F1 -Year-end fireworks. Alonso towards Enstone?

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“I become wild-eyed when Horner declares openly that the supremacy of Mercedes has to be controlled because it damage F1 interest., rr when a Boulluer says that the Circus is just for who can afford it. I would like to remember to  these Motorsport gurus that they did not complain when Red Bull had dominated the scene for four consecutive years (Mercedes was at its second season) and that without the difficulties at little Manor, McLaren would have been the last” Gian Carlo Minardi states on www.minardi.it and recalls that the World Championship has always been made by cycles.

History tells about supremacist signed by Williams, McLaren, and Ferrari till Red Bull and Mercedes ones. “Till the little teams have closed the starting grid, big constructors have animated the scene. As soon as they have remained in the back of the row, because the little teams started to close or to guess the right arrangement of a race, the big teams, like Toyota, BMW, Jaguar and Honda, have escaped. Listening to these opinions, I have the impression that F1 is not organized by great professionals” the manager from Faenza continues underling the importance of an intervention on rules to give some stability that will enable everybody to race by promoting fairness in the distribution of awards. “Spending over 400 million having a team made of 1000 persons to build two cars is absurd. Like it is crazy paying 25 million for the Power-Unit, only few years ago engines price was 5-6 million. Today, 20 million make the difference and it is difficult to find them in the market”. According to the numbers, today’s F1 isn’t a great investment as in the 90s when it assured the company an unequaled economic return.With clear projects and freedom “of creating”, we would be able to find out alternative solutions. Also the little teams would be able to carry ingenious solutions on track”.

There are chatter that distract from the moves behind the curtains that especially concern a very active Renault in the market. “With the purchase of Lotus and their return as Constructors, the trans-alpines have all the interest to reinforce each of their departments. They are looking for human resources, technicians, and drivers. President Carlos Ghosn is working to tear Fernando Alonso out from Honda”. To the Spanish driver it would be the third return to Enstone.Despite the confirmations that Pastor Maldonado and Jolyon Palmer received in the last weeks, they won’t be able to sleep very well. “Maldonado can count on Venezuelan assets that are useful to the team. Palmer’s situation is more complex. Informations coming from France confirm this path, even if it is not an easy solution. On Management front, as rumors confirm, Renault seems like to bet on Alain Prost as Team Principal”. The four-time world champion with McLaren and Williams will have decisive responsibility within the team. Without having any shares, as it happens at Mercedes with Toto Wolff.

Kart – Karol Basz and OKT still together to defend their title

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After bringing the World KF title to OTK group thanks to his peremptory victory on the international track of La Conca with a Kosmic Racing material, Karol Basz will show up at the starting line of the most important international championships as a reference driver and great protagonist of professional karting also in the upcoming season.

With the arrival of the new OK engines, experience, maturity, and talent of the Polish driver, already under the sphere of Minardi Management, will be an added value for the group from Brescia. The new engines look to be a great improvement in performance thanks to the lightening of the karts, that will make driving more pleasant.The speed increase to 1000 rev/min will enable the use of a shorter gear ratio, very profitable at the exit from the slow bends, that was “the critical point” of KF, as Ole Haugård states on the site CIKFIA.com. The experience and speed of Karol will be very useful in the development and finalizing of the new material for the upcoming sport season. Anyway, the doors of GT racing remain open: we have scheduled testing days and races to continue to taste the new challenge, in full respect of the karting program established with Roberto Robazzi’s OTK group.

“I am very happy to continue working with Kosmic Racing. With the arrival of the new engines, the next season will be different completely, and I will fight to defend the title. I want to thank all the OTK group, Roberto Robazzi and Kosmic Racing” Karol Basz declares.

“We were very pleased by the proposal coming from OTK about Karol for the season 2016 because they recognize him as a real professional driver on which to aim for the development of the new engine and the new chassis setup. Now we do not expect nothing but work to defend the title, always keeping an eye open to GT racing”Alberto Tonti states.

“I am happy and satisfied because the OTK group wanted to repay the wonderful season of Karol that ended with the world title. With the debut of the new OK material, we will have a lot of work to do and Karol’s experience will be an added value. It remains a bitter taste because I wanted to see the full time debut of Karol with GT cars, since I am sure that he would have immediately got good results. The few kilometers we have walked so far have yielded significant results. In agreement with Roberto Robazzi, however, we are organizing testing daysand racing in preparation of 2017” manager Giovanni Minardi comments.

