Earlier this week, Auto Motor und Sport suggested that Ferrari's loss of pace in the last couple of races was due to the fact that the FIA had fitted a second battery sensor in view of the fact that the Maranello outfit uniquely features two batteries in its energy store.

Since arriving in Japan both Ferrari and the FIA have said, little, while others have rubbished the suggestion.

However, in the wake of another comparatively dismal showing in today's practice sessions, which once again saw Ferrari well off Mercedes pace, Arrivabene admitted that the FIA has fitted a second sensor.

However, the Italian appeared more concerned at how the story of the extra sensor got out there, and, mindful of the Spygate saga which saw McLaren fined $100m and excluded from the championship after it was discovered that the Woking outfit was passed Ferrari's confidential technical information, sent out a clear warning.

"Our battery layout is quite complex," he told Sky Italia, "so we agreed with a request from the FIA to work together with them.

"We had the second sensor," he added, "but it does not change in any case the performance of our car.

"Despite that, I find it strange that everybody knows about the second sensor," he continued. "I've said our battery layout is quite complex, but it's also the intellectual property of Ferrari. I hope that, as everybody knows about the second sensor, in the future everybody is not going to be informed about our project. That could be a serious matter."

The Italian also took the opportunity to state that the recent drop in overall pace is about slow-speed corner performance as opposed to sheer straight-line grunt.

"It's nothing to do with the speed on the straights, because in Singapore and Russia we were quicker," he said. "We were ahead in Singapore and in Russia we were near to our competitors. In Singapore and Russia, we were more or less like Mercedes on the straights. Where we lost was in the slow-speed corners. We have the data to confirm it.

"We are suffering in high and medium downforce tracks," he added. "Especially on slower corners we are in trouble. We miss load, and this problem leads us to have difficulties in the management of the tyres, because we cannot always put the tyres into the right operating window."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Insane Reindeer, 07/10/2018 17:35

"@F1 fan. What you are saying then is that you know for a fact that Ferrari spend exactly the same as Mercedes and Red Bull out of their own pocket, then they take that other money and spend it on screwing up. "

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2. Posted by F1 fan, 06/10/2018 17:53

"And despite the huge amount of "legacy" money Ferarri gets (about $100 million), they still can't win races.
That tells me that the other teams, with far less free money to spend, are the real winners. "

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3. Posted by F1 fan, 06/10/2018 17:39

"When the chips are down and you are losing the championship at every race, strike out and obfuscate the real problems. Stop whining and get busy trying to right your ship Captain."

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4. Posted by Insane Reindeer, 06/10/2018 7:10

"Glad to see that the comment section on here is still firmly in the "it's all their own fault! Ferrari shouldn't be cheating!" camp.

Because, after all, all the other teams play exactly by the rules, every single one of them, and would never ever try to hide anything from the FIA. And as such they would not have any problems what so ever with any newspaper paying one of their employees to tell them how various parts of their car works! Nope. Not in the slightest. "

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5. Posted by Ro, 05/10/2018 23:02

"Come on, face upto the fact that you were cheating the system !
"

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6. Posted by Jet Jockey, 05/10/2018 17:46

"LOL bringing back the Spygate saga when it all started by an internal leak by a disgruntled engineer at Ferrari."

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7. Posted by moorfieldmike, 05/10/2018 15:06

"What about the dry ice bag, cooling the sensors, and obscuring the camera. Told to stop using it only to replace it with a fan blowing in the engine intake which also obscures the camera."

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8. Posted by Spindoctor, 05/10/2018 14:10

"Methinks the gent doth protest too much!
It's a well-known fact that Fezza has a two-battery energy-store. What IP is compromised now we in know that this set-up now has two sensors? Without having access to any schematics, it seems eminently fair & logical that there are two sensors: one to monitor each battery.

Mr Arrivabene's concentration on straight-line speed is a classic switch & bait move. If you have more power, you can employ more downforce without compromising top speed. Although in VERY slow corners that wouldn't help; around the lap as a whole I'm sure it would be quite beneficial.

If I were a cynic I'd be tempted to infer that his statement has a distinct whiff of Melton Mowbray about it..."

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9. Posted by nonickname, 05/10/2018 13:58

"Nah its Arrivabene breathing out the rear."

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10. Posted by Motorsport-fan, 05/10/2018 13:36

"Also as a follow up to the second sensor coincidence, the Ferrari appears to be breathing out the rear again."

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11. Posted by Motorsport-fan, 05/10/2018 13:34

"Must be just a coincidence then."

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Arrivabene hits out at leaks

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