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Legal row forces Coloni to miss Spa

Coloni Motorsport has been officially ruled out of this weekend's GP2 round at Spa after missing this afternoon's qualifying session due to the impounding of its cars earlier today

The cars were taken from the team this morning under the order of lawyers acting for Andy Soucek, who was briefly contracted to the team last year in its previous incarnation as Fisichella Motorsport International.

Coloni Motorsport team owner Paolo Coloni told AUTOSPORT that this morning's action was triggered by an ongoing legal case between Soucek and FMS, rather than Coloni Motorsport, and vowed to fight the litigation.

"What is important for me is that people understand that the impounding of our cars is illegitimate," Coloni told AUTOSPORT. "Obviously we are already taking all the right steps to claim back the damages that are coming from this, and I have given instructions to my lawyer to evaluate what other [legal] possibilities in terms of criminal [justice we can pursue].

"I will not get my money back, but for sure I will fight now."

When asked whether he held any hope of receiving special dispensation for drivers Andi Zuber and Luis Razia to start tomorrow's race if the cars were returned in time, Coloni said he accepted that the team's weekend was over, but acknowledged the support he had received from within the paddock.

"Rules are rules," he said. "All the teams have been very close to us, and the drivers. I really need to say thanks to everybody. They know exactly what sort of company we are, and they also know very well who the other party is. I think that it is just another small, sad side of motorsport that I hope will not be an example to anyone else."

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