Magny-Cours, July 04: BAR are facing a battle to take part in the French Grand Prix after having their cars impounded by police.
French policeman and a bailiff - armed with a warrant - visited the BAR pit at Magny-Cours as a dispute over allegedly unpaid debts escalated.
Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button's cars will stay impounded until Friday, when a local court will rule on whether they should be released.
BAR were threatened with a similar fate at the Monaco Grand Prix after production company PPGI obtained a court order over money allegedly owed from a commission involving a former team sponsor, Teleglobe.

The dispute stretches back five years, before David Richards replaced Craig Pollock as team boss. The court case is set to be heard in Monaco on 15 October.



Richards, who was not at Magny-Cours when the cars were impounded, called the seizure of assets "opportunist" and said he expected a counter-ruling on Friday.



"A person called France Corbeil and a company called PPGI has obtained a seizure order overnight on the cars," said Richards. "This dates back to 1998 and a verbal contract he claims he made with Craig Pollock. Craig disputes this and I support Craig wholeheartedly.



"We never knew about this until five years afterwards when he came to speak to us three months ago about this situation.



"He served the order on us tonight after the court had closed, knowing that we are in court tomorrow morning at nine o'clock to have it overturned.



"It was 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.



"We are just abiding completely by the legal status that he has obtained. It's very opportunist.



"But I'm totally confident that at nine o'clock tomorrow morning our legal team will be in court and have this matter resolved in time for first practice at 11 o'clock."


Bureau Report