Ross Brawn is labelled ‘arrogant’ at start of diffuser case

Ferrari, Renault, Red Bull Racing and BMW Sauber squared up against Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams in front of five judges representing the International Court of Appeal.

At the heart of the dispute is the design of the diffuser — an aerodynamic body part that aids performance — belonging to the three teams in the firing line.

At the FIA headquarters in Paris, Brawn and motorsport's world governing body were criticised.
Leading the debate was Ferrari's legal representative Nigel Tozzi QC, who drew reference to a statement made by Brawn as part of his team's submissions amongst the paperwork for the five judges to sort through. In it, Brawn, whose car won the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix under Jenson Button, claimed the appeal was "vindictive" and "for people too slow off the mark".

However, Tozzi insisted that "only a person of supreme arrogance would think he is right when so many of his colleagues would disagree".

He added: "The appeal is not because we have not made the most of an opportunity but because Brawn, Toyota and Williams have not acted within the regulations."

The FIA, and in particular technical director Charlie Whiting, also came under attack, with Tozzi accusing them of "getting it wrong and not understanding the point".

That appeared to be made clear when Renault's legal representative, Andrew Ford, noted the FIA and Whiting had early last season ruled illegal a design by the French manufacturer similar to that being used by Toyota.

Ford said: "It is not that Renault missed the boat, as Brawn have pointed out, it is because the FIA said it was illegal."

He added: "It was at that point the diffuser was abandoned."