The only saving grace for Dennis is that drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are free to race for the title, with the duo separated by just three points with four grands prix remaining.

The FIA are to announce the reasoning behind their decision today, after which it is almost certain McLaren will launch an appeal.

If they do so, Dennis will spearhead the case, insisting he will not stand down.

“My personal future was never in question as far as I was concerned,” remarked Dennis.

“I am very committed to this company, very passionate about motor racing and I have absolutely no intention of retiring, save for the fact I made a firm commitment to Martyn (Whitmarsh) for him to succeed me as CEO.

“That decision, whenever it is taken, will not have a bearing on this affair, or any other issue of this year.”

For now, Dennis is privately seething with the FIA’s decision.

The 60-year-old maintains that despite the new evidence that led to yesterday’s second hearing of the World Motor Sport Council, his team have never gained any advantage from their part in the controversy.

“We are firmly of the opinion that we do not concur with the FIA findings,” insisted Dennis.

“I do not accept that we deserve to be penalised or our reputation damaged in this way.”

The FIA’s new evidence into the case, relating to suspended chief designer Mike Coughlan being in possession of 780 pages of Ferrari technical information, primarily centred around e-mails between the McLaren drivers.

Yet, Dennis maintains they bear no relation to the running of this year’s car.

“The evidence was primarily e-mail traffic between our drivers, and in one instance, Mike Coughlan,” confirmed Dennis.

“Much has been made in the press and at the hearing of e-mails and text messages to and from our drivers.

“The WMSC received statements from Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Pedro de la Rosa stating categorically no Ferrari information had been used by McLaren, and that no confidential data had been passed to the team.

“Of course, the team had no knowledge of this e-mail traffic at any stage.

“The evidence given to the FIA by our drivers, engineers and staff clearly demonstrated that we did not use any leaked information to gain a competitive advantage.

“The entire engineering team in excess of 140 people provided statements to the FIA affirming they had never received or used the Ferrari information.

“We have never denied that the information from Ferrari was in the personal possession of one of our employees at his home.

“The issue is: was this information used by McLaren? This is not the case and has not been proven.”