Spyker F1 take customer cars to court

By Huw Alban
March 26 2007

Several media outlets have reported over the last few days that Spyker F1 are preparing legal proceedings against Super Aguri and Torro Rosso over their adoption of last years cars and challenging their right to Constructors points.

The whole story started during pre-season testing when it emerged that both teams were going to be running modified versions of last years Honda and Red Bull cars respectively, and Colin Kolles made good use of the his teams launch day interviews to set out how he felt about that.

It has been reported that Spyker lodged an official protest to the stewards at the Australian Grand Prix, but it was rejected with the stewards claiming that the matter was a legal one. It is now likely that Spykers challenge will be heard in the International Chamber of Commerce in Lausanne, Switzerland - the court with jurisdiction over matters relating to the 1998 Concorde Agreement.

"We have a constructors' championship, and I repeat that: a constructors' championship," Spyker F1 team boss Colin Kolles has been reported as saying to journalists in Australia.

"So you have this defined in the Concorde Agreement. It is in singular and you must manufacture your car. This qualifies you to be a constructor."

Super Aguri's Daniel Audetto and STR boss Gerhard Berger have insisted throughout the winter that their teams cars are legal, however the media do believe that both teams have sought legal advice.

Looks to me like this one will go on well into the season before it is resolved.