Appeal threat hanging over F1 season

Paddock sources have revealed that a nightmare scenario is in existence in which a team could try to challenge the legality of some races if McLaren and Williams's arbitration action against some of F1's new rules was successful.

The scenario would revolve around the face that the first three races of the year had taken place under regulations that had not been approved by any of the teams. Any event from the San Marino Grand Prix could not be challenged because all teams approved the regulations in a meeting prior to the Imola event. Ferrari would stand to gain the most from the first three races being annulled.

A source told AUTOSPORT: "If a team decided, towards the end of the year, that it wanted to lodge an appeal that the first three races had not been approved, and the FIA lost its arbitration battle with McLaren and Williams, then it would be up to the FIA Court of Appeal to judge whether or not the case had substance. There's a chance it could result in the results for the first three races being annulled."