INSIDE MEN; Nigel Stepney and Mike Coughlan made a mess of the F1 season-but who are they?(Competition)

Byline: ADAM COOPER

The recently completed Formula One season was one of the most dramatic in history, and not just because of on-track fights between Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes.

Off the track, the two teams were embroiled in a messy dispute that became known simply as "the spy scandal''-a series of events that entangled Ferrari's Nigel Stepney and McLaren's Mike Coughlan, two men known previously only to paddock insiders and the cognoscenti among fans. The result was a record fine imposed by the F1 sanctioning body, charges of industrial espionage and a championship-leading team torn by internal turmoil, finger pointing and, ultimately, divorce from its lead driver.

Not only did McLaren forfeit its 2007 constructors' championship points, but the team also ended up paying a mind-numbing $100 million penalty that attracted the attention of people who otherwise would pay F1 no mind.

In essence, this is the tale of two well-paid men whose jobs were secure with top teams but who seemed to want just a little bit more for themselves.

Stepney, 49, is at the heart of it all. Until this year, he was regarded as a loyal member of the Ferrari "dream team'' and someone who played a key role in Ferrari's success during the Michael Schumacher era.

Stepney had worked previously for the Shadow, Lotus and Benetton teams, progressing through the ranks to become a chief mechanic. He had a reputation as someone who got the job done, and in 1993, he moved to Ferrari.