Following claims that it was subliminally advertising tobacco, Ferrari has opted to drop the controversial barcode logo from its cars this weekend.

Last week a number of doctors were said to be demanding an investigation into what they regard as "subliminal" tobacco advertising on Ferrari's F1 cars and the team's relationship with Philip Morris, manufacturer of Marlboro cigarettes.

John Britton, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and director of its tobacco advisory group, said, according to the Times: "The bar code looks like the bottom half of a packet of Marlboro cigarettes. I was stunned when I saw it. This is pushing at the limits. If you look at how the bar code has evolved over the last four years, it looks like creeping branding."

While Ferrari and its president, Luca di Montezemolo, rubbished the claims, the teams has chosen to drop the barcode, announcing the move with a brief statement.

"Together with Philip Morris International we have decided to modify the livery of our cars starting with the Barcelona Grand Prix," it read. "This decision was taken in order to remove all speculation concerning the so-called "bar code" which was never intended to be a reference to a tobacco brand.

"By this we want to put an end to this ridiculous story and concentrate on more important things than on such groundless allegations."