Tagliani not paid since 2004

Pierre Lecours the Newspaper of Montreal 03/09/2007

One is far from the beautiful years of CART in the Champ series Because One starts to ask for for how long it will survive, so much the situation worsens.

The sponsors are very few, the races are cancelled, the majority of the pilots must pay out of their own pocket to run, very little are paid... and some, like Alexandre Tagliani, who according to their contract should be paid, are not!

With amost mo salary from Team Australia the two last seasons, the Québécois driver returned with Paul Gentilozzi, who this time offered a contract guaranteed with wages, paid expenditure and percentage of the purses to him, for the present season. Tag accepted - it did not really have other option - even if Gentilozzi owed him 50 000$ for the 2004 season. "Before signing the contract, he told me he would pay what he ows me", told us Tagliani.

Without incoming money for the last several weeks, a rumour has circulated stating that Gentilozzi has serious money worries with its team following the withdrawal of the Lexington sponsorship. "We cannot even buy certain parts which we need for the car. They have to be borrowed from other teams ", told us members of his team, off tte record, when we were in Edmonton.

In June, we were informed that Tagliani has not been paid since the beginning of the season. he has received neither his wages, neither his travelling expenses, nor his purses. When the teams arrived to Europe, we learned of the RSPORTS split. Several reasons were called upon, but the only true one seems to be the money worries of Gentilozzi, which would have several unpaid invoices in particular to certain members of his personnel.

Tagliani almost didn't race in Europe because Gentilozzi required group PSM Marketing the last sponsorship payment for the canadian races. Alan Labrosse, which manages the career of the Québécois pilot now, required that Tags be paid by Gentilozzi before giving the sum due to him. Furious, Gentilozzi made threats, but yesterday morning, an hour before the race, he finally concluded an agreement with Tagliani.

"Gentilozzi promised that the sum due will be versed to me and he has commited himself to pay me completely even if other debtors creditor await to be paid."

Tagliani has been confronted with this situation for several months. This outcome will relieve him of an enormous pressure. Rumours coming from Europe say Tags will be replaced for the two last races of the year by a paying driver, because for the moment Gentilozzi's tank seems dry!