McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton will not lose championship points as a result of the 'spying' controversy involving their team and Ferrari, according to Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

British rookie Hamilton leads double world champion Alonso by 14 points ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix, the ninth round of the season.

Ecclestone told the Times newspaper on Thursday that it had first to be proved that any of the leaked Ferrari information had been incorporated into the McLaren before there could be any talk of sanctions.

McLaren, who have suspended a senior employee widely identified in the media as chief designer Mike Coughlan and asked the governing FIA to inspect their cars, have assured the Italian team that was not the case.

"If it (the information) was used, did it affect in any way the performance of the car and, if so, where?" Ecclestone told the paper.

"In that case they (the FIA) could take away constructors' points from the team.

"But there is no way it would affect the driver. It is nothing to do with the driver. He's got the car, he gets into the car, he has no idea."

Ferrari have dismissed former technical manager Nigel Stepney and taken legal action in Italy against him and the McLaren employee "regarding the theft of technical information."

McLaren are 25 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' standings.