[Racer Duck]

MILAN, Jan 7 (Reuters) - McLaren are at a clear advantage this year because they built the electronic system which all Formula One teams must now use, Ferrari chief executive Jean Todt said on Monday.

The SECU (Standard Electronic Control Unit) produced by McLaren Electronic Systems is a major development for the new season, which starts on March 16 in Melbourne.

"We would have preferred that the single control unit for all Formula One teams was built by another company. We must accept the fact that McLaren with Microsoft put forward the most economic proposal," Todt told reporters.

"It is clear it is a situation to monitor. But it is obvious that, at least at the start, McLaren will have an advantage in the championship," added the Frenchman, who has handed the reins of the racing team to Stefano Domenicali while he remains boss of the company.

The rivalry between the two teams was extremely heated in 2007 with the Italian outfit becoming constructors champions after McLaren were stripped of all their points for a spying scandal involving sensitive Ferrari information.
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[DOF_power]

Renault said just about the same thing regarding the SECU.
And BMW Sauber, Honda were not terribly happy either.