Minnows have their doubts

Minardi boss Paul Stoddart said: "The problem is simple. You need a unanimous decision among the team principals and you are not going to get that through. Just like other things, it got voted down. It's not going to happen. It could be a good idea but it's something for the future. In today's world it is just not a reality. "

Fellow team boss Eddie Jordan added: "I'd be quite keen to go and buy Flavio Briatore's car but it would be the conditions of the contract that would be the important thing. The devil would be in the detail.

"By that I mean that for Jordan, it has to be totally independent. The car has to be allowed to win if it has the chance to win. It must be the master of its own destiny at all times. That has been one of the main reasons that we've all endured pain one way and another.

"I would support customer cars strongly and have no objections to anyone doing it, but I would have to have serious thoughts about whether it was the right thing for my team, the Jordan brand or whether it satisfied what I have come into this business to do.

"I feel it is something like the birth of a child to design, build and create a car and try your best to beat everyone else. While at the moment I might not be able to do that, I believe I can do it, otherwise I'd have to stop. People say you are either a complete fool or a complete optimist and I'd accept that maybe I'm a bit of an optimist..."