The questions being asked about Ferrari's powertrain inquiry

No one could have predicted that the 2020 Formula 1 season would erupt with its biggest row for years with just 10 minutes of pre-season testing remaining.

But that's exactly what happened last week when the FIA issued a statement at that moment regarding a secret 'agreement' it had reached with Ferrari over an investigation into its 2019 power unit.

The timing and nature of the statement, which caught rival teams by surprise, prompted private anger and disappointment.
Rather than appearing to have had total transparency over a controversy that had bubbled away for much of last year, and rival teams having been informed and agreed on a settlement, the ultimately secret nature of the case prompted more questions than answers.

How deep had the FIA investigation gone? Did the lack of any comment saying that the FIA was fully satisfied the engine was legal mean there are doubts about it? Why was there a need for an agreement if the engine was found to be legal?
And, crucially: why was the FIA unable to prove one way or another the legality of the engine?

It was those swirling doubts and fears of a conspiracy that prompted the unprecedented move by seven F1 teams on Wednesday to issue a joint statement urging the FIA to give full disclosure on the matter.

"After months of investigations that were undertaken by the FIA only following queries raised by other teams, we strongly object to the FIA reaching a confidential settlement agreement with Ferrari to conclude this matter," they said.

Just more than 24 hours later, the FIA responded by explaining that while it had suspicions about the legality of the Ferrari engine, it could not prove that the team had breached the rules. So instead, it used its own procedures to reach a deal rather than risk a lengthy court case that had no guaranteed outcome.

But irrespective of the FIA's feeling that its stance has been correct for the good of the sport, the concern remains that not only have the FIA tried to sweep the matter under the carpet and make it go away, but it has also set a dangerous precedent for the future.

In effect, the get-out of a secret agreement gives teams a green light to exploit rules in whatever way they like, if they know it cannot be proved. Then, when suspicions are raised, they can offer up assistance in helping prevent other teams getting away with it in the future...

The timing and nature of the FIA's statement, which caught rival teams by surprise, prompted private anger and disappointment in the ranks

With views clearly divided over the matter between Ferrari and the FIA on one side, and the majority of teams on the other, the only certainty is this: wherever it goes not everyone is going to come out of this affair as a winner.

Primarily, the anger over how the FIA has treated matters means there is now a genuine possibility of teams pushing for Ferrari to be properly investigated by a court over what happened last year - which could set up a hugely important trial.

Teams may think that it is not enough simply for the FIA to not have been able to prove that everything was above board with the Ferrari engine last year: so may demand that the governing body goes as far as taking the matter to an International Tribunal.

Once there, it is hard to predict what may or may not happen. But the very prospect of F1's most famous team being tried for such a major rules break would be damaging for the image of both F1 and its most famous team, at a time when the sport is trying to get ready for its much-anticipated revamp in 2021.

Should the tribunal decide that Ferrari has breached the rules, then a whole host of sanctions could be available - including disqualification from the world championship. That itself would be a remarkable outcome, but where would that then leave Ferrari over a decision to commit to F1 longer term?

If Ferrari was to be given the all-clear, then that would be a relief for everyone at Maranello. The suspicions over last year's power unit trickery would be partially wiped away, but the outcome would prompt huge disappointment from rival teams who remain convinced that Ferrari's circumvention of the rules - believed to be those pertaining to fuel flow - should have been stamped out.

Furthermore, such an outcome would prompt questions over why the FIA was unable to prove the Ferrari was or wasn't legal in the first case.

As F1 cars have got ever more complex, it has become increasingly difficult for the FIA to fully keep on top of teams' innovations, especially if those teams are operating within the grey areas of the regulations.

Go back to the famous 'Option 13' controversy of Benetton's launch control in 1994 and, while the FIA managed to uncover the hidden menu screens that activated it, it could never prove that the system had been used illegally. Had it been the case, then the team could have been thrown out of the championship.

But the FIA regulations are emphatic that it is the duty of the competitors to prove that their cars are legal at all times. It's not enough to simply argue that it cannot be proven a team broke the regulations.

After all, Article 2.7 of Formula 1's technical regulations states that: "It is the duty of each competitor to satisfy the FIA technical delegate and the stewards that his automobile complies with these regulations in their entirety at all times during an Event."

If the impetus for the secret arrangement between the FIA and Ferrari was simply that the FIA couldn't prove Ferrari was acting illegally, and Ferrari couldn't prove its car was always legal, then still the onus should really be on the team to get its argument across the line.

What will be interesting in this case is if rival teams have any extra information to shed light on what Ferrari was up to, and can add to the evidence already in the FIA's possession. If so, it'll be even more compelling if such information is enough to strengthen the arguments on either side.

As F1 cars have become more complex, it is increasingly difficult for the FIA to fully keep on top of teams' innovations, especially if they are operating within the grey areas of the regulations.

There have been suggestions since Friday's announcement that whistle-blowers from Ferrari had been in contact with some of the team's rivals, rather than the FIA, to let them know what had been happening. If that's the case, then has such inside knowledge found its way to the governing body yet?

Where this saga goes from here is hard to predict. The seven teams against the verdict will now be taking stock of the FIA statements; and perhaps wait for a formal response to a letter they wrote to the FIA asking a series of detailed questions about the affair. But what is essential is that the saga of the Ferrari power unit is not brushed under the carpet for a second time.

The interest surrounding the affair, and especially the doubts it has put on the legitimacy of last year's championship battle, means only a full and open explanation of what's happened will be good enough for teams, F1 and, most importantly, the sports fans.