Minardi payment still in the balance

The matter looked likely to be resolved earlier this week when FIA president Max Mosley sent a letter to Bernie Ecclestone requesting that Minardi be paid the money. Other teams, however, have opposed the payment, saying that the money, which would have gone to Prost had the team not gone bust, should be divided equally among the remaining teams.

Ecclestone, therefore, could be concerned that his Formula One Management company might face action from other teams if he makes the payment to Minardi. Another meeting at 4pm tomorrow (Friday) is aimed at resolving the issue once and for all.

Stoddart, who has warned previously that without the money his team will not finish the season, said at Nurburgring: "We are being shafted, there is no other word for it. We seem to be pawns in a rather big game of politics, which I'm not happy with at all."

Stoddart had hoped to announce today that Minardi, having been paid, was now in a position to finish the season. Instead, he reiterated at Nurburgring: "We need to be paid and if I come out of the meeting knowing we will be paid, then I will make the announcement that Minardi will continue for the rest of the year. But, if I am shafted tomorrow, I will have a different opinion.

"It will not just be on monetary value but on whether or not I feel we have been shafted. And if we have been shafted then I want no part of this paddock. Pretty strong words, but that's how I feel."