Stoddart fears for drivers

Minardi boss Paul Stoddart fears potential third drivers could be priced out of the market because of the need to obtain a super licence before being allowed on the track.

Stoddart was unable to use Belgium’s Bas Leinders for testing at last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix because his new signing was refused the mandatory licence to drive.

Leinders, a former German F3 champion, had not completed the required 300 kilmetres of testing in an F1 car and had to fly back to Europe to get the necessary mileage before the next race.

But Stoddart fears other drivers might not be able to afford the money, saying: “You price them out of the market by making them do €500,000 worth of testing.”

The bottom four teams in the championship can only use drivers who have competed in fewer than six grands prix in the previous two years during the Friday test sessions at grand prix this season.