Zoom Stoddart nonetheless happy for his former Minardi team's maiden victory

Paul Stoddart, the previous owner of the team now known as Toro Rosso, believes Sebastian Vettel's Monza victory was not a win for the argument in favour of allowing customer cars in F1.

The Australian, who ran the Faenza-based team before selling it to Red Bull at the end of 2005, said he excitedly sent a text message to founder Gian Carlo Minardi as he watched on British television his old Minardi crew celebrate a Grand Prix win at Monza.

But while delighted, Stoddart admits Vettel's feat was probably the death knell for the team's chances of being able to continue in its current form beyond 2009.

"If I were Frank (Williams) or Force India, I wouldn't be in a hurry to entertain any discussion on customer cars -- which leaves Red Bull and Toro Rosso in a very difficult position," the 53-year-old told Reuters.

Separate to Force India's earlier threats of arbitration against Toro Rosso and Super Aguri's use of customer cars, Williams was an obstacle to Prodrive's aborted plans this year to race an off-the-shelf McLaren package.

"I feel for Frank," Stoddart said.

"There are very few that have given more to the sport and he now finds himself struggling against manufacturers with massive budgets and billionaire teams with his old designer," he added, presumably referring to Red Bull's Adrian Newey.

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Source: GMM