Red Bull threatens Brawn GP protest over diffuser design

The Red Bull Racing F1 Team threatens to protest Brawn GP over the design of its diffuser if the Brackley-based outfit passes scrutineering at Melbourne on Thursday. Questions over the design of the diffusers started as Williams and Toyota exploited the wording of the regulations, but the debate was taken to a new level as the Brawn GP BGP001 entered the track.

The BGP 001, featuring a unique twin-deck concept, dominated all winter tests in which the team participated and according to Red Bull this would be due to the 'illegal' diffuser.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko said to the Italian newspaper 'Gazzetta dello Sport': "It's illegal: we'll make a protest on Thursday if the component isn't modified to conform to the regulations, because that diffuser guarantees a five-tenths-advantage per lap. Seven teams are certain it's illegal."

He also added that all 7 teams which are not using so called illegal diffusers are on the same line and are willing to file a complaint on Thursday in Melbourne.