Minardi to make official tyre complaint.

Minardi made the usual decision to run on Avon Formula 3000 tyres this week at Valencia, its hand forced by the lack of supply of Bridgestone tyres available to the team so far this year.

Minardi ran with Michelin rubber in 2002 but the contract with the French supplier has now run out. Paul Stoddart wants his team to run with Bridgestone tyres for 2003 but feels the Japanese concern has not been forthcoming in agreeing to supply his team.

The rules state that any tyre supplier is obliged to supply up to half the field if required. For this reason Stoddart is considering a complaint to the FIA.

"It is with great regret that, yet again, Minardi is forced to deal with the fact Bridgestone has chosen not to supply the team with tyres at Valencia," Stoddart said in a statement reported by the BBC

"Sadly, we are now left with no choice but to make an official complaint to the FIA, as we believe Bridgestone is in clear breach of its obligations under the FIA F1 2003 Sporting Regulations."

Stoddart has been trying to negotiate a deal for over three months but in this time has not even been able to get a meeting with Bridgestone's motorsport boss Hiroshi Yasukawa.

Stoddart claimed the delay had pushed the team to use the Avon F3000 tyres which, because of their differences to F1 tyres had: "wasted two valuable days of pre-season testing - something that, in the current climate, Minardi could ill afford to do."

Stoddart does not state what use current tyres would be when testing with the old PS01 Minardi. The chassis Justin Wilson and Jos Verstappen used in Valencia was from the 2001 season and used the old powerplant; having contemporary tyres were far from the only factor making the test worthless...

Money is supposed to be the stalling point between Bridgestone and Minardi, though a Bridgestone spokeswoman concedes talks have taken place.

"We have received a request to supply Minardi and talks are taking place," the BBC reports. "As yet a contract has not been agreed and it is not possible for anyone to run on tyres that have not been signed for."