the Japanese team before the story broke.

A third technician was also charged but subsequently released.

Both Santini and Iacconi deny the charges, claiming that due to the very nature of F1 - where technology is constantly evolving - industrial secrets have a minimal life span.