Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto claims rival teams tried to use the claims surrounding the legality of Ferrari's engine to "distract" and apply "pressure", in order to destabilise the team.
Ferrari's sudden upturn in performance after the summer break, which saw it enjoy a run of pole positions and break its race win drought with three back-to-back victories, came with claims that they were using engine 'trickery' to boost performance, with their straight-line speed apparent evidence.
Ferrari deny such claims with Binotto insisting they found a step in downforce over the summer and that their engine advantage is a mere 20bhp.
"The car got better," he told Auto Motor und Sport when asked where the performance came from. "After the winter testing the car was just not fast enough.
"We still do not understand what happened between winter testing and Melbourne. We then found more downforce step by step. That is the entire secret.
"We assume a maximum [advantage] of 20hp, which is still a respectable number. At a time when the engines are becoming more and more similar, 20hp is a big advantage, helping you in qualifying and in the race. I am proud of this development."
Asked specifically about why rival teams are so convinced Ferrari is cheating with its engine – something which led the FIA to clamp down on certain practices and even dismantle Ferrari's car to examine the claims more closely​ – Binotto insists it's all part of the game that is Formula 1 and is simply an easy way for rivals to apply pressure.
"They probably use the circumstances to put pressure on us," he added. "Pressure distracts. It is part of the game of Formula 1 to unsettle the opponent.
"We are satisfied [with the FIA]. Because there is more clarity in a very complex set of rules. Will they be completely clear? Probably not. I am sure there are a few more directives to come in the future. As a team we should support the FIA ​​to eliminate ambiguity in the rules."
