FIA: Ferrari and Sauber Collaboration is Legal

The FIA has no objections to Ferrari and Sauber collaborating in testing and Grand Prix Friday practice sessions because the rules allow it, the governing body clarified today.

Ferrari's sporting director Jean Todt said earlier this week, at the Ferrari F2004 launch, that his team may consider giving Sauber their test driver, Luca Badoer, to run the third Sauber car in Friday practice at Grands Prix. Ferrari could gain significantly from having Badoer in a Sauber on race Fridays because it would give them additional feedback on tyres, engine and gearbox setup and development.

New FIA regulations for the upcoming season stipulate the bottom six teams in the Constructors' Championship can run a third car provided the driver has not started in more than six Grands Prix in the previous two seasons.

Todt said that if Ferrari felt it was in their interests to agree a deal with Peter Sauber, the rules allowed them to. "Luca is able to test the third car for a team that is between fifth and 10th place," he said. "Whether we decide to do it or not is speculation. But if we decide to do it, we can."

Speculations in the media the last couple of days suggested some of the Michelin teams were unhappy about the possibility of Ferrari and Sauber collaborating, and may appeal to the FIA against this. However, an FIA spokesman told Atlas F1 the governing body will not intervene in such an arrangement.

"The rules allow it," the spokesman said, adding that "whether or not Ferrari and Sauber decide to do it is solely their concern."

The FIA spokesman also reiterated that the new Sauber car was perfectly legal despite speculations that its similarity to last year's Ferrari design could deem it illegal. "The FIA was consulted regarding the new car during its development and we have no difficulties with it," the spokesman said.