F1 – Year-end scorecards: DRIVERS

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After analyzing the season of the teams, let’s judge the drivers. The first five teams occupy the first five places with two Mercedes, two Ferrari, two Williams, two Red Bull and two Force India, with two surprises: Kvjat ahead of Ricciardo and Perez ahead of Hulkenberg who had to be the wonder. At Williams Bottas hasn’t trashed Massa “the grandpa”. Also in this case the first of the class is a Mercedes driver as well as World Champion for the third time.

Lewis Hamilton – 9 as said for Mercedes, he doesn’t deserve a full vote. After managing the championship skillfully and after winning the title he loosened.

Sebastian Vettel – 8,5 in addition to three wins and numerous podia, taking advantage of every opportunity he brought serenity to Ferrari.

Nico Rosberg – 8 especially thanks to the last six races, since he would have got 6 in the first part of the season. He has proven to be a good driver. His talent is also important for the show.

Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas – 7,5 in many occasions they have fought with a seriously troubling car. On paper Bottas should have trashed Massa, but the Brazilian defended himself with nails.

Sergio Perez – 7,5 he had a growing season with important results. He gave a nice boost to his career managing to get the better of his team-mate, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz – 7 they proved themselves to be the best beginners, with an enormous potential. To the couple Toro Rosso – Ferrari, they are surely a good auspice. They will bring a lot of points after overcoming reliability troubles.

Kimi Raikkonen – 6 because we love him, and we hope that he can find some incentive for a good season. 2016 could also be his last F1 chance.

F1 – Year-end scorecards: TEAMS

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In these last 2015 days, before embracing the new year, along with Gian Carlo Minardi we wanted to give our scorecards to the protagonists of F1 World Championship ended with Mercedes supremacy. We start today with the stables. Obviously the highest score goes to:

MERCEDES -9 they deserve the highest score of the classroom because they destroyed their competitors. But their three gifts to Ferrari have prevented them from gaining 10.

FERRARI – 8 they really did a lot to reach the “Silver Arrows”, even if the path is very long. Three seasonal successes and numerous podia were perhaps an unhoped result early in the year. Vettel, Raikkonen and the whole team were very skilled at overtaking their competitors and regaining the second place among Constructors.

WILLIAMS – 7,5 due to the third place in the standings, even if they would deserve something less for their decline compared to 2014. It is a characteristic of the English system and especially of Williams. After a positive season along which their arrears have been smoothed out, they conquered the third step of the podium with a minimum effort, defending also their wallet.

FORCE INDIA – 7,5 they have been makers of a wonderful championship ended in fifth. Despite their history as a “little” team, they closed a growing season. Surely it is a positive signal to both Perez and Hulkenberg in view of 2016.

RED BULL and TORO ROSSO – 7 Unfortunately, the engine reliability and the frame troubles have limited Verstappen and Sainz. Differently they would at least have been able to overtake Lotus. Red Bull has payed its arrogance and gab dearly. Their attitude cost more than they have been able to gain thanks to their fourth world place.I hope for them that they can be helped by Renault and get back on top, but certainly they must change the way they approach this sport, which is not just business.

LOTUS – 7 due to the misadventures thatthey faced just to reach the end of the season. Luckily They were rescued by Renault. This vote is due to the unexpected sixth place and to their reacting against the most difficult moment. Working with the worry of judges and seizures is certainly not easy.

SAUBER – 6 due to my affection. They started good, but unfortunately they lost themselves. They have never been effective.

MCLAREN – 4 perhaps because of Honda. We hope that this winter brings some advices, even if the path is surely uphill.

MANOR – NC they found incentives to resist. Being just 10 member teams, also them have won a share of the television rights for the next season.

Gian Carlo Minardi remembers the unforgettable Michele

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“With Michele, there has always been a beautiful relationship of mutual respect. I am glad he started and finished his carrer as a professional in a single-seater with the Minardi Team. Once he retired, we programmed to cooperate to help the development of Italian motor sport” Gian Carlo Minardi remembers.

In 1981, Minardi recruites two drivers for the second season of the Minardi Team in F2: Johnny Cecotto and a still little known young by the name of Michele Alboreto, providing them with the Minardi-Fly M281 designed by Caliri and Marmioli and equipped with the well-tested BMW engine prepared by Heini Mader. The new endeavour of the stable from Faenza starts brilliantly, also thanks to the talent of Michele who immediately put his more experienced team-mate in trouble: 3°place at Thruxton and Pergusa, pole position at Paul and victory at Misano in the midst of the scorching Riviera’s August. “It was a growing season that, thanks to Michele’s skill, gave us the first and unique Minardi Team victory. To us it was the second season as constructors”.

