Formula One news

No cheating the rules, says Briatore

Renault Team Principal Flavio Briatore has hit out at certain teams, claiming that F1's new rules for 2009 are being exploited. New regulations for this year limit aerodynamic creativity, although the Italian feels that a number of teams are taking advantage of this and using parts which should not be allowed.

"There is a rule which effectively allows some teams to have a diffuser of a certain specification and appearance. When this was originally requested by other teams, it wasn't possible and it's a weird situation," the Italian told the AP agency in Barcelona. He continued: "There is a rule, but if everyone reads it in their own way it makes for some odd situations, which isn't logical. There are teams that aren't doing things correctly by following the rules. It's the usual soap opera."

The two teams' diffusers in question have been examined by governing body the FIA, of which its President Max Mosley commented: "The current view of the FIA is that Williams and Toyota have been clever and found a loophole in the rules. It's probably wrong that they've exploited the wording of the rules in a clever way. Somebody may challenge it, and then the stewards could take another view."

Briatore has also voiced his concerns over the new Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which should give those using it a speed advantage in straight lines. "It's not fair that we will have some cars in Australia with KERS and others without it. We were hoping for black and white rules that are equal for all."

The FIA could have to take action if the issues are openly voiced by a team, as Mosley concluded: "The view of our technical people is that it's okay. We'll wait and see if someone challenges it."

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