New Minardi Owner Promises Driver Surprise

The new owner of the Minardi Formula One team said on Tuesday that one of his drivers this season would be a surprise choice.

"One of them you'll be definitely wrong on because it's really changed and I think you might get a shock," Australian Paul Stoddart said on the website of British weekly magazine Autosport.

"We're hoping to have a young charger and then somebody with more experience alongside him. One will be announced next week and the second the week after."

Minardi and Arrows are the only teams yet to confirm their driver line-up for 2001.

Spain's Fernando Alonso is under contract to the Italian-based team and is tipped to be one of the drivers. Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi, the Brazilian former Sauber test driver, has also been linked to the team recently.

Stoddart said Minardi, who finished last season without a point and 10th out of 11 teams, had no "aspirations of grandeur" for the season which starts on March 4 in Australia.

"Our main goal is not to finish last and I think we can achieve that," said the British-based European Aviation boss who was confirmed as Minardi's new owner on Tuesday.

"My aim for years two, three, four and five is to establish Minardi as a midfield team."