McLaren miffed at leak of protest of Ferrari traction system

   Copyright c 1998 Nando Media
   Copyright c 1998 Agence France-Presse

ZELTWEG, Austria (Jul 25, 1998 - 13:52 EDT) - The world
championship-leading McLaren Mercedes team is planning to protest against
alleged use by rivals Ferrari of a banned traction control system, it was
learned Saturday.

McLaren team principal Ron Dennis would not expressly confirm the protest,
but said he was "bitterly disappointed" that news of a possible
protest by his team had been leaked to the media by Ferrari.

Dennis claimed there had been a preseason "code of conduct"
agreement between the two teams to keep such matters private until action
was taken formally.

Ferrari team boss Jean Todt denied an such agreement existed, and said
Dennis had met him publicly this weekend to inform him of the planned
protest.

Todt said he wished McLaren would lodge the protest quickly so that Ferrari
could be cleared of the insinuations it was using a banned system.

Traction control and other sophisticated electronic devices were banned by
the ruling body some years ago to keep the emphasis on driver skill.

Dennis and others have claimed recently that other teams were finding ways
of getting the traction control effect, which greatly improves acceleration
and control in the wet, through computer engine management systems.

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