Minardi Put Spare Car Fiasco Behind Them

Minardi will have a spare car available for Sunday's Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix after travelling to the season-opening race in Australia with no back-up.

Team spokesman Graham Jones said on Tuesday that the spare PS01/03 had been completed and there would be no repeat of the problem seen in Melbourne where the team were racing against time just to get their two race cars ready.

Brazilian Tarso Marques was unable to set a qualifying time within permitted limits for that race after problems with his car but was allowed to start from the back of the grid.

Minardi, bought by Australian businessman Paul Stoddart in January when the Italian team had no engines or drivers and were in danger of folding, were also moving towards securing a main sponsor.

Jones said the team was talking to three large companies but nothing was likely to be agreed until the races in Malaysia and Brazil were out of the way and the teams returned to Europe.