Legality questions raised over new McLaren

Is the new McLaren using another form of blown diffuser?

With questions being raised about the legality of the new McLaren, FIA technical director Charlie Whiting will reportedly attend the opening test at Jerez.

McLaren presented their MP4-27 to the world at Woking on Wednesday, raising a few eyebrows mainly due to the parts of the car that were 'well camouflaged.'

With blown diffuser exhausts banned as of this season, teams are in a desperate scramble to find ways to make up for the lost downforce.

And an article in Spanish daily Marca hints that McLaren may have found something as their exhaust was "well camouflaged" and "embedded in a strange bulge" at the rear of the engine cover.

Added to that the story stated that the diffuser is "nonexistent" in the model unveiled on Wednesday in order to avoid "giving clues to rivals."

And with secrets being kept quiet – which is to be expected – there are questions about the legality of the cars, prompting the FIA to step in.

"There are reports that the FIA's technical director Charlie Whiting may travel to Jerez next week due to concerns over the designs of the new cars," revealed the Telegraph's Tom Cary.

Meanwhile, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo says he hopes the season will get underway without any controversy similar to last year's blown diffuser exhaust and the previous year's F-duct.

"I am sure in the forthcoming season the regulations will have to be trusted in a transparent way, and we trust the FIA to view these regulations with the right spirit," the Telegraph reports the Italian as having said at the launch of Ferrari's F2012. Planet F1