The 2001 season started with a lot of uncertainty. As usual during off-season, the press announced that the team was about to fold. And indeed, the future of the Minardi team seemed bleak. Team owner Gabriele Rumi was seriously ill and money wise the team was facing the edge. At the latter stages of the 2000 season the team had announced that Rumi had sold his stakes in the Minardi team to Gastón Mazzacane's personal sponsor PSN. However as PSN found out the true costs of running such an operation they swiftly pulled out of the deal leaving Minardi without an owner, an engine or drivers.
However, just as it appeared that all hope had faded, someone bought into the team, Paul Stoddart.
Paul Stoddart and Gian Carlo Minardi
Australian Stoddart had made a fortune with his airline business European Aviation and as a self confessed petrol head was no stranger in the F1 paddock. He had already owned a F3000 team and worked with Tom Walkinshaw's Arrows team. Paul Stoddart, bought all of Rumi's stakes and vowed to make it to the Melbourne grid in March (which was only six weeks away). The team had gambled on being able to use Supertec engines, however this was not possible due to new FIA regulations which outlawed certain substances used in that particular engine. So it was back to the ageing Cosworth device again which, weighing 128kg, was an anachronistic device in modern F1. Nevertheless it was relabelled European V10 (after Stoddart's airline business) and the team did indeed make it to the Australian GP with incredibly talented Fernando Alonso and Minardi's old friend Tarso Marques. The team had however (as it was already close to a miracle that they actually made it to Melbourne) only tested the new car (PS01) in a short shake down. Tarso Marques drove the car for the very first time at the Friday practice session at Albert Park. Nevertheless Fernando Alonso managed to finish the race which was referred to by Paul Stoddart as "like winning the world championship".
Fernando Alonso and Tarso Marques
Unfortunately Gustav Brunner, Minardi's technical director decided to leave the Faenza based squad after almost four years in favour of the new Toyota F1 team. In addition to that Minardi's former owner Gabriele Rumi lost his battle against cancer and died on the 22nd of May.
Alonso ahead of Irvine at the Australian GP
Halfway through the season rumours from the East suggested that Minardi might have landed a contract with Malaysian driver Alex Yoong. Yoong was rumoured to replace Tarso Marques who had great trouble qualifying Minardi's underpowered challenger. He had however secured Minardi's best result (9th) that season. Nevertheless as he failed to qualify at the British GP and as Paul Stoddart had always stated that as soon as somebody with a budget would come along he'd replace Marques who did not pay for his seat, Marques was replaced in favour of Yoong. Alex Yoong, being the first non-Japanese Asian driver since Prince Birabongse of Thailand in the 50s, was able to secure a lot of sponsorship from various Malaysian companies. This was the needed financial injection Minardi was looking for in order to move forward.
Alex Yoong's first impression of his new car
Alex Yoong made his debut at the Italian GP much to the joy of his many Malaysian fans. At the same time Paul Stoddart announced that the team would use Asiatech engines for the 2002 season, finally putting the Cosworth device into the museum. Asiatech, in need of a partner, supplied their engines for free which would be the first time in history that Minardi wouldn't have to pay for their power plants.
Alonso at Imola
After a year with ups and downs Minardi was positively looking into the future. Unfortunately however, the events of September 11th also had an impact on the Faenza based squad. Paul Stoddart's business was heavily reliant on the airline industry which was severely hit because of the terrorist attacks in New York. It was now more than ever, that Paul Stoddart had to find a main sponsor for his new team.
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