Ferrari F1 car renamed in Ford row

Ferrari have renamed their new Formula 1 car in an effort to avoid a court battle with Ford.

The Scuderia had named their new challenger the "F150", which they will be hoping can guide Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa to world championship glory in 2011, as a means of marking the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy.

Ford claimed that this represented a trademark infringement as their F-150 truck is one of their best-selling models in the United States, with the American manufacturer reportedly filing court papers asking for Ferrari to be barred from using the name and seeking unspecified damages.

Ferrari have attempted to avoid a dispute by renaming their F1 car the F150th Italia, although the Italian marque insist they do not believe there was any confusion.

A Ferrari statement read: "On the subject of the name of the new Ferrari Formula 1 car, the Maranello company wishes to point out that it has sent a letter of reply to Ford, underlining the fact that the F150 designation (used as the abbreviated version of the complete name, which is Ferrari F150th Italia) never has, nor ever will be used as the name of a commercially available product - indeed there will definitely not be a production run of single- seaters."