Paul Stoddart taking over Minardi???????

[steve nielsen]

Stoddart to buy Minardi?
PAUL STODDART, the Australian multimillionaire who runs the European Formula F3000 team, is rumored to be on the verge of buying Minardi. The Italian team has been looking for a buyer since the talks with the PSN network broke down at the end of last year. The team has since lost a number of staff while owner Gabriele Rumi looked for a new owner. Stoddart has long harboured ambitions of owning a Formula 1 team and is the logical man to move into F1 as he has been quietly building up production capability at the European Formula facility at Ledbury in Herefordshire in the course of the last few years.

Stoddart made his fortune in airline leasing and jet parts. His interest in motor racing led him to buy a series of old F1 cars. He has collected over 40 F1 chassis, most of them Tyrrells, and he has enjoyed considerable success running and racing them in the Boss historic F1 series in Britain.

As long ago as 1997 Stoddart was becoming more involved with Tyrrell, using one of his VIP aircraft to fly the Tyrrell team to each race and then becoming involved with the plan to build a half-scale, rolling road windtunnel at European Aviation's headquarters at Bournemouth International Airport.

When Tyrrell was taken over by British American Racing Stoddart acquired much of the old Tyrrell equipment and many members of the staff. He began to run a Formula 3000 team in 1999 and won his first race last year with Mark Webber driving. Stoddart has made no secret of his desire to have his own F1 team and has been acquiring equipment, including a number of dynos which he bought after Brian Hart closed his factory. The 62,000sq ft European Formula factory features all the necessary autoclaves, a seven-post testing rig and has a new building which will house a windtunnel, which we believe is the development of the original design in 1997. European currently employs 52 people and has been involved in the manufacture of parts for a number of F1 teams and built no fewer than eight two-seater F1 cars last year for Arrows.

Minardi has been suffering from the recent confusion about its future and we hear that the number of staff is now down to under 100 but the combined operations will still make a decent start for an F1 team. The most important question for Minardi in recent weeks has been that of engines as the Mecachrome company was unable to supply the team because of the beryllium which was used in the 2000 engines. Beryllium is now banned and so the French engines cannot be used. Last year Minardi used 1998 Ford V10 engines badged as Fondmetals. These were not very competitive but with a little more development at European and, perhaps, a little more support from Cosworth, these would not be embarrassing this year. They are not, however, going to be very competitive so the 2001 season will have to be viewed as an interim year. It is not clear whether the Minardi factory will remain in Italy if Stoddart does take over but the long-term future of the Faenza operation must be in some doubt.

In all probability the team will have drivers Fernando Alonso and Enrique Bernoldi. Both have substantial backing for F1 and both have proved to be quite useful in Formula 3000.

If the news is confirmed there will be much rejoicing in Australia as it will be the first Australian-owned F1 team since Brabham (although Jack Brabham was involved in the abortive Simtek programme in 1994 and 1995).

It remains to be seen whether or not Stoddart's bid is successful but we expect that a deal will be announced shortly. Several years ago Stoddart talked about his desire to re-establish the Tyrrell name in F1 and it may be that eventually he will do that.

______________________________________________
Source: Inside F1

and when you take a look at the testing pictures from Arrows:






You can see that European Aviation has disapeard from the Arrows nose and wing, so, could it be true?????

[Valve Bounce]

My view is that Minardi or whoever takes over this team must talk to a works engine supplier if they want to be serious about F1. Tooling around the back of the field is really not that much fun anymore, and the only people interested in sponsoring such teams will be suppliers of vitamin pills for geriatrics. Lets face it, I could create more interest and publicity if I was allowed to roller blade around the track before each GP than a Minardi tooling around at the rear and blocking Mika Hakinen.

[marcus]

Paul Stoddart got involved with fellow Aussie Mark Webber and funded his F3000 drive last year and also managed to land him his Arrows test drive..when that fell over in a big way and Webber left for benetton Euro Aviation decided to stay on as a sponsor of the Arrows team.


as for him buying Minardi ..Im sure many Aussies would like to see that and of course it would be great to have an Aussie owned team..and of course Stoddart is still very keen on getting Webber into F1 and that may also be a possibility..he is very patriotic and so this may open the door for many of Australias young drivers looking for an F1 ride..allthough personally I would like to see Minardi stay as Minardi and with Giancarlo still at the helm..but Stoddart runs a very good ship (or plane) and if he did get into F1 then he would be a very good team owner..but of course you need the backing of an engine supplier ..so if he carnt get one then I would guess he wouldnt be there for too long.

