Raikkonen Will Get No Favours from Minardi

McLaren's championship leader Kimi Raikkonen will get no favours from Minardi when he tries to fight his way back up the order from last place in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.

Team owner Paul Stoddart, who has fallen out with McLaren boss Ron Dennis over a planned 'fighting fund' to help small Formula One teams like Minardi, took quiet satisfaction in McLaren's misfortunes on Saturday.

Raikkonen failed to set a time in final qualifying, meaning the Finn must start last, while Minardi's Jos Verstappen and Justin Wilson will line up 15th and 18th respectively. The same situation occurred in Spain in May and Stoddart said he had helped Dennis out that time but would not do so again.

"In Barcelona Ron came down the grid on the Sunday and actually asked me would I let Kimi through because he was much faster," said Stoddart. "I actually said yes. I don't think there is going to be a similar conversation taking place tomorrow. We are out to race that McLaren tomorrow and if he gets past, that's fine. But I'm racing that car."

Raikkonen ran wide at the first corner in Saturday's qualifying, hit a kerb and went off the track onto the waterlogged runoff.

"I'm not sure yet how much damage was done to the car, but I don't expect it to be too much," said the Finn. "I don't know what will happen in the race tomorrow but I know that anything is possible and that we will do our best."

Team boss Ron Dennis said in a team statement that "creative strategy" would be required for McLaren to score significant points in Montreal.

"However we have faced similar challenges before and the team and the drivers have proved their ability to respond."