Ferrari has accused its former technical manager Nigel Stepney and a senior McLaren engineer of stealing technical secrets, the Italian team's spokesman confirmed.

Ferrari, announcing earlier on Tuesday that it had dismissed Stepney, filed the lawsuit in England and obtained a search warrant.

Ferrari sources said that a significant amount of classified information was found when searching the house of the McLaren employee and they were not ruling out other teams having also received some.

McLaren announced that the unidentified McLaren employee had been suspended. The team said it found out only on Tuesday the involvement of the employee.

"Whilst McLaren has no involvement in the matter and condemns such actions, it will fully co-operate with any investigation," the team said.

Stepney, who is on holiday in the Philippines with his partner and child, has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that he is the victim of a "dirty tricks campaign."

McLaren is leading Ferrari by 25 points in the constructors' championship after eight races, with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone being held on Sunday.

(Xinhua News Agency via Agencies July 4, 2007)