Ferrari at centre of F1 cheat row as FIA turn blind eye to alleged testing rule breach

Ferrari have found themselves at the centre of a storm having been accused of breaking F1 rules.

The Scuderia have been the main benefactors of the new regulations in 2022, leading the standings in both the drivers' and constructors' races. Despite having been beaten to the chequered flag by Max Verstappen in Miami on Sunday, Charles Leclerc holds a 19-point lead over the reigning world champion.

He and Carloz Sainz have also built a slender six-point advantage over the Red Bull pairing, although it is still early days with 18 races remaining in 2022. However, the rivals of the Italian team are unhappy after spotting an apparent discrepancy after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Both drivers took part in a Pirelli tyre test the Monday after the race at Imola, which Leclerc was again second behind Verstappen while Sainz crashed out early on. However, the Spaniard was spotted running with a different floor design to his Monegasque team-mate, who had run in the morning session.

The FIA rules for tyre testing appear to be clearly forbid such practice. They state that no experimental parts should be used and all components must have been used in previous races or tests and comply with the technical regulations.

Ferrari are adamant they have worked in tandem with the FIA, who have cleared them from any wrongdoing. The decision has not gone down well with other teams, who have now called for full transparency from the authority.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has been one high-profile figure to hit out, saying: "I think what's important is that we do have total trust in the FIA to police the sport, whether it's at a test or a race weekend. But then we also need total transparency. It's been suggested, or so I've