Focus on Winning Not Whining, Stoddart Tells Dennis

Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart told rival Ron Dennis to stop complaining about Minardi's right to funding today as his team geared up for next week's season-opening Formula One Grand Prix in Australia.

McLaren team principal Dennis said last month that Jordan should receive more than Minardi if Formula One made a "fighting fund" available to help out smaller teams after both Prost and Arrows failed last year.

"Basically I didn't get into this business to fight political battles but it seems that is what is taking up all my time," Stoddart told Reuters in Melbourne on Monday.

"Ron in particular has made a very vicious attack on me in the last 10 days. They (Williams team principal Frank Williams and Dennis) are more or less indicating they feel there is no room for teams like Minardi in Formula One. They would do well to remember their own roots. Both of them have had failures in the past.

"Also they should remember with the budgets they have, they should be not talking about Minardi but rather concentrating on winning the World Championship, something I would do if I had their budgets."

Stoddart, 47, rescued Minardi from imminent failure in 2001 and was rewarded with a fairytale fifth placing by rookie Australian driver Mark Webber in Melbourne 12 months ago. Minardi, regularly locked in a fight for funds and survival, spent much of last season chasing television money that they claimed as theirs after the failure of Prost.

The money was paid to Stoddart but four teams, including McLaren and Williams, threatened to take Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone to arbitration over the matter. Stoddart said he had not spoken to Williams or Dennis recently and did not intend to do so before an official function later this week.

"I notice we are all in a press conference together on Friday. That should be fun," said Stoddart.