Ahead on next week's hearing, which follows the FIA's sensational decision to appeal against the findings of its own stewards at Imola, BAR boss Nick Fry has said that his team has nothing to hide.

Talking to Reuters, Fry vehemently denied allegations that his team has been cheating.

"This team is owned by two blue-chip international corporations with huge integrity. Does anyone really think that we would deliberately do anything against the rules?" he said. "We've hidden nothing."

It is alleged that the team is using a 'secret' fuel tank in order to retain fuel that is pumped into the car during the final pitstop. This would allow the car to run underweight - and therefore illegally - throughout most of the race.

Fry insists that there is no secret tank, simply a "collecting device" which runs the fuel pump, a device used by all the teams.

"The FIA has seen the device and inspected it several times before," he said. "They are fully familiar with the system."

However, and in F1 there is always a however, some F1 insiders are suggesting that the appeal could be part of a much wider campaign, and that BAR-Honda could be the victim of the current political situation within the sport.

"Given the political situation in the sport we are concerned about everything," Fry admitted. "We are hanging on to the basic belief that right will prevail at the end. At no time was the car light and I don't think that we've done anything wrong.

"This is Formula One, the pinnacle of motor racing and it is very competitive. We're all aware of that, we're all big boys," he continued. "If anyone is trying to destabilise us, that will not work... we're bigger than that."