[Valve Bounce]

Let's stick witht the engine route - and I don't mean a schlocky deal with a second hand engine resuscitator, I mean somebody like Renault or Ford (factory), or maybe even Toyota. It's time Minardi stopped being the butt end of jokes and started to kick ass. Otherwise they may as well try to sell those vitamins I was telling you about. I also wish Stodart well, as this will be the best avenue for our young Aussi asprant F1 drivers to get a leg up into F1. We have good sportsmen here, but our drivers do need more help to make it.

[MichaelC]

There was a rumour a while ago that Paul Stoddart fell out with TWR, which was rumoured to mean the end of European F3000 being the Arrows junior team.

as he has been quietly building up production capability at the European Formula facility at Ledbury in Herefordshire in the course of the last few years

That's where I live (the town, not the factory!!). He's got quite a set of buildings, including a petrol station where he displays all these old cars he bought - Nanini's Benetton is there at the moment - and he's also building and selling new Maestros (yes, Austin lives on).


There's no question that the guy's an F1 nut. Pulling everything together, with buying all of Tyrell that BAR didn't want, the F3000 team, the fact that he drives himself in the European BOSS forumla in one of said Tyrells, the Arrows 2-seater, and his desire to create a formula 1 team, I'd say there's a good chance of him pulling it off. Minardi wouldn't go for that much, he could pay for it out of the loose change in his pocket.

I'll keep my eyes open, if I see any Italian-blokes around town, I'll let you know...

[Airhead]

"and he's also building and selling new Maestros (yes, Austin lives on)".

Far Out!

Surely I've had too much to drink on a Friday night! You don't mean those things Maisie's on about. SURELY NOT!

[MichaelC]

er, yes. Sorry.

[Airhead]

What he flogs these things off to whom....

Maisie?

And there's enough money in it to fund a F1 team. Christopher.. I'm dreaming.

[MichaelC]

He knocks them out at about 4500 pounds a time. His primary business is the aviation side of things though, that's what's made his millions.

[steve nielsen]

The latest report on things: Paul Stoddart has said that the deal is not 100% done, and that there's stil a lot of work to do before Australia. ( http://www.verstappen.nl )

[Valve Bounce]

I suppose there would be a lot of work. Apart from anything else, they have to find an engine - I doubt the Austin Maestro engine would have enough reliability for F1.
Minardi reckons his financial situation is like an Atomic Bomb. Maybe he could rely on nuclear power; he did say it is important for Minardi to win - now that is an understatement if there ever was one.

[Maisie]

Well, my engine's never let me down

Are they using the MG Turbo engine, or saving money by going for the 2.0 Perkins diesel??

[Speed Demon]

As I live in Hereford, I'd personally be delighted if Paul Stoddart gets the job done and buys Minardi. An F1 team on my doorstep? Cool!! (Especially as I'm a journo and Ledbury is in my patch...)

Anyway, last time I spoke to Mike Rush, PR for European Racing (this afternoon, in fact), he told me team officials were in Italy trying to hammer out a deal. An announcement is due tomorrow (Tuesday), Wednesday or Thursday at the latest as time is obviously of the essence now.

Incidentally, when I spoke to him at Autosport International, he confirmed the F3000 team would still be the Arrows junior team. Apparently one of the 2-seater F1s is still in Arrows colours also. Whether this would be affected by the Minardi deal is unclear.

[MichaelC]

This isn't related in any way to the topic, it's just something I noticed looking at that Arrows.

What kind of tyres is it running on? They don't look very grooved to me, but perhaps it's just because it's moving...

[Sparky]

I noticed that, Michael - they look like 'Monsoon'ies, but in the DRY???

I bet that gripped well... for about 100metres!

[MichaelC]

Well if Jos was driving, he probably went off before the first 100 yards anyway
Although that looks like DLR's helmet...

[Gt_R]

i read this off somewhere...
"Minardi is finally saved. Our favourite team has been bought by Paul Stoddart who invested 35 £35 million of his own money. The drivers will be Fernando Alonso and Enrique Bernoldi. The engine has not yet been confirmed but should be some Ford V10's"

Any one can confirm it?

[steve nielsen]

Michaelc, it is Jos, Pedro has a yellow and blue helemet.
(Jos is the one with more points and more finishes than his teammate, who crashed 6 times (Jos 3 times))


And: these tyres are intermidiates, all the bridgestone teams where running those on that day, it had been raining earlier.

[R]

I've just been at Atlas, and they're reporting that there'll be no announcement made this week concerning the future of the Minardi team. Giancarlo Minardi says that no contract has been concluded with Stoddart. Negotiations are taking place though, and the team promises to be on the grid in Australia, according to Atlas.