While some teams are still pondering the fact that the controversial slot on the rear wing on the McLaren has been declared legal, another device which has also been given the green light has been defended by team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

The device, which is understood to be operated by the driver's left knee or elbow, is thought to close a vent thereby reducing drag and increasing top speed. Like most of these ideas, it's simple and brilliant, and, according to the FIA, legal even if it might be seen as going against the spirit of the rules.

The device only became apparent when the cars were rolled in Bahrain, and it is already causing a stir.

"It's like anything you have on the car. You want to expose it as late as possible and you want it to be as difficult as you can possibly make it for people to copy it," said Whitmarsh, according to the Telegraph. "But I think I'll only be smug, if that's the right expression, in Abu Dhabi if we win the championship. We appear to be competitive but we're not complacent."

Referring to the latest controversial contraption, the result of a 'Eureka moment', Whitmarsh said: "This was a very creative and ingenious individual in our company who came up with the idea and we've developed it. Secrets in F1 have a remarkably short shelf-life and we will make sure that, in due course, the individual gets quite a lot of credit."

According to Whitmarsh, the team kept the FIA regularly informed regarding the device, and insists that any protests will prove futile.

"From what I understand, there are no grounds for a protest," he said. "I don't think everyone yet understands the nature of the systems that are on our car. So if they put a protest in, it would potentially be on a wrong set of assumptions as to what we've got. We will see."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whose team was among the first to voice concern at the original 'slot in the rear wing' device, said the Milton Keynes-based outfit was unlikely to protest Woking's latest gizmo.

"It looks like it's legal," he said, "so we will look at developing our own version. Engineers are creative people. I'm sure ours will find another way of doing it."