Thursday 24 July at 13:44 : A former McLaren employee has brought legal action against team boss Ron Dennis.

The employee claims unfounded rumours that he was gay led to him being unfairly sacked last September.

The 27-year-old, who worked as Dennis' private jet steward, appeared over the matter in a Southampton (UK) employment tribunal this week, the British newspaper Daily Telegraph reports.

He said his relationship with Dennis, the F1 team principal and McLaren Group chairman, broke down "dramatically" amid rumours among colleagues he is gay.

The sacked employee, also claiming sexual discrimination and victimisation, alleges things got "nasty" amid the furore, with a private investigator allegedly sent to his home to threaten him about the return of his Mercedes company car.

Lawyers for Dennis and McLaren Group companies argued that the employee was sacked because he "kept on falling asleep and was rude".

However, they accept he should have been given three months written notice of his dismissal.

A full hearing will be held after the F1 season, in January of 2009, so that Dennis can appear.