|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
27 Jun 2001, 09:31 (Ref:110218) | #1 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,168
|
EXCLUSIVE: Paul Stoddart to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister!
Report from www.F1-Live.com
According to reports coming out of Malaysia, European Minardi boss, Paul Stoddart together with the team's sporting director, Rupert Manwaring will be participating in a meeting with Malaysia's Sports Minister sometime in the next week to discuss a possible deal between the country and Minardi Formula One. It was also said that the Minardi team principle might even have a meeting scheduled with the Prime Minister of Malaysia who has taken a keen interest in Alex Yoong's participation in Formula One. Recent Formula One activity in the home of the Malaysian Grand Prix has linked Formula Nippon driver, Alex Yoong with a possible future drive for the small outfit and the country's Sporting Minister, Dato' Hishammuddin is known to be in full support of helping the young driver achieve his long term goals of becoming a Formula One driver. Minardi have had their eye on Alex's progress for some time now and Manwaring stated several weeks ago that he believes Alex is ready for the giant step up into the pinnacle of Motorsports. While some may be disbelieving of the situation, Malaysian Motorsports manager Mr. Nanthan confirmed to us exclusively yesterday that they have already received and forwarded Alex's application for a super license to the sports governing body and they expect a response from the FIA sometime in the next week. One of the requirements necessary to obtain the highly sought after license is that the driver must have the offer of a current contract with a Formula One team as either a test or full time driver. There has been speculation for some weeks now that Tarso Marques' days are numbered with the team, something Minardi have denied repeatedly, however while the team have confirmed Fernando Alonso for next season, Paul Stoddart did admit that Tarso is on a race to race contract and can be replaced at any given time. "Tarso is on a race-by-race deal," he said recently. "And if anybody comes along who we believe will be an incredible asset to the team, then we have the right to change him." However at this stage, while the team has confirmed to us that Stoddart is in Malaysia for a meeting with the Minister, the only information they were willing to disclose was that he is there to discuss potential sponsorship deals, but there was no official confirmation or denial regarding Alex Yoong's future with the outfit. |
||
|
27 Jun 2001, 09:48 (Ref:110222) | #2 | |
Veteran
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 5,702
|
Yeah - I saw that. Sad isn't it.
|
|
|
27 Jun 2001, 11:15 (Ref:110230) | #3 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 778
|
A lamentable development. All we need now is for governments to begin to sponsor F 1 teams and to secure driving seats for their citizens in the process. (Actually, is Yooung a Malaysian? I just assumed so,) Can you imagine Iran and Iraq dicing for the lead on the last laps of the British GP? With Saddam IV versus the Young Ayatollah for the WDC? Maybe Bernie will ban them and justify his own position as Absolute Ruler and Temporal Lord of Internal Combustion. Ah me, what a way to start off the morning.
|
||
|
27 Jun 2001, 11:42 (Ref:110240) | #4 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,917
|
Soon...all global political disputes would be settled on the F1 track~ One in US colours...one in Germany...one in China...
|
||
|
27 Jun 2001, 11:58 (Ref:110245) | #5 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,491
|
LET ME HELP
G'day Mite,
The rine in Spine falls minely in the plines. Ya got that Paul? Mahatir will loveya for it, mite!! |
||
|
27 Jun 2001, 12:29 (Ref:110258) | #6 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,964
|
I don't see what all the fuss is about - Marques needs replacing asap as he is making the team look like a joke. Also, does no-one remember that Malaysia sponsored Sauber???
|
||
|
27 Jun 2001, 12:37 (Ref:110261) | #7 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 663
|
What's all the fuss about?!!
Minardi fan, what do you mean? What has Mr Yoong ever done in his career? He will be an absolute embarassment to the Minardi name and to F1 in general. Surely they can't be serious? Please tell me it can't happen.......... ....someone.. |
|
|
27 Jun 2001, 14:52 (Ref:110293) | #8 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,964
|
I don't know a thing about Yoong - I'm just going on what other people say. I believe Morbidelli should be driving the other Minardi.
|
||
|
27 Jun 2001, 23:45 (Ref:110529) | #9 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,491
|
Quote:
What we are concerned about is the involvement of a Government into buying a seat for an inept driver into F1. However, I suspect the deal involves a rather complicated engine deal, most probably an improved (through additional funding) ASIATECH for Minardi. So, it is evident that this is where Paul Stoddat is going to get his engine from. As a Minardi fan myself, I don't know whether to cheer, or whatever. Last edited by Valve Bounce; 27 Jun 2001 at 23:47. |
|||
|
27 Jun 2001, 23:49 (Ref:110530) | #10 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,964
|
Oh dear... seems those lovely Minardi daggers are double-edged then...
|
||
|
27 Jun 2001, 23:51 (Ref:110531) | #11 | ||
Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,643
|
Can't anyone see the real problem here????????
