Minardi see future beyond the back row

Alan Baldwin

Nobody kicks sand in Paul Stoddart's face and gets away with it.

The owner of Minardi, the smallest Formula One team, made his feelings abundantly clear at Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix after the defection of his technical director Gustav Brunner to Toyota six days before the race.

The Australian-born businessman, who bought struggling Minardi in January when it looked like they might go under, has big ambitions for his team and is determined to be taken seriously.

The Brunner business stung Stoddart at a time when he is doing all he can to raise Minardi's game and change their image from persistent no-hopers who keep going against all the odds to respected midfield runners.

"We have seriously lifted it (the team) and we haven't finished yet and that's why its more personal with me with Brunner," he said in an interview.

Toyota are preparing to enter Formula One next season and announced last week that they had recruited Austrian Brunner as their new chief designer with immediate effect.

Stoddart had a problem with that as Brunner was supposedly under contract to Minardi until 2003.

"I suspect the decision was made and it was just 'well, it's Minardi, stuff them,'" he said.

Minardi have scored just one point since 1995 and started the New Year with no drivers, no engines and hefty debts. Toyota are the world's third largest carmaker with annual pre-tax profits running into billions of dollars.

RULE CHANGES
Stoddart said he was determined to sue both Brunner and Toyota "to the fullest extent possible".

"It's a bit like David and Goliath really, isn't it. But the bigger they are, the harder they fall," he said.

Toyota's position is that they employed Brunner after he resigned from Minardi and say the contract they have seen suggested he was free to leave the company.

Stoddart said the dispute showed that Formula One needed a formal mechanism to protect teams from having certain key staff, with access to confidential research and development information, being poached by rivals.

The drivers are already covered by an FIA contracts recognition board set up in the 1990s to prevent conflict between teams.

Stoddart said Brunner's departure would not affect Minardi's long-term development since there were no major technical rule changes for 2002.

"Next year's cars are a development of this year's car. Our 2002 car is finished, it was finished for another reason early," he said.

That undoubtedly means a deal for an engine produced by one of the manufacturers already in the sport, rather than the ageing Ford-based ones currently in the car.

Stoddart said he hoped to be able to announce something by the Canadian Grand Prix on June 10.

"We are in a very good position at the moment. If there was ever a time for this (Brunner's departure) to happen, it's right now," he said.

"He's gone before it (the new engine) has come in although he has all the intricate details of that," he said.

"I think when it (the deal) is announced it will surprise a few people but it will do what I want it to do which is to lift Minardi to a regular midfield competitor."

ALONSO STAYING
Brunner will be replaced in the short term by Gabriele Tredozi, although Stoddart will seek a replacement should the Italian find the job too much.

Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, 20 in July, will stay at the team next year after an impressive debut season.

The Spaniard has finished ahead of both Renault-powered Benettons in two of the six races so far and has looked faster than them in practice as well.

"We all know that he's got a Renault contract but this year and next year he's a Minardi driver," said Stoddart. "Beyond that who knows, but he's definite for next year."

A major sponsor could also soon be in place for 2002.

Minardi have already shown that they intend to move up in the world by replacing their aged motorhome with a pair of lavish two-tier ones.

"What we are talking about here is Minardi achieving in year two what it had hoped to achieve in year three," said Stoddart of his plans.

"I would not for one second discount us from getting a point this year. We need a bit of luck, no doubt about that, but we've certainly got the talent and the dedication.

"If we don't everyone will say 'well, we didn't think they would anyway.' That's a pretty good position to be in.

"We've done more than people ever thought we would in a shorter period of time than anyone thought was possible. We've lifted the game of Minardi all round and our final objective is to finish 10th in this year's championship.

That would also ensure that Minardi and Toyota are not immediate paddock neighbours next season. With 12 teams, Toyota will occupy the position furthest down the pecking order.