Sep.9 (GMM) A McLaren spokeswoman late on Saturday finally confirmed that key team members are under investigation by authorities in the northern Italian region Modena.

We reported shortly after qualifying at the circuit that police had served boss Ron Dennis and some of his deputies with avviso di garanzias - or formal notices of pending prosecutions - for alleged crimes including sporting fraud, espionage and embezzlement.

"The team was informed on Saturday evening by Modena magistrates that they are involved in an ongoing investigation," the spokeswoman said.

The Italian news agency ANSA added that, alongside McLaren's Dennis, Mike Coughlan, Martin Whitmarsh, Paddy Lowe, Jonathan Neale and Rob Taylor, sacked Ferrari mole Nigel Stepney will also shortly receive his avviso di garanzia.