BAR Fighting PPGI Seizure Order

By Phil Huff (31/05/2003)
June 1 2003

BAR has issued a statement in response to a legal move taken by a company based in Monaco which is attempting to have the team's three cars - or what remains of them - siezed following Sunday's Monaco GP.

It's understood that the legal challenge relates to a debt that goes back five years.

The statement issued by BAR at 19:28 on Saturday, reads as follows:

BAR can confirm that France Corbeil, of a company named S.A.M. Partnership Production Group International (PPGI), has obtained a court order in Monaco to seize three of the team's Grand Prix cars.

Corbeil's claim against the team goes back five years, but it was only earlier this year that the current management team were made aware of it when he forwarded a demand for commission based on a sponsorship arrangement with former BAR sponsor Teleglobe.

BAR believes Corbeil's claim to be baseless and when it was first presented to the Monaco courts several weeks ago it was rejected.

The claim was re-presented with additional information on Wednesday afternoon, just prior to a national holiday weekend when all the courts are closed. As a result, the team were not made aware of the action and did not have any opportunity to respond, therefore Judge Philippe Narmino granted Corbeil a seizure order in a private capacity i.e. without the assistance of the court or the police.

BAR is confident that, when it has the opportunity to present the situation to the courts on Monday morning, the seizure order will be lifted immediately.

BAR is also seeking legal advice from its lawyers regarding possible actions against France Corbeil for defamation/commercial slander.