Grapevine: Minardi Duo Receive Award in Spain

European Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart and the team's founder Gian Carlo Minardi were presented with awards on Tuesday for their ongoing support of Spanish drivers.

President of the Spanish motorsport federation Carlos Gracia presented the duo with the awards at the Valencia circuit where the Minardi team were running their three two-seater cars. Stoddart was driving one of the cars along with the team's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso and his former teammate Tarso Marques, who has now been replaced by Malaysian Alex Yoong.

The three men did a five-hour session in the two-seaters allowing 27 passengers to experience the thrills of an F1 car at a circuit that has one straight that takes the cars up to 200 miles-per-hour.

"It's been another excellent day for the team," said Stoddart. "We were especially pleased that Fernando was able to race in front of his home fans."

The two-seaters, which crashed at their last run out at Donington Park in England in August, will appear at Donington again before the team's Minardi Day on October 31.