Formula One news

Bernie didn't buy Minardi

Paul Stoddart says Bernie Ecclestone didn't actually inject a single dollar into his ailing grand prix team in 2003. Two years ago, the Australian's ailing Minardi team nearly collapsed when a supposed 'fighting fund' for small teams never materialised.

The story faded when Ecclestone, the F1 supremo, reportedly ploughed $4m into Minardi's bank account. But that, Paul Stoddart now says, is not exactly the way it went.

"He didn't actually put any money in the team," the Minardi boss - who has sold to Red Bull - told Motorsport Aktuell. "But just having Bernie behind us boosted our reputation so much that we suddenly generated new incomes. So I never actually had to accept his offer."

Because Ecclestone came through for F1's smallest team in its darkest hour, Stoddart will always have an affection for the little Briton. Stoddart admits to now lamenting his sale of the team, but - really - he had no choice.

With all the news about an eleventh (or twelfth) team in the air, Minardi faced the possibility of receiving no FIA prize income for being outside the top-10 constructors.

But Paul insists that he did not cry when he finally sold out. "I wasn't far from it, though," he admitted.

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