16/02/2005
NEWS STORY
Minardi boss Paul Stoddart has rubbished claims that new signing Patrick Friesacher might not qualify for a superlicence and could consequently miss the Australian Grand Prix, his F1 race debut.
"It's a load of bollocks," said Stoddart tonight (Wednesday), when contacted by Pitpass. "I think you guys (the media) can see it for what it is.
"I'm not going to get into a war of words with the FIA," he continued. "Everyone knows that Patrick Friesacher qualifies for a superlicence. If anyone thinks he doesn't, then that's an issue that they need to deal with me on."
It's claimed that the Austrian - who qualifies for the licence automatically, having finished in the top four of the International F3000 Championship in 2004, indeed he finished fifth in 2003 - would require a fax vote by the members of the Formula One Commission.
"He qualifies automatically, it doesn't require a fax vote of the Commission, in fact I don't remember the last time there was a fax vote of the Commission for a driver's superlicence, and I can certainly say that there was not one last year. Therefore, whoever's put that story out is totally incorrect.
"Were he not to have a superlicence in Melbourne," the Australian continued, "I think everyone would see it for what it was.
"We filled in the application within the prescribed period," he added, referring to the reports, "because we knew he was either going to be our test and reserve driver or race driver. That's the stupid part about all this, we lodged the application within the prescribed period, this is now bordering on insanity."