PARIS – The McLaren Formula One team was summoned Thursday to appear before the sport’s governing body to explain how it came into possession of rival Ferrari’s secret design documents.

McLaren is scheduled to appear before FIA’s world motor sport council in Paris on July 26. The documents included information on how to design, engineer, build, check, test, develop and run a 2007 Ferrari F1 car.

The case reached the High Court in London on Wednesday when McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan, who was suspended by his team last week when documents were found in his house, agreed to tell Ferrari how he got hold of its design secrets.

Coughlan has been linked to Ferrari’s head of performance Nigel Stepney, who was fired by the team for allegedly sending the 780-page technical document to Coughlan.

Stepney has denied it, although Ferrari won a court order to search the Coughlans’ home and the documents were found, along with computers that will be examined by experts.

Ferrari also has taken legal action in Italy against Stepney.

McLaren team chief Ron Dennis has maintained his team did not break any rules, and the team issued a statement Thursday saying it was “extremely disappointed” by FIA’s decision.

“While McLaren wishes to continue its full co-operation with any investigation into this matter, it does wish to make it very clear that the documents and confidential information were only in the possession of one currently suspended employee on an unauthorized basis and no element of it has been used in relation to McLaren’s Formula 1 cars,” it said.

The FIA did not say what sanctions could be taken against McLaren if found guilty of breaking rules. It’s possible the team could face a points deduction or expulsion from the championship.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton leads the drivers’ standings with 70 points, ahead of teammate Fernando Alonso (58) and followed by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen (52) and Felipe Massa (51). In the constructors’ championship, McLaren has 128 points and Ferrari is second with 103.

The next race is July 22 at the Nuerburgring in Germany.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)