Minardi celebrates survival year

Touring under the 'Italian Job' banner, Minis from all over the world will descend upon the team's Italian factory before the celebrations continue next week with an open day, offering the chance to meet the team's drivers and team boss Paul Stoddart.

Australian airline magnate Stoddart bought the struggling team just six weeks before the beginning of the 2001 season and despite many doubts, managed to secure an engine supply and complete a new chassis in time to take to the grid in Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Despite failing to notch up a points finish this year, the team successfully managed to compete in all 17 rounds of the F1 World Championship and is looking to move forward with a deal to use Asiatech V10s in 2002.

More than 100 Mini Coopers are expected at Faenza during Sunday's event, which is helping to raise money for local Italian charities.

"Everyone on the team is looking forward to welcoming the crews to Faenza," said team founder Gian Carlo Minardi. "It is particularly pleasing that our team has become one of the favorite destinations of these sports-lovers."

Minardi's fleet of two-seater Formula 1 cars and its Formula 3000 Lolas will be on hand at the Misano track next week along with this year's PS001, which will not be running due to the F1 winter testing ban.