Appeal officially lodged over diffuser row

Formula One’s diffuser row will now be resolved by the FIA’s Court of Appeal, throwing tomorrow’s Australian Grand Prix into further chaos.

Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull have confirmed they are to pursue their case against three of their rivals, Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams, with the hearing to take place in Paris on April 14.

An FIA statement read: “The FIA’s International Court of Appeal (ICA) has received appeals from National Sporting Authorities in Austria, France and Italy on behalf of Red Bull Racing, ING Renault F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro against the stewards’ decisions at the Grand Prix of Australia to reject the protests lodged regarding the diffusers used by some competitors.”

A furore that had been brewing all week came to a head on Thursday when the stewards presiding over the race at Melbourne’s Albert Park rejected the protest lodged by Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull.

The trio believed Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams had failed to adhere to the regulations regarding the design of their diffuser, a key aerodynamic component that governs the airflow beneath a car.