05/04/2007
NEWS STORY
Just as everyone thought the customer car row had gone away, or at least to Lausanne, where the issue will (eventually) be settled by the Chamber of Commerce, comes news that Spyker has officially protested the Toro Rosso to the stewards at Sepang.
The protest came on Thursday evening (local time) at Sepang, with the Dutch team issuing a formal letter of protest within the two-hour scrutineering deadline.
Officials will now consider the protest overnight, with a decision expected tomorrow.
Spyker alleges that the Toro Rosso is "no more than a copy of the 2007 Red Bull", even though the Faenza based outfit denies doing anything that is against the rules.
Spyker had attempted to protest the Super Aguri - which it claims is the 2006 Honda - in Melbourne, but the protest was thrown out because the stewards insisted that they were unable to make a ruling on what is essentially an interpretation of a confidential document, the Concorde Agreement. Spyker subsequently went to arbitration.
Earlier in the day, Spyker boss Colin Kolles (right) was seen in what has been described as an "animated discussion" with Super Aguri's Daniele Audetto.
In the build up to Melbourne, there were fears that Williams would join in the fun since Frank Williams and Patrick Head have long argued that what Super Aguri, Toro Rosso and Red Bull have done is against the spirit of the Concorde Agreement. Both men claim that since Super Aguri and Toro Rosso didn't build their cars, their teams should not qualify for (Constructors' Championship) points or - more importantly - prize money.
Many within the F1 pitlane are confident that the whole issue will be resolved once the right level of compensation has been agreed.