Paddock speculation and press reports suggest that Fernando Alonso could be a witness against McLaren when the FIA sports council reconvenes to reconsider the spy scandal next Thursday.

The FIA in a shock announcement last week said it had received evidence and the council would therefore re-hear the case. McLaren could face exclusion from the championship this year and next year if convicted of having used sensitive Ferrari information.

The Times of London said McLaren drivers Alonso and Lewis Hamilton and test driver Pedro de la Rosa were asked by the FIA to disclose anything untoward which they may know about.

"In addition to appealing to them to co-operate with the FIA's investigation, it is thought to have promised them amnesty from punishment should any disclosures they make lead to sanctions against McLaren," the newspaper said.

"The FIA's inquiries and the subsequent responses concerned an e-mail exchange between de la Rosa and Alonso that allegedly included sensitive technical information garnered from Ferrari via Mike Coughlan, the McLaren chief designer who has been suspended." The information concerned set-up for the March races.

The Daily Mail said the precise details of the e-mails was unclear, but it appeared that they related to Ferrari's car set-up.

"That would mean McLaren could have gained a performance advantage in their own car - flying in the face of their previous denials."

Meanwhile Alonso on Thursday said in Monza that any punishment against McLaren would be a punishment against him.