Motor Sport: Hispania Racing team boss Colin Kolles has not ruled out making a protest that could throw tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix into chaos. FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting yesterday warned a protest could take place after the race and lead to the potential exclusion of 10 teams.
The situation centres around the off-throttle blown diffuser, aided by hot air from exhaust gases, that helps increase downforce and maintains stabilisation of the car. The FIA had planned to ban it from this race onwards, only for such a move to be put on hold until a meeting of the Technical Working Group early next month.
However, Whiting confirmed a team not using the system — Hispania and Virgin Racing believed to be the only two — could protest if they so desire.
Asked today if he would do so, Kolles said: “I’m not going to make any comment on this, but I think some teams are running illegally - simple as that.”
Suggested to Kolles that if he felt teams were running illegally then he should protest, he added: “Maybe, I don’t know. I will see.”
Kolles’ ire stems from the fact Hispania, the smallest team in the paddock and on the tightest budget, had planned to introduce their own system this weekend, only to put it on hold in light of the FIA directive.
“I look really unhappy because we would have introduced our blown diffuser here,” confirmed Kolles. “It was planned to have a new exhaust system here, as the others have, and then this notification came out.
“On Monday I spoke to Geoff (Willis, technical director) pushing to get the parts on the car, and he said ‘No, we have to review this because there is this clarification from the FIA’. It’s a lot of money to us, and this is what angers me. I think it’s unacceptable.
“We have been disadvantaged. We had this in the pipeline. We wanted to introduce it as soon as possible, but then certain things have happened that are not making us happy. I don’t think it’s right.”
Hispania, however, could only protest if they qualify for the race, and there is a suggestion they could struggle today. Virgin Racing team principal John Booth feels Kolles may have an ulterior motive regarding a possible protest.
“From Colin’s point of view you can very much see why, at their home grand prix, they want to deflect any problems if they don’t qualify,” said Booth. He has confirmed his team would not be the one to rock the boat by making a protest.
“I would imagine it would be highly unlikely,” added Booth. “I know we are perfectly entitled to, but I guess it’s unlikely we would.”