Ferrari lambasted Formula One's governing body on Thursday after championship leaders McLaren went unpunished for having data belonging to the Italian team.

Ferrari said in a statement that they found the lack of a sanction incomprehensible and added that the decision "legitimises dishonest behaviour in Formula One and sets a very serious precedent."

The International Automobile Federation's (FIA) World Motor Sport Council acknowledged after a hearing in Paris that McLaren had breached the sporting regulations by having unauthorised Ferrari documents in their possession.

However, it said there was insufficient evidence that the Mercedes-powered team had used the information for their own benefit.

Ferrari said it noted that McLaren had been found guilty of behaving in a fraudulent manner prejudicial to the interests of the sport.

"It therefore finds it incomprehensible that violating the fundamental principle of sporting honesty does not have, as a logical and inevitable consequence, the application of a sanction," it added.

"In fact, the decision of the World Council signifies that possession, knowledge at the very highest level and use of highly confidential information acquired in an illicit manner...represent violations that do not carry any punishment.

"The fact that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was in possession of such information was discovered totally by accident and, but for this, the team would continue to have it," the FIAT-owned team said.

"This is all the more serious as it has occurred in a sport like Formula One in which small details make all the difference.

"Ferrari feels this is highly prejudicial to the credibility of the sport."

The Italian team said they would continue with a criminal action in Italy brought against former engineer Nigel Stepney and a civil case against McLaren's suspended chief designer Mike Coughlan and his wife Trudy in the London High Court.

Stepney denies providing Coughlan with the information.