...the latest news from around the world, courtesy of press snoop Lynne Huntting.
PAUL STODDART of Australia said Wednesday that everything attributed to him in the local media is true. He is not just thinking of running a team in 2008, he has filed the necessary paperwork and the team will be called Minardi. The
FIA imposed deadline for 2008 entries is Friday 31 March 2006. Further details on Stoddart's plans will have to be left for another time as our impromptu meeting was ended prematurely.
However, there are further details on the Minardi F1X2 two-seater activities Tuesday on a 1.646-mile/2.65 km course at the Mangalore Airport, north of Melbourne. Minardi driver, ZSOLT BAUMGARTNER may have set a new record - he took 65 passengers for a ride. With the exception of Melbourne chef, STEVEN HEWITT, who bid $28,000 in a charity auction for the privilege of the ride, the remaining passengers were winners in a contest by OzJet, Stoddart's airlines. The weather was hot - 86 degrees F/30C. Stoddart said: "The two-seater programme continues to bring
Formula One closer to the general public."
JO BAUER, FIA
F1 technical delegate, said Wednesday that
Ferrari has confirmed it has changed its wings from Bahrain. The Ferraris have cleared scrutineering and are well within the regulations. There has been concern expressed by other teams that Ferrari was running its wing as an aerodynamic device.
Wednesday afternoon the Ferrari boys were hard at it, practicing pit stops over and over and over. As usual, the Ferrari garage almost requires sun glasses because of so much in-your-face red... everywhere.
BILL GIBSON, of Gibson Freight, said almost everything has been off loaded and now the movers are busy moving the empty containers elsewhere. Except for Monaco, Gibson reckons Albert Park is the tightest F1 circuit on the schedule. It makes the job a bit tougher manoeuvring around the track because of the narrow roads and all the sharp angles. But it worked out.