The streets of Minardi and Alboreto cross again in 1994, last season in Formula 1 of the driver from Milan, before moving to GT racings and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.“Unfortunately the results he achieved don’t match up the true value of a driver like Michele. He collected less than he deserved. He arrived at Ferrari in a difficult time. Already in 1981, I tried to persuade engineer Enzo Ferrari to bet on Michele. Unfortunately he didn’t pay attention to me, but in 1994 I had my “payback”: Alboreto became a Ferrari driver” the Manager from Faenza continues, and he also tells us an anecdote: “Michele was the subject of the my unique disagreement with the great Enzo Ferrari when in 1983 I told Autosprint that I had pointed out Michele’s talent to Ferrari. At that statement, the Drake responded with a letter that I still conserve”.

“Ended the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001, we would had to start our project to make Italian motoring grow. I have been able to start this project in part with the first ACI CSAI Formula borned in memory of Michele Alboreto and with the Federal School which is named after him” Minardi concludes his memory.

Minardi.it meets Pierluigi Martini

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By virtue of his past, he is the icon of Minardi F1 Team. He led his M185, the first single-seater signed by the team from Faenza, to debut. He achieved the first world point in the US GP of 1988 and raced 104 in 120 Grand Prix, alongside Gian Carlo Minardi. We are speaking of Pierluigi Martini whose prize list also shows his win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999. He has continued the couple Minardi-Martini of the 70s when his uncle Giancarlo raced in Formula 2 for Passatore and the Everest stable that belonged to a very young Minardi.

“I had known Minardi since I was a boy because I attended my uncle’s races in Formula Italia and Formula 2. In 1983, precisely along with Gian Carlo, driving the Minardi-BMW F2, I achieved the second place at Misano after winning also Formula 3 title. He wanted me at his side for his debut to Formula 1 in 1985”, Pierluigi Martini remembers on Minardi.it. “It was an experience as difficult as important because being the sole driver all the responsibilities were on my shoulders. Anyway, that was a positive season because even if I was a novice, we achieved the eight place in Australia. According to today’s score, this result would have gave us the first world points. At the end of season our paths diverged. I came back to F 3000 and I conquered the second place of the Intercontinental World Championship in 1986. Then, with great pleasure, Gian Carlo called me back by his side for the Detroit grand prix in 1988. I repaid his confidence with the first world point thanks to the sixth place. A wonderful relationship started and lasted till my retirement from F1 in 1995, with just a parenthesis in ’92 with the Scuderia Italia. After a break, the vitory arrives at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with BMW in 1999”.

How would you describe the “romagnolo” Gian Carlo Minardi?
He is a unique person. Thanks to a bit of “temerity”, which is a result of intelligence and passion for this sport, he built something that is really incredible for Romagna. He has been able to launch a lot of drivers, and also top level engineers and mechanics. Nobody is like him.

Do you have any anecdote related to its figure to tell us?
Now no special anecdote comes to my mind. Surely, we are talking about a person that was very attentive to observe the group and protect it from external attacks. A great family man.

What teachings have you gained with Minardi Team?
Having raced with teams like the Scuderia Italia, Williams and BMW at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Master GP, I have realized and appreciated the organization of Minardi team. When you are in F1 with restricted resources, you learn to optimize your force and synchronize all your sections. Without any doubt, I can affirm that Minardi Team was really a great stable, a perfect one. It lacked only the engine. Contrary to what happens now, in those years an “old” engine was able to pay also 200 hp compared to competition.

We know that engineer Chiti used to call you “Little Pheasant”. How does this funny nickname come from?
He used thisnickname to gain sympathy and to hide from the “blunders” that he committed. With that nickname he usually tried to defuse a difficult situation.

Along with Morbidelli, you have been the very first driver to have a Ferrari Client engine. Which aspect of the engine from Maranello impressed you ?
Unfortunately, that engine was born to match an automatic transmission, which we lacked at that time and so it created problems with the clutch. The sound was certainly great, but to become protagonists it would have been nicer to have the appropriate reliability.

