Renault are facing a charge of possessing "confidential information" belonging to McLaren.

Representatives of the Renault team are facing a hearing of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Monaco on December 6.

A statement on the FIA website read: "The team representatives have been called to answer a charge that between September 2006 and October 2007, in breach of article 151c of the International Sporting Code, the Renault F1 Team had unauthorised possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, including, but not limited to the layout and critical dimensions of the McLaren F1 car, together with details of the McLaren fuelling system, gear assembly, oil cooling system, hydraulic control system and a novel suspension component used by the 2006 and 2007 McLaren F1 cars."

Renault won the Formula One drivers' and constructors' championships in 2005 and 2006 but failed to win a race this season after double world champion Fernando Alonso moved to McLaren. The Spaniard has since left the team and is tipped for a return to the French team.

This is the second 'spying' row to hit the sport this year after McLaren were given a record £50 million fine after being found guilty of a similar charge in September. The team were also thrown out of the constructors' championship after they were found to be in possession of technical information belonging to Ferrari.

Renault were dragged into the affair when it was alleged a former member of staff had taken several CDs worth of data to the Renault team. McLaren's lawyers brought the matter to the attention of the FIA on the eve of their own hearing in September, which prompted the investigation by the sport's governing body.

Max Mosley, the FIA president, said at the time the accusations against Renault revolved around an employee who had left McLaren to join Renault and taken the information with him.

"Ever since the matter was brought to our attention, we have acted with complete transparency towards McLaren and the FIA and we will continue to do so," A Renault spokesman said.

McLaren are remaining silent on the latest controversy to hit Formula One. "The team will not be making any comment on this matter," a spokesman said.

Meanwhile, McLaren confirmed the FIA visited their Woking headquarters as part of the investigation. Reports claimed world motor sport's governing body undertook a thorough examination of the state-of-the-art premises, including the team's 2008 car, and took with them data for further analysis.

The inspection was ordered after allegations that a McLaren employee, then-chief designer Mike Coughlan, was found to be in possession of confidential Ferrari information.

"We are unable to make any comment other than to say that an inspection has always been part of the WMSC decision, and of course we are co-operating fully with the FIA," a McLaren spokesperson said.

If inspectors find evidence of Ferrari technology on McLaren's new car, it could have serious implications for Lewis Hamilton's 2008 title bid.

"The investigation will be thorough," Max Mosley, the FIA president, said last week. "It will use outside experts and we will do everything we possibly can to make sure that either of the McLarens has no element of Ferrari intellectual property in it. If it does, we will then have to consider taking some sort of action.

"That would not necessarily be preventing them from running. It would be more likely that they would be given a negative point allocation."