Paul Stoddart Q&A

"We looked at four engines before we chose Asiatech. What we always wanted was an 800bhp engine to take Minardi forward. We've achieved that with Asiatech, and what's even better is with the money that we've saved we'll be able to develop the rest of the company so that we can achieve our aims next year, which is to get Minardi off the bottom."



"The engine will be significantly different to this year's engine that was used in the Arrows. It has got a lot more horsepower and a lot less weight, which is what everyone strives for in F1."



"Yes, I think it's a step forward for Minardi. It's the first time they've ever had a free engine, and thus been able to devote resources to other areas that do clearly need to be improved if we're going to achieve our aim of getting off the bottom."



"Alex has done a very good job for us in testing, and obviously that now has to translate onto the track. Putting him in for the last three races of this year is quite daunting really. But I think he's going to be OK at Monza, because he's tested there. Most people have been to Indianapolis once before, and he's raced at Suzuka himself. So I think he'll be OK. All I'm looking for really is for him to qualify for the races, and then an intensive testing programme over the winter to get him ready for next year."



"You can never say definitely, but that's certainly what we're working towards, and as long as he performs OK. He does have the added pressure of not just the expectations of a nation, but indeed a whole region. So far he's stood up to that pressure really well, and I just hope that continues. His technical feedback is good, he's done exactly what we asked him to do, and I think he'll be OK."



"Fernando's a star. I've said that all year, and he's done a fantastic job. There were times when we needed to get race finishes, we needed to get reliability on the car, not having had any pre-season testing. And Tarso's been a real team player. The bond between our drivers is second to none. When Fernando had the accident [in the warm-up at Spa] Tarso stopped to make sure he was OK. That was typical. He's staying on in the team as test and reserve driver, and he's doing development work for next year's car."



"He's a true professional in every sense of the word. I feel a bond and a friendship with him, and I know that he's done every single thing I've asked him to do this year. Sometimes if you've been lapped two or three times in a race, it's quite demotivating for a driver. Tarso's shown his true inner strength by being able to cope with that. Many drivers would have parked the car, or not been so determined to get to the end."



"Oh yeah. We started six weeks and three days before the start of the season, with no testing behind us, and traction control was new. We've outperformed any of our expectations. Our aim this year was to compete with dignity and professionalism. We've more than achieved that. We've had three top finishes thus far, so I'm very happy with the performance from the whole team."



"I've got over that now. It was not the way I would do business, and certainly Gustav Brunner has lost my respect, and that indeed of most of the team. But life goes on. The car that we've had in the wind tunnel for next year is showing a big increase over this year's car, and this year's car was deemed to be good. We're going to have a new engine package, new chassis, new development in the team, an awful lot of money being spent in the right places, so I think we can achieve what we want for next year which is an eighth, ninth or 10th place finish in the constructors'.'"



"Yes, we've got big changes. We're not losing anybody, it's actually an addition to what we've got. It really is lifting Minardi up to what it needs to be a 21st century racing team."



"I think it was fantastic. The whole aim of that was to bring F1 to the people, and we did just that. Many of them said they had the best day, and all they wanted to know was when was the next one? To put 10,000 people into Donington on a Tuesday was pretty special, and certainly they've requested that next year we'll do it on a prime summer Sunday, so that's what we're going to do. We might bring 50 or 75,000 people in next year!"



"No, that was misquoted. To put the record straight, what I said just after the accident was 'we won't be doing that again,' meaning the accident. But we'll definitely have the race. For an inaugural race, it was absolutely smashing - excuse the pun! Nigel was saying that he really enjoyed it. When we did the pit walkabout we had 4000 people come down the pitlane. It was absolutely mind blowing. And everyone really had a good day. The passenger in Nigel's car, who bid $55,000 at the Monaco GP auction, said what do I do to get in this next year? And I said basically it's the same. Whoever is the biggest charity bidder will be behind the celebrity of the day in the race. He said, 'Right...'"



"At the moment it's just promotional days. Nigel has a very busy career, not just in the appearances he does in the motor sport arena, but also in his golf, which is very personal and important to him. He's 49 next year, and he's got to be able to enjoy life. We are proud to use Nigel and have him with us whenever we can, but that will only be a couple of times a year."



"No, not in Minardi. He's got too many business interests that will preclude that from happening."