AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
Venue: Albert Park, Melbourne Dates: 27-29 March Coverage: Comprehensive live coverage of Friday's practice sessions, Saturday's qualifying sessions and Sunday's race across BBC TV, radio and online. Find complete listings here
A protest has been lodged against the cars of three teams on the eve of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Ferrari, BMW Sauber, Renault and Red Bull claim the cars of Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams have illegal parts that give them an unfair advantage.
The protest was lodged after stewards in Melbourne said on Thursday the cars conformed with Formula One's rules.
A spokesman for governing body the FIA said it hoped to have a verdict on the appeal by the end of Thursday.
All three cars are expected to be close to the front in the Grand Prix - and Brawn are widely tipped to have the fastest car on the grid.
Their English driver Jenson Button has been installed by bookmakers as favourite to win.
But whatever that verdict is, the losing parties are likely to make an appeal against it - and that hearing is unlikely to be scheduled by the FIA until after the second race of the season in Malaysia on 5 April.
 Button's car is the subject of a protest by rivals
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The part in question is the rear diffuser on the Brawn, Williams and Toyota cars, the rear part of the floor of the car between the rear wheels and under the rear wing.
It is crucial to the aerodynamics of the car, and small changes can have a big impact on the amount of downforce - and therefore grip and speed - the car can produce.
Rivals believe the controversial diffusers create more downforce and give a lap-time benefit of as much as 0.5 seconds.
They say the diffusers in question contravene a rule that demands that the diffuser has an upper edge that runs in a horizontal straight line.
They also believe that the parts go against the aim of a huge raft of new rules that were introduced this year in an attempt to make it easier to overtake.
One of the main aims was to reduce the amount of air turbulence generated by the cars so drivers find it easier to follow closely behind.
BBC Sport understands Toyota, expecting a row in Melbourne, have brought an alternative diffuser to the race and they could, if necessary, race with that.
If Brawn, Toyota and Williams eventually have their cars passed legal, then their rivals will be forced to design similar parts themselves.
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This would be a particularly troubling situation for Red Bull, whose car has been designed with a rear suspension system that makes it impossible to build a similar diffuser.
Red Bull's rear suspension operates a unique pull-rod system - where the arms pull down on the dampers, as opposed to the push-rods used by all other teams - which would require a major redesign if it was to be changed to incorporate a diffuser such as that used by Brawn, Williams and Toyota.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said the row would not threaten the political unity the teams have been showing in their disputes with the FIA over the future of F1.
"This is a sporting and competitive issue, it has nothing to do with the workings of Fota (the F1 Teams' Association)," Horner said.
"It's nothing personal against the teams, it's simply looking to clarify regulations - our interpretations and [those of] others have been different.
"Our purpose in all of this is to establish the clarity of the regulation, because it has significant impact on how we channel our development."
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