The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Minardi imbroglio threatens Australia's chances

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 06, 2005

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Sport - Racing : Motor

Minardi imbroglio threatens Australia's chances

MELBOURNE, MARCH 5. Minardi's bid to override race stewards at the season-opening Grand Prix with legal action in a local court has infuriated F1's governing body and jeopardised Australia's standing as a host for auto racing world championship events.

FIA issued a statement on Saturday responding to an injunction that Minardi's Australian owner Paul Stoddart was granted by a Victoria (state) Supreme Court, allowing Minardi to enter qualifying for Sunday's race despite a stewards' ban because the cars did not meet design specifications.

"If Australian laws do indeed allow a judge to act in this way, it will be for the World Motor Sport Council to decide if a world championship motor sport event of any kind can ever again be held in Australia," FIA, which sanctions F1 and the world rally series, said.

After winning the injunction, Stoddart decided against going ahead with legal action and, instead, his team modified the cars to fulfil new aerodynamic guidelines introduced this season.

The cars were passed by technical delegates and placed 15th and 16th — ahead of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher (18th) — in a rain-affected first qualifying session later Saturday. — AP

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