Dennis only wants clarification

Ron Dennis has refuted Paul Soddart's claim that team bosses are wanting the Minardi boss to pay back the television income awarded him earlier this year. Stoddart thinks the teams are pursuing arbitration over the matter in order to share the finances throughout the grid but Dennis said it's simply for clarification of the matter, not to make him repay the monies.

"Nothing has been brought against Paul," Dennis explained. "He is emotional and only sees the things that could affect him and his team. The fact is that there is ambiguity in the regulations regarding fiscal distribution, not only affecting this year, but also other years and other teams."

"This process is only seeking clarity and is not asking for the money back. An arbitration process is laid down in the rules and, as no-one could agree on the matter earlier in the year, is the only way of sorting the issue out."

"We wish to understand a set of regulations contained in the Concorde Agreement. Paul is caught up in that process, but it is not personal. We had the opportunity to sort it out in Austria, but this was not taken up. He has had the benefit of running this season, but we need to sort the situation out before next year."

This particular dispute over the television income originally started when Prost Grand Prix folded and Stoddart believed Minardi was next in line. He had to argue his right against opposition from other teams at the beginning of the season and was eventually awarded the money. No-one could agree on the matter back then, as Dennis said, and it seems they still can't now.