MILAN, Italy (AP) -- Ferrari's former technical director denied claims he was considering forming a breakaway team.

"Ferrari is the only team or group with whom I have discussed my future. All the rest is speculation," Ross Brawn told the ANSA news agency Wednesday.

Former team mechanic Nigel Stepney, who is accused of providing the Italian team's design secrets to Formula One rival McLaren, told Tuesday's edition of Italian daily La Repubblica that his "friend" Brawn was thinking of leading a new team made up of disgruntled Ferrari employees and a few members of other teams.

Brawn left Ferrari after last season to take a sabbatical, and Stepney has said he was disappointed not to be promoted as his replacement. Stepney criticized Ferrari, and the team responded by not sending him to races anymore at the beginning of this season.

Stepney was fired by Ferrari after allegedly sending a technical dossier to McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan in April. Coughlan has since been suspended by his team.

Formula One's governing body, FIA, said Tuesday it would hear an appeal of its decision not to impose sanctions against McLaren for obtaining the confidential information.

Previously, FIA had said no appeal was permitted.

After a hearing in Paris last Thursday, FIA ruled that McLaren did possess secret Ferrari documents but did not punish the team because there was insufficient evidence the material was misused.

Stepney is also facing criminal charges filed by Ferrari in a Modena court for attempted sabotage before the Monaco Grand Prix.

A white powder was found on the gas tanks of Ferrari's cars on May 21, six days before the Monaco race, and traces of the powder have reportedly been found in a pair of Stepney's trousers.

Stepney has said he was the victim of a set-up.