Speaking with you, the incredible accident in Monza in 1993 comes to our mind. What happened and what Minardi told you in the pit?
At that moment, I was protecting my seventh place. Up to 10 laps to go I was in fifth position, but the breaking of the fifth gear made me loose some positions. I tried to defend myself from the attack of Christian and I moved on the right, but he followed me. I then heard the hit at the rear. With its wing he touched my rear wheel. Not seeing him anymore in my mirrors, I thought the worst. The returning lap was quite difficult. I was afraid he were finished among the audience. Fortunately, everything went out for the best for him. Even in that circumstance, Gian Carlo has been very good at handling the situation. The telemetry pointed out that I had not committed any impropriety. Therefore, the fact was dismissed as a racing accident.

With which driver you founded a special friendship, and who has been the harder competitor?
I founded a deep friendship with Paolo Barilla. With all the others, I had a great esteem and a healthy rivalry. The harder was JJ Lehto during my period in the Scuderia Italia.

104 F1 grand prix with Minardi Team. What have been the memorable moments?
I had  lot of good times. From the first world point in Detroit, to the lap ahead of everybody in Portugal, or the fourth place in Estoril in 1991. The times spent to develop the car along with engineers Tredozi and Costa are memorable. In those years, the chronometer was the only thermometer to judge developments. When you found the right direction, it was a great satisfaction.

The most difficult times?
Without any doubt, the demise of Ayrton Senna that convinced me to end my F1 adventure the following year. I would add some accidents: at Nurburgring, Montecarlo and Imola when I broke my leg.

You have mentioned Ayrton Senna.
He was the greatest driver that I had the pleasure to meet. He was always able to bring out the best from the team. He gave the 120% and was able to involve the all group urging it to give its 110%.

Due to your strong relationship with the team from Faenza, and to the fact of belonging to Romagna, were you involved in the choice of your team-mate?
Minardi made his choices. He was always looking for drivers who could put me in trouble. This made me a bit angry  but at the same time, it was a great stimulus.

Did you use to enter the factory to talk with the engineers and see “the birth” of the machines?
I lived in the factory. I liked very much to see the engineers’ work on the car. From there you could take off 2-3 tenths of asecond from your lap time. Those have been fantastic years.

This year you were back under the wheel of the M186 and the M189 in Austria and in Goodwood. What did you feel in those moments?
I realized how we were crazy to run at 300 km/h with those cars. However, I feel like the time hadn’t stopped. I immediately felt comfortable. I drove the M186 just during a test and I must say that it is an extraordinary, competitive and well-balanced car. With a Cosworth engine it would have gave a great satisfactions to the team.
The M189 was a customized car that gave us two fifth and two sixth places, the first row in America and the head of the race in Portugal. It has been pleasant come back in the cockpit.

In the last months you have anticipated us the project of a Minardi-Day. We know that now a great expectation is growing among true enthusiasts. What can you tell us, are preparations going on?
Along with Minardi, I am working to prepare the program, also asking advice for costs. The period should be at the end of June, but we will know something more only next months. Our aim is to bring back at Imola all the single-seaters built by Gian Carlo, with other F1 cars. Our intention is to recreate the old amazing and memorable atmosphere.

Three engines per driver? Minardi "A great advantage for Mercedes"

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This is apparently the most quiet moment of F1. Engines are turned off and the external teams are on vacation to recharge their batteries. But inside the factories the teams bustle to design and assemble the cars for 2016.

“Teams are creating the first shell that will face the crash-tests imposed by FIA for validation of all the components in view of the first test at the end of February” Gian Carlo Minardi, consulted by Minardi.it, comments. “On one side we have a Mercedes that passes through a party to another to celebrate its double win as best as it can, on the other one there is Circus face engaged in recovering its technical gap. Then there is Haas, the new-entry, that has to arrange everything from A to Z. They are facing a great effort because debuting with a 21 events scheduled on calendar is not easy” the manager from Faenza continues.

Anyway, the mind is projected forward in time. We are discussing to limit to three the number of power unit per driver in 2018 with the purpose to reduce cost. “To really cut the cost of this engine supply, producer should not redirect the cost of development and design on customers, but invest directly. Reducing the number of power units per driver to three is a possible way, even if it is very alarming. Both Mercedes team and its customers have been able to cover the entire season respecting rules without any penalization. No other manufacturer has achieved this amazing result”.

