Nigel Stepney and Mike Coughlan, the main actors at the center of “Stepneygate” episode that rocked the formula-1 community in 2007 have officially been un-banned by the FIA. The pair had the restrictions imposed on them because of their roles in the passing of confidential information between Ferrari and McLaren Mercedes.

Post investigation by the FIA, the two had been put under a ban till July, 2008 and FIA had recommended to all its motor racing employers not to emply the two of them. Evidently the ban had little effect as despite the FIA ban, Stepney now works for the on board camera firm Gigawave, while sacked McLaren designer Coughlan works for transmission specialist Ricardo.

FIA President Max Mosley said he has reconsidered the issue in light of Ferrari and McLaren’s apparent new era of harmony and passed the orders to lift the ban on them. The FIA President told reporters this week: “It does seem a little bit mad to make them serve out even longer when the two teams concerned are all making love to each other.”
“So, we have said we will let them forget it,” he is quoted as saying by The Guardian.