Formula One news

Ferrari scoffs at 'false' accusation

Ferrari has hit out at Ron Dennis' claim that Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian Grand Prix this year with an illegal car. As the war of words between the two giants of F1 heightens, Ferrari released a statement saying that the McLaren team principal's accusation is "serious and false".

Recently Ron Dennis sent a letter to Italian motorsport authority ACI-CSAI president Luigi Macaluso saying that the Maranello-based outfit is launching a savage media campaign against McLaren to deliberately damage the team's reputation, adding that the Ferrari team is not sporting itself, having won the Australian Grand Prix unfairly. After Raikkonen had won the season's opener, Ferrari's suspect floor device was banned and the team had to remove it from its cars.

A statement from Ferrari read: "With regard to the points made by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes concerning the 2007 Australian Grand Prix in a letter to the President of the ACI-CSAI, Gino Macaluso on 1 August last, Ferrari wishes to state very strongly that its letter contains accusations that are both serious and false.

"Contrary to the statement put forward by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Ferrari never illegally gained any advantage. The two F2007 cars used in the Australian Grand Prix were deemed by the Stewards to be in conformity with the technical regulations, before, during and at the end of the event. If there had been any illegalities, they would have been disqualified.

"In fact, what the FIA did next is commonplace. The FIA took the opportunity to issue a clarification on the interpretation of the regulation and then asked the teams concerned to make the necessary modifications. There are actually numerous examples of this in both the recent and distant past which have also involved other teams.

"At the next sitting of the FIA International Court of Appeal, Ferrari will fully explain its position on the entire matter."

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