McLaren boss, Zak Brown plays down fears that Mercedes-powered teams could face Melbourne ban over engine row.

As the last of the liveries - but not the actual bloody cars - is revealed to a waiting public, the row over the legality of the Mercedes engine rumbles on, and while the FIA has previously wasted no time on clamping down on jewellery, incorrect underwear and the like, the sport's governing body appears to be worryingly slow in getting to grips with an issue that could take the shine off the start of a highly-anticipated new season.

Despite various meetings, nothing appears to be getting done, and with rival manufacturers - now joined by Red Bull - fearing that Mercedes, and its customer teams, could head into the new season with an advantage the pressure is mounting.

While Toto Wolff blithely insists that the likes of Audi, Ferrari, Honda and Red Bull sort their s**t out, the four manufacturers are demanding the situation be resolved before Melbourne... or else.

"It's typical politics of Formula 1," says Brown. "The engine has been designed and is totally compliant within the rules. That's what the sport is about.

"This is no different to things like double diffusers that we've seen in the past, where they're compliant within the rules," he adds.

"I don't believe there's a significant advantage as being represented by the competition," he insists. "But of course their job is any perceived advantage, they'll make some story out of it. The reality is the engine is completely compliant, passed all its tests, and I think HPP has done a good job."

His denial comes at a time former racer, and McLaren star, Pastor Maldonado, has stirred up the hornet's nest in claiming that Mercedes was holding back in Barcelona, and that the German team has another 3s - 4s up its sleeve, which, if true, would leave rivals apoplectic.

"If you hear what I hear, I think they didn't show everything by a long shot," he told the AS Colombia podcast, "I've heard they can still be three to four seconds faster.

"They worked a reliable program and drove a lot of laps, but if they really start pushing, then it could be very different.

"Some teams will interpret things correctly and some will not," added the seven-time race winner, four with Williams, three with McLaren. "But if Mercedes turns out to be really dominant, will that also mean that all Mercedes teams are in top form?"

As for talk of the Mercedes teams being excluded in Melbourne, Brown says: "I can't imagine that you wouldn't have Mercedes teams on the grid in Australia.

"We're not privy to those conversations," he admits, "and so I wouldn't even know from a power unit point of view what would be required to change the regulations. But we'll have all the Mercedes teams on the grid in Australia, I'm sure."