Minardi gets injunction

Minardi will take part in Saturday’s first qualifying for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after securing a temporary injunctio...

Minardi will take part in Saturday’s first qualifying for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after securing a temporary injunction against a stewards’ ruling, team boss Paul Stoddart said. The stewards, who act for the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA), had earlier dismissed Minardi’s bid to compete with last year’s cars that do not conform to new aerodynamics regulations. Stoddart said the Victoria Supreme Court had scheduled a second hearing to decide whether or not Minardi should be allowed to race on Sunday.

La Rosa quickest

Test driver Pedro de la Rosaput McLaren out in front

on Friday after the first practice sessions for Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The Spaniard set the fastest time of the day in the second session after Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi led the way for newcomers Red Bull in the first. De la Rosa, who will not race on Sunday, lapped in one minute 25.376 seconds with Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen second quickest in 1:25.676 to continue the Mercedes-powered team’s strong form in pre-season testing.

Ferrari no anti-Minardi

Ferrari boss Jean Todt denied that the Formula One world champions had anything against struggling Minardi. “It is not Ferrari against Minardi,” Todt said after stewards ruled that the Italy-based team could not take part in the race without making modifications to the aerodynamics. Todt suggested the performance issue, and an attempt to gain publicity, lay behind Stoddart’s actions.

Reuters