Aguri, Toro Rosso face arbitration threat

A meeting of the F1 team principals in Monaco this afternoon was dominated by a discussion over Super Aguri and Toro Rosso's plans to effectively run customer cars next season - even though both teams claim they are operating within the regulations.

Super Aguri look set to run a development version of this year's Honda RA106, while Toro Rosso are set to race the basic Red Bull Racing RB3 front-end, with the rear of their car modified to fit the Ferrari engine.

Those moves have angered their rivals, who insist customer cars are banned until 2008, and Spyker F1 boss Colin Kolles wrote a letter to team principals last week urging discussions to take place in today's scheduled meeting.

Although it was not clear beforehand just how much support Kolles would get, sources indicate that a number of teams are unhappy about the two outfits' plans for 2007 and backed Spyker F1's stance.

Sources claim that although few outfits are too worried about the Super Aguri situation, even front-running team bosses have expressed some concern about Toro Rosso - because they could effectively be racing with an Adrian Newey-designed car next season.

Talks about the situation went on for almost three hours, with sources claiming that the discussions were 'robust' in making it clear to both teams that rival outfits would not accept what they planned to do.

Although there was no final solution put on the table to resolve the situation, autosport.com understands that teams agreed to allow the two teams some additional time to review their plans.

"There were some compromise solutions put forward for the teams to think about," said one source. "There are certain circumstances that, if they agree to, they would be allowed to continue with their plans."

Although it is not clear what those circumstances are, it is believed these could relate to Super Aguri and Toro Rosso agreeing to waive any constructors' championship points next year, along with benefits such as television income and travel money from Formula One Management.

Teams like Spyker and Williams could lose several constructors' championship positions, and many millions of FOM payments, if both Super Aguri and Toro Rosso leapfrog them as a result of running customer cars.

It is unknown when Super Aguri and Toro Rosso have to respond to the other teams, but it is understood that their rivals will not accept nothing being done.

And, with Williams have already considered legal action, another source has suggested that this avenue will be followed if an agreeable solution is not found.

"We will either have a compromise or it will go to arbitration," said the source.

Super Aguri and Toro Rosso were unavailable for comment, but Super Aguri's managing director Daniel Audetto told Autosport magazine this week that he believes his team are operating within the regulations.

Teams have to own the intellectual property rights to the chassis they run and make sure that the car does not incorporate any parts that are manufactured by another team.

The intellectual property rights of Super Aguri's car is owned by Honda Japan, which has supported the team, and the car has been manufactured and produced by Honda's R&D facility in Tochigi, Japan.

Some of the project is also being handled by an independent consultancy agency led by former Jordan and Sauber man Paul White.

Audetto said: "It's not a modification (of the RA106), and I repeat what I say. We'll make the best performing car within the existing regulations. That is our aim.

"We know the rules, we studied the rules, and we have a lot of support from Honda. So therefore we have to take the most advantage we are allowed to take."