Thursday May 4th, 2000

Minardi, cash-strapped and regularly last on the grid, boasted a rare technical coup on Thursday as the first Formula One team to use a cast titanium gearbox casing.

The Italian team said in a statement the new gearbox would make its debut at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona this weekend.

"The Minardi Team, often seen as the Cinderella of Formula One, is proud to have first brought this highly advanced technology to the sport," said Chief Executive Gabriele Rumi.

"This represents a technical leap that even the top teams will eventually have to copy and proves that our capabilities and courage will allow us to continue our climb."

Minardi, whose cars are powered by Fondmetal (Ford Cosworth) V10 engines, took their first point in Formula One in almost four years last season.