Kart- A podium for Karol Basz at the Winter Cup

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Another trophy to Karol Basz who at the South Garda circuit achieves the third place in the Winter Cup in Lonato, proving to be a leading driver in the new Ok category after his winning and the second place in the first WSK Championship Cup event achieved just two weeks ago. 

At the wheel of the Kosmic Racing material, the Polish driver has become the protagonist of substantial recoveries and many set-up tests in view of the upcoming international events, gaining the third place in a battery composed of 32 drivers.

“It hasn’t been an easy weekend, but we managed to get on the podium anyway thanks to a good recovery. We are exploring the new Ok engine, and every race is a new challenge. These first results prove that we are doing what it takes”, Karol Basz says.

“I can just be glad about the new trophy and podium achieved by Karol, once again he has proved to be a mature, determined, and fast driver. This  weekend has been devoted to recovery in which we have made some tests of material and set-up that will be useful in the season, in view of the next international events. Karol has ended hi recovery with a good podium” manager Alberto Tonti analyzes.

Gian Carlo Minardi "I like this Social-F1"

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Williams and Ferrari have chosen to present their new 2016 cars through the web, as Red Bull that so far has presented the new livery that will dress the single-seaters consigned to Ricciardo and Kvyat. The return of Renault in the world championship as Manufacturer has been more traditional: they announced their organogram and unveiled a total black livery destined to undergo significant changes in colors.

This is a F1 more and more Social, that is trying to get closer to the new language of the young and very young people.“F1 must be able to race fast not only on the racetrack, but also with news and images. These days presentations are a first step closer to the needs of young people, who lean more and more to social networks to get immediately the news” Gian Carlo Minardi comments.“It is for this reason that the teams do their presentations in two or three steps, before arriving at the final version, starting from the livery” as in the case of Red Bull and Renault. “They can achieve millions of visits this way, ensuring a great visibility to sponsors. On the expenditure side, is also a big saving”.

The web allows  reduce distances and boundaries.“Journalists must n’t even move from their offices, and many more people may have available the press kits, ensuring a greater disclosure of that material through sites and personal blogs”.Minardi notices another good aspect “Do not forget that there are only four months between the last race of the year and the new season. This new way of working allows teams to take full advantage of the time to develop and prepare the car” the entrepreneur from Faenza concludes. “I appreciate this new approach and this methodology of providing information“.

 

F4 Joao Vieira stands out in Misano's tests

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Called by his team principal Marco Antonelli to continue with the Tatuus Formula 4 in view of next season in the Tricolor series that starts next April 10 at the Misano World Circuit, Joao Vieira has made himself available for the stable from Bologna, taking part to two days of collective tests.

The Brazilian driver, who well knows the organization of the Antonelli Motorsport and its single-seater having attended two Italian F4 Championship editions, has run almost 130 laps along the 4,226 meters of the circuit named in memory of Marco Simoncelli, and he scored the fastest lap without committing any error. The first day characterized by heavy rain and temperatures below 10°C helped the driver, already in the sphere of the Minardi Management, to find the pace again after four months spent away from the track. We have had much better weather conditions in the concluding session where Joao’s work focused on testing of set-up and ended with the best lap time 1.35.564.

“I am happy with Joao’s work in these two test days. Despite a four months stop, he has quickly found the pace proving to be also ready from an athletic point of view. Despite the first day’s difficult weather conditions, he hasn’t made any mistakes, ending the two days session with the best lap-time. We are working to define Joao’s programme, and I am sure that he will be able to be the protagonist, whatever the championship” manager Giovanni Minardi explains.

“I am really happy I had the opportunity to race these two days. It has been a good chance to prepare the new season. We have worked a lot on the set-up of the car , also thanks to the changing weather conditions. Being familiar with all the guys of the team has made everything easier” Joao Vieira says.

 

Minardi.it meets Giancarlo Fisichella "It all started in Faenza"

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The F1 World Championship is ready to raise the curtain with the first session of collective tests on Barcellona’s track. Waiting to see the new single-seaters in action, www.minardi.it has had the pleasure to meet Giancarlo Fisichella who is just back from the 24 Hours of Daytona with his Ferrari 488 GTE. We continue our path with the drivers who contributed to make Minardi a great team, writing important pages of its history. The driver from Rome started his long career in Faenza.

