Team MRF finished 1-2-3 in the rally which concluded on Sunday, but immediately after the results were announced, Red Rooster lodged a protest with the stewards of the Karnataka Motor Sports Club alleging irregularities in the cars of winner Arjun Balu, the second-placed Gaurav Gill and Arjun Rao Aroor, who finished third.

The race Stewards threw out the protest which alleged that the scoops on the bonnet of the cars were a contravention of the rules, ruling that they were ‘mere vents that in no probable way improve or enhance the performance of the car’.

RRR then took their protest to the FMSCI. The case will now be heard before the Indian Motor Sports Appeal Tribunal.

“We will form a tribunal and take up the case. Red Rooster Racing have completed all the formalities needed to file an appeal. The result will be out anytime between September 10 and 14,” said CEO of FMSCI, Rajan Sayal.

Team MRF manager Antony Rodricks dismissed the ‘scoop theory’ and said: “Those apparent scoops are only plates covering the holes on the bonnet.”

None of the officials from the RRR camp was available for comment but lead driver Vikram Mathias said, “They have read the rule book all wrong. Those scoops are giving them a distinct advantage. We are not crying foul because we did not do well. We are fighting for the good of the sport.”