Honda still suspicious of Ferrari's wings

Ferrari were at the centre of a row in Malaysia when eight of their rivals threatened to protest Michael Schumacher's car because they felt its front and rear wings were illegally flexing.

After intervention from the FIA, Ferrari were asked to make changes to their wings for the following race in Australia - where the situation appeared to calm down.

The issue of flexi-wings was then discussed at last week's meeting of thinktank the Technical Working Group, where the sport's technical directors decided that no change to regulations or new tests were needed for this season - although new slot-gap regulations and more rigorous tests were likely for 2007.

However, Ferrari's strong performance in last weekend's San Marino Grand Prix - especially their benchmark pace through the speed-traps - appears to have re-ignited the controversy.

In qualifying Michael Schumacher topped the speed trap figures at 295.1kph,  with teammate Felipe Massa just behind him on 294km/h. The nearest challenger was Juan Pablo Montoya at just 291.8km/h.

On the back of that performance, Honda Racing technical director Geoff Willis has subsequently written a letter to FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting expressing his concern at the situation.

Team boss Nick Fry confirmed to autosport.com that the letter had been written because of what the team had observed in Imola.

"Yes it's true," he said. "We just wanted to register our concerns, because at one point Michael Schumacher's car was 6km/h faster than Fernando Alonso and at another point he was 6km/h slower."

Fry added: "I believe we are all playing to the same rules, and if there are things Ferrari are doing and we are prevented from using them then something ought to be done. It should be a level playing field.  

"In the last few months Charlie has done a superb job and when there were issues with the front wing Charlie reacted immediately. But it is now up to the FIA that we are all playing to the same rules. There is something that Geoff has been aware of and it is in the hands of Charlie now."

Willis was unavailable for comment today but told this week's Autosprint that he believed Ferrari's rear wing was still flexing - and that he had video evidence to support his views.

He told the Italian magazine: "I've already written to Charlie Whiting because the speed of the Ferrari at the end of each sector is amazing. I feel I have enough video evidence to demonstrate their rear wing still flexes."