News about Minardi.

[steve nielsen]

Dutch TV had an interview with Paul Stoddart today during qualifying, when he was asked about Jos visiting the Minardi motorhome he said: "I've know Jos since 1997, he's a very good driver, If I have the chance I would sign him"

The reporter than asked about the engines(Jos already said in an earlier interview that Minardi would only be an option for him if they had a better engine), to wich Paul replied:"I'm working on a WORKS deal for next year, or to put it another way: Jos won't have to worry about the engines"

So, could Minardi finaly get a powerfull engine?, there where rumours about a 1 year old Ferrari or Cosworth, so maybe.............

[Peter Mallett]

Oh dear. So he's not driving for Toyota then. It's Minardi now.

Of course Jos wouldn't have to worry about Minardi's engines if he's not driving next year would he?

[NiceGuyEddie]

Did you notice what a Ferrari engine can do to a 1992 Scuderia Italia?

Did you notice what a Ferrari engine can do to a 1993 Lola?

Did you notice what a Ferrari engine can do to a 2001 Prost?

answer: next to nothing.

And Minardi wont be able to build a chassis thats good enough to make an engine like that work. And certainly not without Gustav Brunner.

By the way, I saw that interview and it was nothing more than Paul Stoddard being friendly to a Dutch reporter.

[NiceGuyEddie]

By the way, Stoddard is gunning for Wilson. He even promised that the 2003-Minardichassis will be big enough to accomodate Justin. That simply needs that he needs a paydriver. Those Italian engines are not for free you know.

[senna12]

Is Justin a pay driver? Is he bringing a lot of sponsor dollars with him? I think Minardi is in a position where they must have pay drivers, at least one of them, for sure.
As a team owner, Paul HAS to look for a works deal, he simply can't afford an engine deal with anyone, where he has to pay for them.

Unfortunately, Minardi are caught in that vicious circle at the bottom of the grid, for which only MAJOR $$$$$$ are the answer.

[DNQ]

Paul Stoddart will not be able to afford anything better than Asiatech motors next year - mark my words - it won't happen.

Cosworth won't supply four teams, and Ferrari won't supply 3. Anyway, hand me down engines are not always a miracle solution...

You can make up more time in Chassis development, aerodynamics, tyres etc.

[Valve Bounce]

I thought Asiatech was taking a year off F1 next year. It could be that Paul Stoddart will be without an engine next year. So Fred and Barney would have to be their driver lineup for next year.

Valve

[The Other Chris]

lol valve

[Airhead]

Hang on Valve - don't the cars need flat bottoms?

[Peter Mallett]

Moff. What have flat bottoms got to do with engines?

[f1manoz]

Minardi will have to get something within budget constraints, therefore it will once again be older, slower and less developed than anything else on the grid. Whatever Minardi try, they always end up back at square one.

[steve nielsen]

their budget will be increased next year according to Paul.

[steve nielsen]

Originally posted by DNQ

Cosworth won't supply four teams, and Ferrari won't supply 3. Anyway, hand me down engines are not always a miracle solution...

Arrows will have to pay for theirs first, and Ferrari HAVE suplied 3 teams(Prost remember?).

BTW: click on the link and take a look at the guy hanging over the pitwall when Jos finishes 4th(Monza 2000)

http://home.wanadoo.nl/sjaguera/Jos-00-12.jpg

[NiceGuyEddie]

Up till now, Minardi's problem hasnt been the engine, but a aerodynamics. Nothing that a load of testing wouldnt solve. Just the engine is not the problem, but if Paul Stoddard claims to have to budget for 2003 to develop a chassis thats good enough to make a worksengine effective and to do a load of testing, than that would be a mighty increase. I imagine Kuala Lumpur will no longer be in it, so he is this new miracle sponsor? Vodafone?

[NiceGuyEddie]

Minardi seems to be looking across the Atlantic as well:

The Minardi team is to give Bryan Herta a solid testing opportunity at the end of the season, during the post-season month of testing. The Californian driver had a run in a Minardi at the recent Thunder in the Park event and got a taste for Formula 1 and hopes to be able to put together a deal to race for the team next year.

After the Donington event the team said that they had been very impressed by Herta, despite the fact that it was not a proper test.

