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We will take part in qualifying with '04 cars.
He needs another injunction Saturday 1415 local to participate in the race.
I always believed we would 'race' but this has left a very poor taste in the mouth.
Let's salvage something this weekend.
Forza Minardi!
Comments
Homer: he wouldn't need an injunction (Einstweilige Verfuegung) if he had 2005 aero
Minardi clear to start qualifying
Paul Stoddart (right) in discussion with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone
Minardi will start Saturday's first qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix after securing a temporary injunction against a stewards' ruling.
The stewards had earlier dismissed Minardi's bid to compete with last year's cars that do not conform to new aerodynamics regulations.
"We are in," said Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart.
"We will be running all day tomorrow and then we'll have to wait and see what happens."
Stoddart said the Victoria Supreme Court had scheduled a second hearing at 1415 local time (0315 GMT) to decide whether or not Minardi should be allowed to race on Sunday.
It is inappropriate and unacceptable to alter the technical regulations in order to suit the individual needs of one competitor
Statement from F1 stewards
The F1 minnows had earlier received the unanimous agreement from rival teams to take part in the race with last year's car, but fell foul of the stewards.
New FIA rules, which include extended engine mileage, limited tyre changes and restricted aerodynamics, have meant that all teams have had to make major modifications.
Minardi have maintained that they want to use an updated version of their 2004 car for the first three races of the season in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain.
They then plan to switch to their 2005 cars for the first European race in Italy.
Ferrari and Jordan have started the season with last year's cars but have made changes in accordance with the FIA regulations.
Stewards said it was "inappropriate and unacceptable" for Minardi to race with cars which did not meet 2005 technical rules.
Team guide: Minardi
"It is our view that it is inappropriate and unacceptable to alter the technical regulations with which all competitors comply in order to suit the individual needs of one competitor," read a statement from the stewards.
Stoddart responded: "We had a very fair hearing from the stewards (but) with a heavy heart they've decided against us.
"What I can say is that under no circumstances will we seek to disrupt this event in any shape or form. I compliment the stewards on their fairness."
The stewards' decision meant Minardi did not take part in either of Friday's two practice sessions.
EDIT: From Faenza
MINARDI UPDATE 2
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, March 4, 2005
Mr Justice Hapersberger of the Supreme Court of the State of Victoria this afternoon granted an interim injunction to allow the Minardi F1 Team to take part in the 2005 Australian Grand Prix practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday, March 5, with the cars in 2004 chassis and engine specification. A further hearing is scheduled for 1415 hrs on March 5, at which time the FIA, if it wishes, can appear and respond to the application.
[Edited on 4/3/2005 by Homer]
Must be hard for them mentally, to have stayed out of the cars today !!!!:(
Merc and BMW don't have to get their hands dirty by going up front against Max, but get the engine stuff thrown out.
High risk for everyone, not least Stoddart.
Bloody lawyers. Money has wrecked this sport.
The FIA World Council will hate the injunction and now use it as a stick with which to beat Stoddie. The FIA can be vindictive as Hell.
+ what jurisdiction will a State court in Australia have over anything apart from its local GP? Muddy waters indeed.
May I remind you once more that Max is a QC. He was, of course, involved with Bernie in the FISA-FOCA war that came to a head at Imola 23 years ago. Just before Minardi entered F1, in fact.
Oh, the symmetry.
one can easily get an injunction to temporary halt/reverse a proceeding just by a one-sided argument.
one has to deposit a fairly huge sum into the court to secure the injunction because after hearing the other party, if the court lifts the injunction, the money is used to compensate the other party for any losses suffered therefrom and the injunction applicant has to pay for all court costs of both parties at the same time.
let's assume that stoddie wins the saturday hearing (which is by no means certain)...then minardi can race on sunday with the 04 spec cars under the court decision. but this does not exclude the fia from acting further on the race result which is another action quite apart from stoddie's application which is to "be allowed to race in the 04 spec".
if stoddie losses, he'll not only lose his pants but also it means minardi will only be allowed to start from the rear of the grid in 05 spec cars if he presents the cars in that form.
i think it will all comes down to no-gain but alot of risks to stake such huge amount of money on just being able to do the saturday sessions.
MINARDI UPDATE 2
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, March 4, 2005 – Mr Justice Hapersberger of the Supreme Court of the State of Victoria this afternoon granted an interim injunction to allow the Minardi F1 Team to take part in the 2005 Australian Grand Prix practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday, March 5, with the cars in 2004 chassis and engine specification. A further hearing is scheduled for 1415 hrs on March 5, at which time the FIA, if it wishes, can appear and respond to the application.
"Court keeps Minardi in the running
A supreme court injunction kept alive Minardi's hopes of competing in the Australian Grand Prix as the Formula One season started under a cloud of controversy on Friday.
Race stewards, who act for the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA), had earlier rejected the team's bid to compete with 2004 cars that do not conform to new aerodynamics regulations.
"We are in. We'll be running all day tomorrow and then we'll have to wait and see what happens," Stoddart, whose struggling team are regular Grand Prix tail-enders, told Reuters.
The Australian, who comes from Melbourne, said the Victoria court had scheduled a second hearing at 14.15 local to decide whether or not Minardi can race on Sunday.
A team spokesman said legal documents would be served on stewards at the Grand Prix ball later on Friday.
First qualifying starts at 13.00 on Saturday, after two periods of practice, with the decisive second session now held on Sunday hours before the race.
Minardi drivers Christijan Albers of the Netherlands and Austrian Patrick Friesacher, both rookies, took no part in Friday's practice as Stoddart sought a resolution that would have allowed them to compete.
In a piece of theatre played out before the main grandstand, Stoddart waited for the stewards' verdict with a champagne bottle ready to be sprayed in jubilation. It remained corked.
"It is the view of the stewards that it is inappropriate and unacceptable to alter the technical regulations with which all other competitors comply in order to suit the individual needs and requirements of one competitor," the FIA said in a statement.
"It is the decision of the stewards that for Minardi...to participate further in the 2005 Australian Grand Prix, their cars must comply with all requirements of the 2005 FIA Formula One sporting and technical regulations."
Stoddart said before the injunction was granted that he believed Minardi had "an absolutely watertight case".
However the recourse to the civil courts for a sporting matter takes Formula One into uncharted territory and could have serious repercussions.
The Australian has been battling for days to secure permission for his cars to run, calling Ferrari boss Jean Todt after midnight on Thursday in an attempt to secure his approval.
While Stoddart celebrated his legal success, other team bosses clearly backed the stewards.
Ferrari's Jean Todt suggested Minardi were seeking a performance gain and publicity as much as anything while Red Bull's Christian Horner was delighted with the FIA stance.
"As far as I am concerned, the FIA are the regulators of Formula One and I don't see why the teams should be involved in saying whether someone should break the rules or not. The rules are the rules at the end of the day."
BAR's Nick Fry added: "I think they (the stewards) made a brave decision and good on them."
Jordan's Colin Kolles, whose team have most to lose by Minardi gaining a performance advantage as their closest rivals, opposed any concession to his rivals.
"I think that Jordan was in a worse situation than Minardi in December and January," he said. "We managed to bring the cars conforming to the 2005 regulations and so I think it should be possible for Minardi."
© Autosport.com 2003
So 3 other teams besides Ferrari supported the Stewards decision..... Jordan, Red Bull, and BAR. I hope that Paul has the good sense to still have the team working on modifying the cars to '05 specs......
BTW, the FIA gave Maserati dispensation to compete outside the GT rules although they can't score points. The blazers at Le Mans, of course, take a different view.