McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has called for a clarification of the testing rules after Ferrari used a promotional day in order to test new components on their car.

The Italian team ran a revised F10 at Fiorano just over a week ago, in essence to make a promotional film for the team's website. However, the team used the opportunity to run a revised F10, featuring the team's new blown diffuser, with Fernando Alonso at the wheel, the Spaniard's debut at the private track in an F1 car.

Footage of the test was caught by a fan who promptly posted it on YouTube, causing the Italian team to subsequently admit that, "you have to make the most of any opportunity in this era of the testing ban!".

A number of rival teams are unhappy with what they see as the flagrant use of a loophole in order to test new components, Red Bull boss Christian Horner admitting that the test was "naughty".

Speaking in Valencia last night, McLaren boss and teams' alliance chairman, Martin Whitmarsh, called for a full clarification of the rules in order to prevent such 'tests' taking place again.

"Formula One is a very competitive business and people are going to try and take advantage of any perceived ambiguity," he told reporters. "It isn't ambiguous in my English interpretation of it but others obviously thought it was. That's why we have to remove that ambiguity and I think we are going to do the correct and honourable thing."

While the teams agreed to introduce the test ban as part of their attempt to reduce costs, many of them realise that perhaps they went a little too far leaving themselves no opportunity to run updates in anger other than on GP weekends. Consequently, Whitmarsh is suggesting that looking ahead the test ban might be eased.

"In the future hopefully we can do a few more tests," he said. "We had to take significant measures given the crisis the economy and Formula One had. Now, as we can see signs of the economy improving, I hope we can go back to testing. Formula One is about running cars, I think drivers enjoy testing and teams enjoy testing and developing cars."

There is already talk of a four-day test in Abu Dhabi at the end of the season, an attempt to give(new tyre supplier) Pirelli valuable data, however, some team bosses are concerned that a return to the old days of (almost) unlimited testing will drive up costs again.

"I don't think we want to get back to having separate test teams again," said Ross Brawn. "I think we need to manage it carefully. It does raise issues in various arenas and we get the arguments about what is a test and is not a test and all of that type of thing that has been lurking around."

Regular readers will be aware that Pitpass previously reported that Ferrari carried out a secret test at Mugello last year in the wake of Felipe Massa's career-threatening accident in Hungary.

At the secret test, Michael Schumacher drove the F60 ahead of his planned return to racing to replace his former teammate. However, after a difficult session the German was unhappy with the car allegedly telling the team that he wasn't prepared to risk his reputation in it.

The Italian outfit subsequently announced that Schumacher would be unable to replace Massa citing a neck injury incurred during a bike race earlier in the season, ultimately handing the drive to Luca Badoer.