May 5 (GMM) Czech automobile association chief Radovan Novak has refused to withdraw his insinuation that McLaren officials may be responsible for prying into Max Mosley's private life and triggering the sex scandal.

He told Prague radio recently that the News of the World expose, involving the FIA president's sadomasochistic romp with five prostitutes that now threatens his job, could be retaliation for the devastating espionage affair of 2007.

McLaren chairman Ron Dennis categorically denied the charge that he ordered the London investigation, revealing that he has written to Novak for clarification of his remarks.

The Briton said his company was also "considering the appropriate route" for a correction or withdrawal by Novak.

But Novak, reportedly a close ally of Mosley's, confirmed to the Czech news agency CTK that the theory linking McLaren with the News of the World expose is "definitely a possibility".

Novak's quotes in the Czech language were reported in translation by the German specialist magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

"That is definitely a possibility that each intelligent person must consider," he said of the McLaren link.

"However, perhaps Mr Mosley already knows who is responsible for it (the investigation)."