Minardi boss issues Melbourne warning

Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart claims Formula One teams will boycott this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix unless Ferrari back down over their refusal to allow his team to use last season’s car.

Financial constraints mean Minardi, the smallest and poorest team on the F1 grid, have not been able to make the necessary re-design to comply with new regulations on aerodynamics and they approached fellow competitors to seek approval to use last season’s model.