( CNN ) -- Formula One is a sport where fine margins separate success and failure , with teams going to extreme lengths to squeeze fractions of a second out of their precision-engineered racing machines . As a result , constructors jealously guard the secrets behind the design of their car . If those details were to fall into the hands of a rival team , it could dent a potential world championship charge . With that in mind , the Force India team pursued Italian wind tunnel manufacturer Aerolab for £15 million ( $ 23.6 million ) , eventually reduced to £13 million ( $ 20 million ) , after claiming aspects of their 2009 car design had been replicated by a rival team . What followed was a British High Court case involving Force India , Aerolab , and F1 marque Team Lotus -- now known as Caterham . 2012 Formula One teams and drivers . Aerolab initially launched a claim against Force India , run by team principal Vijay Mallya , for unpaid funds . The case was complicated when , shortly after their split from Force India , Aerolab signed a contract to work on Lotus ' 2010 car . A statement issued by Aerolab 's legal representatives on Wednesday said the company had been ordered to pay €25,000 ( $ 39,500 ) in damages after work conducted during their contract with Force India had been used on Lotus ' 2010 car . The statement read : `` The Honorable Mr Justice Arnold held that Aerolab 's CAD designers had misused certain of Force India 's confidential information as a means of taking a 'short cut ' to produce a wind tunnel model which could begin to be used for testing as soon as possible . `` He further held that a small number of the relevant wind tunnel model components had found their way as full size components into the car which Caterham F1 Team ( then racing under the name of Team Lotus ) had raced at the beginning of the 2010 season . '' It was a victory for Force India , but an expensive one . Despite ruling Aerolab had incorrectly used intellectual property , the judge also said Force India must pay €846,230 ( $ 1.3 million ) in unpaid fees . It was also decreed that Force India 's claim of `` systematic copying '' by Lotus , in particular chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne , was unfounded . Force India were unavailable for comment but a statement was issued on their official website . It said Force India will report the case to F1 's global governing body , the FIA , while continuing a criminal case against Caterham team principal Tony Fernandes , Gascoyne and Aerolab owner Jean-Claude Migeot . `` The UK High Court judgment , in respect of the illegal copying , will now be referred for the consideration of Formula One 's governing body , '' read the statement . `` The Italian criminal case against Mike Gascoyne , Tony Fernandes and Jean Claude Migeot remains ongoing . ''
An Italian design company has been ordered by a British court to pay Force India $ 39,500 . Aerolab used the team 's intellectual property while designing the 2010 Lotus , now Caterham . The case is being heard in London and it could be settled as early as next week. The marque intend to refer the incident to motorsport 's global governing body .