Monza (Italy), Sept 13: The race for the Formula One World Championship boiled over here as team chiefs were involved in an angry slanging match. Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn was caught up in a heated debate with Williams counterpart Patrick Head and McLaren boss Ron Dennis as controversy overshadowed the opening day of the Italian Grand Prix weekend.
Head and Dennis were both critical of brawn following Ferrari's complaint to the sport's governing body the FIA that the Michelin Tyres used by Williams and McLaren were illegal.
Michelin, who have brought a new compound to Monza for tomorrow's race, ended yesterday's qualifying session on top through Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya with Bridgestone-shod Ferrari drivers Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher behind him. But the row over tyres raged in an official press conference with the three at loggerheads.
"It is very sad, and even sadder if this year's Formula One Championship ends up being decided by a casino of retrospective interferences," head said.
Head questioned why Ferrari had never raised the possibility of the Michelin tyres being illegal until now, claiming Williams have used the same compound since 2001. But Brawn said his team's tyre supplier Bridgestone had waited until having concrete evidence before making their doubts known.
"Bridgestone is an extremely ethical company and they were aware of this problem for some time and didn't raise it to our attention," Brawn said.
Bureau Report