There is currently considerable action in Formula 1 circles to increase interest in the United States of America and Herta's desire to land a drive is matched by that of Townsend Bell, another ex-CART driver, who was at Spa - his second visit to a Grand Prix in two weeks.

(stolen from grandprix.com)

Would make some sense, wouldnt it? RedBull doesnt seem able to get a proper deal from Arrows and Jaguar doesnt seem to be willing to do anything with RedBull. What better solution than to turn your eyes to Minardi? They are in a chronic need of money and sponsors. Pay for 1 year old Ferrari-engines, or better yet, works Cosworth-engines. Put in an American hopefull and a paydriver (that would no doubt be Bernoldi). In that case, Stoddard got what he wanted (worksengine and major sponsor) and RedBull is on its way to an "All" American Team.

[NiceGuyEddie]

Looks like Minardi is planning on running 4 or 5 cars. Now it seems Stoddard is gunning for Davidson as well.

Unfortunately Davidson's hopes of upstaging Webber failed when he finished six tenths behind and although this afternoon's race will be the last we see of him this year as Alex Yoong returns to the team for round fifteen at Monza, team boss Paul Stoddart has hinted that we may be seeing a lot more of Anthony next year.

"Unfortunately, it was a two-race deal and Alex Yoong will be back for Monza,” he said. “But I wouldn't rule out Anthony driving for us next year - he's certainly done enough to justify his place in F1."

(stolen from f1-live.com)

[Red]

Originally posted by NiceGuyEddie
Did you notice what a Ferrari engine can do to

... a 2001 Sauber? A 4th. Your point is? Especially when Minardi does have a good aero-package ... :confused:

[NiceGuyEddie]

Originally posted by Red
... a 2001 Sauber? A 4th. Your point is? Especially when Minardi does have a good aero-package ... :confused:

My point would be that Sauber actually has a decent chassis. And they have. I argued that Minardi would need a seriously good chassis, and what are the chances of that without Gustav Brunner? Allthough Stoddard is on his way to lure in Sergio Rinland, time is too short to make it happen for 2003.

And Minardi does not have a good aero-package. As Webber will be happy to explain (he does that in practically every interview-session) Minardi is struggeling in the medium and fast-corners. Not coincidently the corners where one needs solid aerodynamics. Those you get by testing, testing, testing and testing. Minardi doesnt do that.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by NiceGuyEddie
Up till now, Minardi's problem hasnt been the engine, but a aerodynamics. Nothing that a load of testing wouldnt solve.

Valve

[Red]

Eddie, Minardi does have a decent chassis.

A Ferrari engine is one good thing that can happen to you. Prost's misfortune didn't come from them, but from a lousy management. If Stoddard can use his head a bit and decides that he can afford the engines, (and the Gazprom money could help him make up his mind) then Minardi-Ferrari can go for a 7-9 place in WCC, beating Jaguar and whatever Arrows will be called next year. Maybe the Jordans too.

[Valve Bounce]

.......or BAR, or Toyota.

Valve

[Valve Bounce]

Hey!! Forsyte's on - seeya Guys, gotta go

Valve

[steve nielsen]

Dutch TV said that Paul also was talking to Honda about a possible suply of Mugen engines.

[NiceGuyEddie]

Originally posted by Red
Eddie, Minardi does have a decent chassis.

A Ferrari engine is one good thing that can happen to you. Prost's misfortune didn't come from them, but from a lousy management.

Come on. Lousy management in itself doesnt make a car slow. A lack of testing makes/keeps a car slow. History simply proves that a Ferrari-engine is in no way a guarantee for succes. The Minardi-chassis was as good as possible when Gustav Brunner was penning it. Today's chassis offers room for improvement. Maybe the Asiatech is not good enough to reveal its weaknesess, but a Ferrari or works-Cosworth engine surely are.

Youre just a little too quick to conclude that Minardi will move up the grid just because of a better engine. Minardi is stuck to the last row on the grid for quite some time no. Very much is needed to change that. Just be realistic here.

[steve nielsen]

BTW: Huub Rothengatter was till in the padock today, he was seen talking to Paul Stoddart and according to dutch TV he was not alone, there was somebody with him from a big dutch company who want to sponsor a team that hires Jos.

and Dutch TV also said that the new Russian Minardi sponsor Gazprom has said to Paul that if he finds a better engine that they would pay for it.