Minardi Split With Sponsor

[Don K]

Originally posted by touringcarnut
Seems that Wilux have scored an own goal with this one. I love the fact that Minardi 'wish them every success in the future'

There are rumours that Jordan is trying to get Wilux as a sponsor.

---

Seems to me as if both parties have not been completely correct.

And possibly one of them (or both of them?) might have had some other deal lined up.

I think we don't have enough information to know what really happened.
But personally I think that Wilux should have shown some more respect and understanding.

[Mekola]

I've just seen the Minardi shown at British GP. I can consider right that Stoddy put a "John Boy" marquee for respect to his former employee in the rear wing, but not put these signs in the main parts of the car stripping out ALL sponsors! I love Minardi as a team, but I understand if Wildschut is not happy for this manner.

But don't worry Minardi fans... I hope the team would be named "Golden Palace Minardi" in the near future. I'm sure Leinders will move to a titular ride if that happens...

[Kicking-back]

What is a titular ride?

[JohnMiller]

If you have a contract you have a contract. Why couldn't they have a tribute without removing their sponsors logos?

Whatever the truth of the case, I feel that Minardi are now a severe embarrassment to F1 and change is needed...

[Kicking-back]

Minardi are not in any way an "embarrassment" to F1.

The team were in a situation where they had lost one of their colleagues and friends - a man liked throughout the sport.

[JohnMiller]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Minardi are not in any way an "embarrassment" to F1.

Chassis is 2002 Arrows design.
Engine is God knows how old.
Reliability is almost as poor as speed.
Drivers of questionable F1 ability, at best.
'Always' in the news with regard to sponsors not paying Gazprom, Wilux etc.

[Kicking-back]

So you'd rather 18 cars on the grid, eh?

[touringcarnut]

I wouldn't knock a team such as minardi when they have such a small budget and manage to be even 5 seconds off the pace.

[JohnMiller]

Or is that 5 seconds quicker than an (underpowered and no TC etc.) F3000?

[JohnMiller]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
So you'd rather 18 cars on the grid, eh?

Nope I'd rather have the 1988/1989 days of 33 cars trying to get on the grid when the ones who were a shambles, taking the **** and had no right to be called F1 teams soon ****ed off.

[Kicking-back]

F3000 are slower than that.

Anyway if you look at laptime for the budget, Minardi are doing a more efficient job than anyone

[touringcarnut]

Once the likes of Ford get tired of putting the money in, F1 will have 10 car grids, and the rot will truly set in. If the indepedent teams disappear, the whole danger is that there are no small teams left to fill the grids.

The trouble with F1 is that some people have a real snobbery towards the smaller teams, believing that the manufacturers will be there forever, ploughing the money into the racing. It just won't happen, they may have the money, but not the passion of the teams like Minardi or Jordan who will be there until they are broke.

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by JohnMiller
Nope I'd rather have the 1988/1989 days of 33 cars trying to get on the grid when the ones who were a shambles, taking the **** and had no right to be called F1 teams soon ****ed off.

It's only because those teams ****ed off, as you so delicately put it, that the grid fell from 33 to 32 to 30 to 28 to 26 to 24 to 22 to 20.

If Minardi go then Jordan will be at the back and get abuse.

Then Jaguar, then Sauber, then Toyota, then Williams.

Eventually we'll have a no-car grid with that attitude.

[JohnMiller]

I love the small teams.

Someone, anyone, please offer some genuine evidence that the principals of either Jordan or Minardi are going 'broke.'

What actual EVIDENCE is there of a budget shortfall in either case?

[JohnMiller]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
It's only because those teams ****ed off, as you so delicately put it, that the grid fell from 33 to 32 to 30 to 28 to 26 to 24 to 22 to 20.

If Minardi go then Jordan will be at the back and get abuse.

Then Jaguar, then Sauber, then Toyota, then Williams.

Eventually we'll have a no-car grid with that attitude.

I don't think so. If Minardi had to improve or face non-qulaification I feel that would motivate them to improve more than otherwise. As McLaren and Williams have also had to react to Ferrari 'raising the bar' in recent years.

[Minardi fan]

Minardi, an embarrassment to F1?

Minardi set an example in F1 to everyone - being in it to race, with a boundless supply of determination. What they do on the budget they have is brilliant.

[Knowlesy]

Originally posted by JohnMiller

What actual EVIDENCE is there of a budget shortfall in either case?

They take pay drivers.

Their cars are abysmal.

They have smaller workforces than other teams.

To name but a few.....

[JohnMiller]

If you think that's evidence I'd avoid litigation if I was you knowlesey!


How'd you do a smiley again?

[Knowlesy]

Will do.

[Kicking-back]

The wealth or otherwise of the team owners is irrelevant.

Putting your own personal cash into an F1 team is a sure way to go bankrupt.

And Stoddart is certainly not making a profit from being involved.

[BootsOntheSide]

If this is purely to do with Silverstone, Wilux have been really unreasonable about this. They must realise that these circumstances are unusual and tragic, and Paul reacted in a humane way. They haven't lost much coverage from being off the cars for one race - if anything their regular existance was more noticable by their absence, as it is when you see 'Be On Edge' and 'Look Alike' in place of the real sponsors.

Minardi have every right to be in F1, adn do an amazing job consdering even half the limitations John and KB have mentioned. I hope they continue for a long time and haul themselves back into contention, and that new teams come in to stop them looking artifically bad.

[JohnMiller]

Boots

If this is purely to do with Silverstone Minardi have acted very foolishly. Why not run the tribute AS WELL AS the Wilux logos?

As to the second part of your post, I could not agree more!

On another note, does this mean Leinders is no longer going to run on Friday's and if so, will they run someone else and who?

[Liam34]

Jacques Villeneuve.
Well, he seems to get mentioned for every other F1 drive, he may as well join the speculation for this one.

[Don K]

Originally posted by Don K
It seems that Stoddard closed the deal with Wilux right after Wilux had phoned him to turn the offer down.

I was wrong there.

Apparently Stoddard closed the deal with Muemans right after Muermans had phoned him to turn the offer down.

[JohnMiller]

Eh?