Advantage Mondeo ?

[Sparky]

Ford are in trouble with their rivals for using 'flat-bottomed' cars in the first two rounds of the championship.
While undertrays are banned, Prodrive have interpreted the rules a different way and used a flattened exhaust system, catalitic converter and oil catch tank. This was done to increase rear-end grip and eliminate ill-handling.
Triple Eight, who prepare the Vectras, are said to be working flat out to prepare their cars to 'flat-bottom' spec for this weekends races at Thruxton.

Other teams are unhappy, but the BTCC tech chief Peter Riches has declared the Prodrive cars fully legal. He said that it's within the letter of the rules, if not the spirit.

Meanwhile, Ford have been doing rather well in the series so far, and even with the 'Success ballast', were almost 2mph faster than both Vauxhall and Honda. Could this aero advantage be their ace card?

Is it true that TOCA are reluctant to penalise Ford/Prodrive, simply because to do so would affect one third of the works cars on the grid? If half the teams in F1 were found to be using traction control last year, would that be reason to ignore it.

What do you say? Could this be almost as big as Alfa's 'Silverstone' aero-kitted 155's dominated way back when?