Why is a driver we have never heard of (most of us anyway) entering formula one, the pinnicle of motorsport, because of the depth of his pockets when there are so many more talented and more experienced drivers out there? This is ridiculous. |
||
|
28 Jun 2001, 00:00 (Ref:110535) | #12 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,491
|
Quote:
MF, you know that I want to see Minardi get a decent engine, but somehow, I don't think I want it this badly. |
|||
|
28 Jun 2001, 01:43 (Ref:110567) | #13 | |||
Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 1999
Posts: 5,306
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
28 Jun 2001, 04:02 (Ref:110594) | #14 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 6,635
|
Quote:
Actually Malaysia wasn't the only goverment what sponsored in F1 to promote his drivers. Also Argentinian goverment sponsorized national teams and drivers in F1 on the late 40s and in the beginning of the 70s, starting with the support to ACA national team of Maseratis (later Ferraris) of Juan Manuel Fangio and Benedicto Campos during 1949, and finishing with the support to Carlos Reutemann in his beginning years in Europe (1970-72). Other countries don't need sponsorize his drivers because there are enterprises what decided sponsor local drivers in the name of this nation. Examples are YPF for Argentina (before the bought of Repsol), Petrobras for Brazil, Ancap for Uruguay, and Lukoil for Russia. |
|||
|
28 Jun 2001, 07:49 (Ref:110633) | #15 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,491
|
Let me put it this way Mekola: It is one thing for any Government to sponsor a team or even a good driver like Reuteman or Fangio in F1, it's another thing for a government to put pressure on a F1 team to obtain a place for an inept driver. From your exhuberance, may I assume that you are from Malaysia? For your information, I can only wish that an Asian driver would make it big time in F1. But if the driver is inept, he can end up killing someone in a race, and maybe even himself. F1 is not for the inept drivers - it is for the most capable drivers in the world. I personally am not worried about the politics of this, just the pressure of money to put any driver into an F1 car before/unless he is capable of the task.
|
||
|
28 Jun 2001, 08:28 (Ref:110644) | #16 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 645
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
28 Jun 2001, 15:54 (Ref:110766) | #17 | |||
Racer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 209
|
Quote:
Nahhh, It;s not Marques that's making the team look like a joke. The team IS a joke |
|||
|
28 Jun 2001, 18:56 (Ref:110843) | #18 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 5
|
I have seen quite not a good remarks given to Alex Yoong and Malaysia. Being a Malaysian, I'm proud to say that our Government has put up a lot of effort in promoting the motorsport in the country. No doubt that we've not yet found the best drivers for F1. But we're willing to support our people who have interest in it. The Govt. does not sponsor Alex but our corporations/companies do. In current F1, Sauber-Petronas, Petronas is our petroleum company. They're just like Shell or Mobil or BP. Alex is sponsored by Pan-Malaysian Pool and few other companies in Malaysia. So, you cannot say that he is sponsored by the Malaysian Government. The only thing that our Government does is showing the world our greatest support towards our sportsman with regard to the sports they're involved in. As some of you might know, Alex was in the F3 for few years in the 90's before he switched to Formula Nippon. However, his achievement in F3 is just average. Formula Nippon is not over yet however. In Malaysia, we're very proud of our people. You can say that we're a bit emotional about these things. That's why even the Government is taking the effort to support the matter. Even now we're running more competitions on karting, providing the avenue for motorsports, educating the people especially the youth on motorsports and lots more. Our Sports Minister has clearly stated that Alex has to find his own money(sponsor) to click the deal with the Minardi. Right, hope this is enough to explain about the involvement of our Government. On Alex's performance in F1, why don't we give it a shot like what we did to some other unknown drivers to some of us?
|
||
|
29 Jun 2001, 00:01 (Ref:110975) | #19 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 6,635
|
Quote:
About Yoong, I don't know what explain this... I know if Yoong will debut in F1 it's most probably he will made mediocre performances and also is in the risk of not qualify on some races, but it's clear behind him are the interests of Malaysian government to put one Malaysian driver in F1. Now, the best driver they had is Alex Yoong, that is. Yoong better results were on British F3 during 1998-99, but after that he wasn't so successful than before, specially after his big shunt on 1999 Spa race on F3000. I saw clear Yoong had advantages to grew up in motorsport in the same of as Gaston Mazzacane and Michel Jourdain Jr., because Alex is the son of one of the most important authorities on the Malaysian Motorsport, Hanifah Yoong. That's last is not principally to defend the insertion of Alex Yoong in F1, but is for explain WHY Yoong can will obtain one seat in F1. |
|||
|
29 Jun 2001, 00:03 (Ref:110976) | #20 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 6,635
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
29 Jun 2001, 00:20 (Ref:110982) | #21 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,964
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
29 Jun 2001, 00:33 (Ref:110988) | #22 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,491
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
29 Jun 2001, 00:42 (Ref:110996) | #23 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,491
|
Quote:
On a more serious note, I have absolutely nothing against any Malaysian driver driving in F1 provided he has shown that he has some talent; in which case the support of the government in such a pursuit is to be commended. However, to date, Alex has shown that he lacks the talent and ability to drive a powerful racing car like F3000, and the last thing anyone should want is for such an inept driver to get behind the wheel of such a powerful car because he might get seriously hurt or even worse, not to mention being a danger to others on the track. The only thing he has in his favour to save his hide is the fact that he will never be able to get within the 107% rule, for which we should be thankful. |
|||
|
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Paul Stoddart Euroboss? | Thundersports | National & International Single Seaters | 3 | 10 May 2006 22:55 |
Paul Stoddart | Tiptop | Formula One | 20 | 16 Mar 2004 17:26 |
Exclusive Paul Tracy interview!! | Mags | ChampCar World Series | 13 | 28 Jan 2004 12:28 |
paul stoddart..... | gomick | Formula One | 26 | 12 Jan 2002 20:48 |
Paul Stoddart on ITV | Tristan | Formula One | 3 | 29 Apr 2001 14:25 |