> McLaren withdraws both it's drivers from press conferences.

Fernando Alonso was given permission to miss the Hungarian Grand Prix pre-event FIA drivers press conference after his McLaren team made an official request to the FIA.

Though no reason was given for the action, it is believed McLaren is unwilling to have its drivers subjected to questions regarding the spy-gate scandal and the forthcoming FIA Appeal Court hearing.

Lewis Hamilton was also withdrawn from his usual Friday meet-the-press gathering.

McLaren and Ferrari have engaged in a volatile war of public statements over the past week following the FIA's verdict into the scandal, which found McLaren guilty of possessing confidential Ferrari information but did not punish the team because it could find no evidence that it had acted upon it.

The sport's governing body, on the request of the Italian sporting authority, has however agreed to hold an Appeal Court hearing into the matter.