Under this aspect, Honda and Renault will be observed in a special way next season. “While the trans-alpine constructor seems to want to change direction no doubt with clear and defined ideas and projects, the Japaneses’ path seems more harder to me”.Renault, which is Red Bull Racing engine supplier, will return to the forefront as constructor after purchasing Lotus.“They have also acquired know-how around with the clear aim to get back on top. The situation at Honda seems more complicated. The electrical part has been the real Achilles’ heel. While Mercedes can exploit it for more than a minute, Japaneses struggle to reach 30” with with serious repercussions on time.We can notice this problem in T2 and, especially, in T3. In this respect, McLaren batteries have not been up to the job. Also Japaneses have been shopping in Europe” Gian Carlo Minardi, coming from an ACI meeting, concludes.

F1 – Road to…2016: Pirelli discloses its tyre compounds

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With the engines turned off and all the teams engaged in assembling the new single-seaters, Pirelli has announced its tire compounds and the mandatory set for the the first three World championship Grand Prix which starts in Melburne, Australia, on March 20 and continues in Bahrain and China.

For the first three of the twenty-one events scheduled, the group from Milan will bring Medium (white), Soft (yellow), and SuperSoft (red) tire compounds. The tyres designed for race are the Medium and Soft ones, whereas SuperSofts are intended to Q3.

 

Alfa Romeo is arranging its return. Minardi "It would be great"

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Alfa Romeo possible return to racing, announced by Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne during the year-end press conference, did not surely go unnoticed rekindling fans’ passion.

The so called “Big snake” has a glorious past in Motorsport, from F1 World Championship to Touring car race with Nicola Larini’s successes in 90s DTM. “Those were the golden years of Italian Motorsport, during which the team from Turin was engaged on all fronts: F1 with Ferrari, Rally and prototypes with Lancia, and Touring with Alfa Romeo, without forgetting Maserati” Gian Carlo Minardi consulted by Minardi.it comments about a possible Alfa Romeo return to races.“Surely, their come back would be terrific and an important news. I keep sustaining that Sports is the best means for a brand promotion. Even the most distracted young remembers Lancia success in the Rally World Championship with Delta or Nicola Larini’s seals under the wheel of his 155. Thanks to these programs, our boys then found a way towards professionalism. Drivers like Larini, Nannini and Pratese are the result of that kind of experiences. I can evaluate an Alfa Romeo return to races only in a positive way”.

Giulia, their last creature that will enter the market from 2016 has been launched in recent months. Along with Ferrari, the group from Turin has been conquering the scene with Abarth, thanks to a partnership with Formula 4 that saw his debut precisely in Italy two years ago with a project made in Italy thanks to Tatuus frames and Pirelli tyres.“As ACI’ we have been the first in the world to believe in FIA project linked to new Formula 4, and we have created a very strong product. Until now, F4 is the most important championship numerically speaking, and 2016 data are astounding. Abarth is a brand that attracts attention, so much than in Germany national F4 is the only race that includes a not German group. We must be proud of that” the manager from Faenza concludes.

Golden Helmet to Gian Carlo Minardi

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“I am truly honoured to receive this prestigious reward. One for all, I want to thank Autosprint editorAlberto Sabatini”. It is the first comment of Gian Carlo Minardi after being awarded with Autosprint Golden Helmet for his career and his engagement in Motorsport with Minardi F1 Team.

“After accompanying on stage a lot of young drivers who have drived with me, I am glad I received this prize in a so important occasion like the fiftieth year and among many illustrious names who wrote the history of autosport like President Luca Cordero di Montezzemolo, Mario Andretti and Marco Tronchetti Provera, along with new protagonists like Luca Ghiotto, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Riccardo Agostini”.

We are also glad to announce the prize received by Alessandro Nannini that we have met some days ago for a plesant chat.

Minardi.it meets Alessandro Nannini

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Five years together. From Formula 2 to Formula 1. We are talking about the duo Minardi-Nannini. In this end of year, we had the pleasure to meet Alessandro Nannini, who very kindly went back to the 80s for a moment and answered our questions. From the first meeting with Gian Carlo Minardi till the arrival at F1 World Championship.

Hi Alessandro, to start this interview let’s come back to the mid-80s. When was the first contact with Gian Carlo Minardi?
The first contact with Gian Carlo Minardi was in 1982, when he proposed me the wheel of his Minardi F2 next to Paolo Barilla, after my win in Abarth Formula. On the whole, I spent with Gian Carlo 5 years: I raced three F2 and two F1 seasons.

