BAR-Honda was allowed to qualify for the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours on Friday after a court on Thursday ordered the team’s cars to be impounded.
BAR-Honda was allowed to qualify for the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours on Friday after a court on Thursday ordered the team’s cars to be impounded.
French company PPGI, claims that BAR owes the company $3 million in commission fees for helping to negotiate sponsorship for the team. It got a court order to impound the cars.
But the French court that granted the order decided on Friday that it did not have jurisdiction to rule on the issues.
“This matter is being handled in the normal process through the Monaco courts but, due to the summer recess, will not be heard until October 15. It was, therefore, surprising that PPGI should seek a seizure order on assets of the team when the due process and timescale have already been established by the Monaco courts,” said a statement from the team on Thursday.
“The whole legal system has been completely abused here,” said BAR team principal David Richards after the cars were released. “We will now carry on as normal. No payment has been made [to the claimant], not one Euro.”
Meanwhile, Jos Verstappen pipped Minardi team-mate Justin Wilson to head the times in Friday’s qualifying session.
The track started off very wet and then got progressively better, which affected most of the performances. The Minardis were last out and had a dry track. Michael Schumacher finished 12th, with Kimi Raikkonen in 17th spot.