Stoddart: "A trying weekend...

[Bibendum]

...fraught with politics."

Anyone know, specifically, what he's on about? I assume it has to do with the Prost money, but I haven't read any report which casts further light on this.

Thanks,

Bibendum.

[f1manoz]

It's just more to do with the Prost situation. It's really starting to get out of hand.

Apparently Stoddart sent a fax to every team asking for the money, but TW also sent one saying that the top 9 teams from 2001 should be given the money.

Is TW trying to force Minardi out or something? They are both very bitter about the whole thing.

[Bibendum]

Thanks, f1manoz; you're right, it's really depressing. I wonder if the whole tangle of interactions will come out some day, or if we'll be left with these occasional tips of the iceberg to go on. Or is it as simple as a clash of egos, played out on a rather expensive scale?

[Stephen Green]

I believe they fell out when Stoddard was running the Arrows Junior Team in F3000? Didn't Ted Kravitcz or whatever his name is say that the money almost certainly wasn't going to Minardi during one of the interviews at the Canadian GP this weekend?

[mac]

The Arrows F3000 thing was the start of the Stoddart/Walkinshaw thing. It went something like this:

Basically, Mark Webber was promised a test in the current-spec 2000 car. Mark turned up to the test and Arrows shoved a contract in front of him, literally just before he was about to get in the car, and said "sign this". Basically, it was a contract that would have seen Mark tied up to Arrows long-term as a test driver.

Mark said, "no thanks". Tom said, "well you're not driving my car". And Mark walked out. That was the start.

The Arrows F3000 team nearly died there and then, but they finished the season, and they split at the end of the season.

[Champ69]

I remember hearing that. Smart move from Webber.

[Bibendum]

Mac, that's an intriguing bit of information. So TW is so petty that Webber's refusal to become an indentured servant inspired him with enmity for anyone who subsequently succeeded in signing him? That's...sad. And you're right, it's an impressive example of self-possession on the part of Mark, because many another driver might have been so keen to have a go in the car that they'd have signed without thinking it through.

Incidentally, apologies for misspelling Stoddard's name. D'oh.