Diffuser row won't affect FOTA unity

With Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull Racing going to the FIA's International Court of Appeal in dispute about the diffuser designs on the Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota cars, there had been suggestions that the arguments could threaten harmony between the teams.

However, senior team figures are adamant that FOTA's unity will not be destroyed by the situation.

When asked if there was a threat of a FOTA split because of what has happened, BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen said: "No, not at all. We have discussed this openly between the FOTA members.

"There is a clean line between moving forward jointly in order to shape the future of F1 from our perspective on one hand, and on the other hand there is the daily operational basis which is competition and this is one of the second issues."

FOTA vice chairman John Howett added: "I can't understand it is anything to do with FOTA. In FOTA we talk about long term strategic issues for developing the sport for the future, things that are right.

"Racing is racing, and under racing it is perfectly understood that a team can protest another team if they consider they have valid grounds to do so. We don't have any negative feeling as a team that could be protested. It is part of the sport we are in."