Ferrari said yesterday the illegal car part that ended Eddie Irvine's world championship hopes in Malaysia was accidental and its use had occurred in total good faith.

But Ferrari said in a statement they were confident of winning over the Federation International automobile (FIA) panel in Paris on Friday.

Ferrari understood that the stewards had no real choice other than to scrap the results given the little time that was at their disposal.

But it added: "Ferrari has now made tests in a wind tunnel in the presence of independent experts which confirm that the turning vanes made no difference to the cars' performances. "

Earlier, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone added fuel to claims that Ferrari were `exposed' by a rival team.

"After Michael Schumacher got pole position for Ferrari why did the team not take the illegal parts off and put on a legal part if they were cheating, because that is always when the scrutineering is toughest?, he told the Times.

Ecclestone added that the decision to disqualify Irvine and Schumacher from Sunday's race was nonsense and urged the FIA to loosen its restrictions.

Ecclestone said: "I have campaigned for years that the Formula One rules and regulations are too tight."

But these comments drew astonishment from the FIA.

"The FIA is amazed at this declaration as Mr Ecclestone has voted at least twice for the rules attacked in the Times."