Ferrari's recent announcement that it has renewed its lucrative partnership with Marlboro has angered anti tobacco groups.

This year, in the wake of claims that the 'bar code' logo on its cars gave out a subliminal message and would therefore continue to encourage people - particularly the young - to smoke, Ferrari changed to a far more abstract design, though the team continued to be officially known as Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro.

Now, the recent twenty-word announcement that the Maranello outfit is to continue its collaboration with (Marlboro manufacturer) Philip Morris International until the end of 2015, has further angered various campaign groups.

Both Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) have written to FIA president Jean Todt calling on him to investigate the deal.

John Britton, chair of the Royal College of Physicians tobacco advisory group and director of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies, claims the deal appeared to breach EU laws prohibiting tobacco sponsorship. He also claims that the true value of the partnership is in the "subliminal" link between the two brands.

"People are aware Ferrari is sponsored by Marlboro," he said, according to the Guardian, "and the positive assets of the Ferrari team - things like danger and manliness - all translate to the brand."

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Ash, a charity funded by the Department of Health, the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, claims the deal gives Ferrari "an unfair advantage over other teams which no longer take tainted tobacco industry sponsorship".

Ignoring the fact that Ferrari is currently third in the Constructors' Championship, trailing behind Red Bull and McLaren - which still bears a livery not too different from its West (tobacco) days - has Ms Arnott looked at the black and gold livery of the Lotus Renault GP cars not to mention the Williams, which bears a striking similarity to that worn during its Rothmans heyday.

And if Ferrari has an "unfair advantage" - one tweak the FIA has clearly missed out on - someone clearly forgot to tell that to Adrian Newey.