Formula One news

Minardi's big mistake

Gian Carlo Minardi says he regrets giving the 'Minardi' name to Paul Stoddart when he sold his formula one team five years ago. The Italian and Faenza based team's founder, who remained an employee at Minardi to this day, laments the imminent passing of the famous 'Minardi' name to history, with Stoddart's recent sale to energy drink Red Bull.

"We have managed to save all the workforce," he told Autosprint. "If the price to pay was the name, then never mind."

Still, Gian Carlo - who said he is still paying off old F1 team debts - reckons he made one major mistake when he sold to Stoddart; not following the thirty year old advice of an even more famous name. "He told me: 'Minardi, sell your stock, sell whatever you want, but don't ever sell your name.' That man's name was Enzo Ferrari. Instead, I gave the name away for free."

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