In 1986 you, a very young boy, joined Minardi team, and  remained even in 1987. Two difficult seasons characterized by many retreats.
Two years characterized by troubles due to Motore Molteni, especially turbo complications. The chassis was good, unlucky the Achilles’heel was the engine, designed by an engineer that I personally consider a real genius. A lot of retreats. The lack of reliability has been a pity. Anyway, the years spent along with Minardi Team have been extraordinary, even more beautiful than my period with Benetton. After all, we are talking about a manager who discovered and launched the best drivers of the last years.

What impresses you in a man from Romagna like Gian Carlo Minardi?
I am “in love” with Gian Carlo. No one has his passion for this sport and he is a real talent to find out drivers. He loves engines. In the last 20 years he has discovered the most talented drivers, as their curricula demonstrate.

The most difficult time of your period at Minardi?
There aren’t. Unfortunately, the engine wasn’t up to expectations, even if , as I said, it was designed by an excellent engineer. The car chassis, instead, was good.

As a Minardi driver,  you faced Cesaris and Campos. Who has been the harder opponent?
Luckily I had a very heavy right feet, and putting myself behind Andrea has been a good business card.

Among Boutsen, Pirro, Herbert and Piquet?
Piquet, three times world champion. From him I learned a lot about the improvement of a car. You can’t win three titles for chance.

We have also a question by a fan of yours. Is there an event that you especially remember?
There would be too many episodes to tell. As I said, those were really amazing years, I got a true fun, I met a lot of girls and, along with Paolo Barilla (F2) we made a lot of mess. As a matter of fact, year after year, we had trouble finding hotels because they didn’t want us as customers.

In 1997 you retired. What do you do now?
Sometimes, I lead the way with Subaru. After spending a lot of time on track, now that I am 56 years old , I am attracted to the soil. But I do it occasionally.

Do you watch Formula 1?
Honestly? Not so much. I watch the start.. and then the end. But it has always been the same. Let’s say I prefer to drive than watching races on tv.

Karol Basz awarded at the Fia Prize Giving

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Our Karol Basz could not miss the night of “World Motorport Stars” in Paris; he was awarded by  the FIA PRIZE-GIVING for winning the World Title of 2015 FK Kart.

At La Conca international circuit, the driver cured by Minardi Management imposed himself with a net and decisive domain during the most important international karting event under the wheel of a Kosmic Racing leaving only “crumbs” to his opponents.

In the famous Lido theater in Paris, close to the Arc de Triomphe, Karol shared the stage with his colleagues Jorrit Pex (KZ), Logan Sargeant (KF- Junior) and the world f1 championship Lewis Hamilton.

Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti, along with Gian Carlo Minardi and all his staff congratulate Karol for the incredible achievement in a season that, for the polish driver, has been full of satisfactions.

Joao Vieira on-the-job with JD Motordport in Barcelona

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Two days of hard work on Barcelona’s track for Joao Vieira, who almost two months later his debut in Jerez, was back under the wheel of a Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 belonging to JD Motor-sport team. 

At his first contact with the Spanish track, the Driver from Brazil curated by Minardi Management had kept working with the engineers of the team from Novara for next season; he achieved over 100 laps with interesting lap times and without any mistakes. After becoming familiar with 4655 mt of Catalan track, a lot of setup tests were made to study the performance of the single-seater.Returning from Formula 4 Tricolore, Joao and his entourage are assessing the best solution for 2016.

“These two days have been important, I had the opportunity to do a lot of work along with JD team and I a lot of kilometers under the wheel of the car without doing any mistakes, with good time lap times. Surely, I still have a good improvement margin, but I start from a good base. Unfortunately, these were the last two test days granted by regulation. Now I have to wait until February to get back in the car. I really like the car, and I get on with the team. So, i hope to be able to define as soon as possible my next schedule. Meantime I am going to keep studying English” Joao Vieira comments.

“These test sessions have been very important and positive to Joao it has been a very important and positive test session. He had the opportunity to make a lot of kilometers under the wheel of F.R. 2.0 without any mistakes. So he could work with continuity. After studying the track along with JD engineers, we made a lot of setup tests with the purpose of helping Joao’s perception with the new car. I must thanks all the team staff for their excellent work. I admit that we would like to race in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and we are working to find an agreement as soon as possible”, Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti comment.