Ferrari it appears has been using a carbon fibre spring on the floor of its Grand Prix cars for the past few years — until the FIA ruled it illegal after a complaint from McLaren in March. The system automatically raises the car's floor during races to improve the aerodynamic performance and increase straight-line speed.

Experts now say it was this $12 device that It helped Michael Schumacher to win two world championships in 2003 and 2004 and 27 Grand Prix victories.

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The device was only exposed when Ferrari technical manager Nigel Stepney allegedly leaked confidential team details to McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan.

It sparked the Italian team's legal action against both men and their plea to the FIA Court of Appeal that McLaren had gained an unfair advantage from this information.

We have also obtained the Ferrari High Court writ documents against Coughlan — who has been sacked by Hamilton's McLaren team — in which they are claiming a minimum £3.5m in damages but which could escalate to £100m.

The seven-page writ states: "In the event McLaren win the 2007 Constructors' and/or Drivers' Championship instead of Ferrari, Ferrari will suffer loss of at least £3.5m in accordance with payments under the Concorde Agreement.

See www.newsoftheworld.co.uk