A number of Formula One teams have been warned of the prospect of a potential protest that could lead to their exclusion from the Spanish Grand Prix.
The key technical topic is the off-throttle blown diffuser, aided by hot air from exhaust gases, that helps increase downforce and maintains stabilisation of the car.
The development race of the device is such the FIA now believe the teams have gone too far and initially they were due to be outlawed from this weekend.
However, following teams airing their concerns, the FIA has opted to delay the possibility of a ban until after the think-tank Technical Working Group has met to discuss the matter.
That, however, does not stop one of the three teams currently not using the system - primarily Williams, as well as Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing - from launching a protest with the stewards after the race.
Having initially acted on a complaint from one team - understood to be Williams - FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting said: "It (a protest) is always a possibility.
"I've made that clear to the teams it could happen and then we will take it to the stewards in the normal way.
"We have always maintained, in all of our technical directives that we have sent for many years now, that this is merely the opinion of the technical department.
"Anyone is free to challenge it in front of the stewards. It does not happen very often, but it has happened in the past.
"So it can happen, and I've told the teams that were pleased that we decided to postpone this introduction, that it could happen."
Asked if the FIA could disqualify a number of cars, Whiting added: "I would like to think that that probably wouldn't happen, but one never knows.
"It is not beyond the realms of possibility. A protest is open to anybody as you know, then it will go before the stewards."
Whiting has confirmed it is the way the blown diffuser is used, and not the actual system itself that is being brought into question and could lead to a protest.
"We've known about the physical presence of blown diffusers, in one form or another, for around 15 years probably," said Whiting.
"We accept the fact exhaust gases have to come out somewhere and teams are going to do the best they can to make that work to their benefit.
"But this latest phenomenon is what we have a problem with and I imagine would be the subject of any protest should there be one.
"What we thought initially was a fairly benign feature was turning into something that was being used, in our opinion, illegally.
"We think it infringes the regulations, and we are now faced with the possibility of even more extreme systems coming along, so we felt it was time to do something about it.
"But having discussed this with a few engine manufacturers, we felt it best not to rush something through and to discuss it further."