Minardi look to cause embarrassment

Many thought Stoddart mad when he poured copious amounts of his own cash into Minardi early last year and stated his ambition to take the team from its position as F1's tail-end Charlies to a position of mid-grid respectability.

The F1 minnows finished 2001 11th and last in the constructors' championship, without a point for the eighth time in their 17-year history, but Stoddart is hopeful of a genuine performance jump this time around.

Stoddart has delighted the local Melbourne media by giving the Aussies Mark Webber, their first representation on a grand prix grid since David Brabham drove for Simtek in 1994.

Having launched a superhuman team effort just to make the grid last year, Stoddart is confident that with a new engine, wind tunnel programme and proper design lead times, the potential is there for a surprise or two.

"I think we might have a bit of a run with Toyota for a while, Jaguar hasn't looked too good so far, ditto BAR and I think we should be able to get at the second Arrows fairly comfortably. That's what we've got in our sights and I'm setting a target of finishing ninth in the constructors' championship. We'd definitely be pleased to beat one or two teams this year but I do think it's a realistic possibility."