Force India to ask FIA to look into the use of its intellectual property by Lotus

After a lengthy court case involving Force India, Team Lotus and the Aerolab company, the British courts dismissed claims that there had been 'systematic copying' of the Silverstone-based team's IP, but did rule that a small number of parts had found their way on to the Lotus car at the start of 2010.

After ordering Aerolab to pay 25,000 Euros in compensation over that matter, Force India issued a statement saying it would now like the FIA to look into the matter - because there are strict rules in Formula 1 banning teams from using the IP of another team.

In the statement, Force India said: "The UK High Court judgement [sic], in respect of the illegal copying, will now be referred for the consideration of Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, whilst the Italian criminal case against Mike Gascoyne, Tony Fernandes and Jean Claude Migeot remains ongoing."

Migeot has admitted that some Force India data was used in the work Aerolab was doing for Lotus, but says it was not intentional.

"When we found this, we admitted it - this is all miles before the trial," Migeot told AUTOSPORT. "But they didn't want to believe it was so little.

"When a customer is finished their contract they have to give a notice period, so when you come down to the last day everything is clean - all the computers are wiped.

"The trouble is I had to throw Force India out due to non-payment, then we started working for Lotus basically the day after - we had no time to clean the computers and in this overlap a few people kept some of their studies

"It's a very fine line between using your knowledge and using someone else's IP, which we don't do. We have contractors and consultants - and people come to us because we have the know-how and experience."

Despite the situation with the IP, Force India was ordered to pay €846,230 in unpaid fees to Aerolab - and looks set to have to pay costs too after declining an out-of-court settlement.