McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton say a 'spying' controversy involving their team and Ferrari will not damage their Formula One title hopes.

British rookie Hamilton, 14 points clear of double world champion Alonso after eight successive podium finishes including two wins, said he was not concerned ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix.

"It's not something I've really focused on," the 22-year-old said. "But I think we are a very strong team. If you look at the car, it's totally our car."

Ferrari have dismissed former technical manager Nigel Stepney and taken legal action against him and a McLaren employee, chief designer Mike Coughlan, over "the theft of technical information".

Championship leaders McLaren have assured Ferrari none of the leaked information had been incorporated into their race-winning car.

The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) is checking that is the case.

However, some British and Italian newspapers have speculated that the case could throw the outcome of the championship into doubt, with the possibility of it being decided in a courtroom.

Alonso said it would be business as usual as far as he was concerned.

"I don't know the full story," he told reporters. "From the drivers point of view, we arrived here, drive the car and then fly home on Sunday afternoon. It doesn't change too much."

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said that the drivers should not be punished, even if any of the leaked Ferrari information was found to have been used by McLaren.