Let’s step back to 1995, you were a Minardi tester, and you became an official driver the following year. How your first contact with Gian Carlo Minardi occurred?
In 1993 I was coming from a good season in F3. At that time, I was sponsored by Marlboro, as the Minardi Team. At the end of the season, Gian Carlo made me try Formula 1 on the Fiorano track. A dream came true. From F3 to F1. I did a very good test, and in 1995 I became a tester for Faenza.

Would you tell us something about your debut season: eight Gp and an eight place in Canada.
In 1996 I should have been a tester/third driver. Ten days before the Australian Gp, I received an unexpected call by Gian Carlo to tell me I would have raced as a official driver. I was in seventh heaven because Taki Inoue was going to race. It all started from there. I was a F1 driver. It was a good season, even if we had some reliability trouble. Undoubtedly, the Minardi Team was a good entity.

What has  Gian Carlo Minardi taught you ? What did you learn in his team?
It was a very important experience. Thanks to Minardi, I fulfilled my dream becoming a Formula 1 driver. I still remember my first briefing. I was in the same room along with my idols, Schumacher, Berger, and Alesi. I’ll never forget that moments.

In your opinion, what was Gian Carlo’s key strength point during his  years in F1. A small team that achieved 340 GP.
A small entity that was able to go on thanks its forces and to Gian Carlo’s passion. They struggled against colossuses and official manufacturers just to stay in the Circus. Within the team I met extraordinary engineers and mechanics. I really felt at home. Gian Carlo is a person who has the passion for this sport in his heart.

As many other talented drivers, your career started in Faenza. Unfortunately, today Italy has no standard-bearers in F1.
Unfortunately, today more than ever, what it counts are the budgets that a driver can bring with him. Entering F1 is very difficult. Ferrari has conducted the FDA project since some year, and I am sure the next driver will come from this program. Without that tragic weekend in Japan that tore us Jules Bianchi, today he would have been in a top team. There are many interesting names like Fuoco, Giovinazzi, and Ghiotto, just to name the first three.

Your great career began in Faenza among Jordan, Benetton, Sauber, Renault, Force India, and Ferrari. 231 GP and 275 points. Who was the toughest among your team-mates?
Undoubtedly, Fernando Alonso, strangely enough a driver grown in Minardi. Together we won two titles with Renault.

Besides Minardi, also Flavio Briatore had an important role in your career. Could you make a comparison between these two leading people in motorsport?
Gian Carlo is surely the most important person because he gave me the opportunity to debut in Formula 1. In 1997, after the test at Estoril, Briatore put me under agreement and he initially put me in the hands of Jordan. They are two important people who wrote important pages of the history of this sport. They have been two great managers who have discovered great drivers.

At Ferrari side, you migrated to endurance races and, among other things, you won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the marathon par excellence, twice. What does it means to a driver?
We are talking about the most important race. It is incredible, exciting and really hard. Winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans is something unique. This year, I am going to chase a third victory with the Ferrari 488.

This year, the GP in Azerbaijan is contemporary with Le Mans. Is it for chance or is It a Mr. Ecclestone strategic move? Do you agree with the fact that a F1 driver takes part to Le Mans?
Last year I was pleased to see Nico Hulkenberg winning. One should have the chance to choose. Surely this year’s conjunction is a pity.

The new Ferrari 488  debuted with you in Daytona. What are the key strengths of this car compared to the 458 Italia one, and what are your expectations for the season?
There have been some improvements in the grip, in the aerodynamic, in the driving possibilities and in the impact absorbing structure in the curb passages.
Unfortunately, in Daytona we were penalized by BOP. This year I’ll be with Risi Competizione, along with Toni Vilander, a driver with whom I am very familiar because we won together at Le Mans. He is an extraordinary driver with a great experience in endurance. I hope to win the championship, starting from the next event: the 12 Hours of Sebring in mid-March.

Paolo Barilla, a F1 driver and a successful entrepreneur.The interview

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In addition to be a known Italian entrepreneur, Paolo Barilla has also been a driver. He defended the colors of the Minardi Team in both  F2 and F1 before winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and he took part in the Dakar. The next World F1 Championship is ready to start with the first official tests in Barcelona, and minardi.it has met Paolo to recall his past in Motorsport and talk about the current situation of the Circus.

In the last years Formula 1 has lost many important brands. Is it still a good investment?
In this moment, it is not. Formula 1 is an outdated standard because it hasn’t moved with the times. Bernie Ecclestone and the CVC fund, which handle the business, don’t do what it takes to relaunch it.

What do you mean?
Men born with a certain background and they build a system based on their culture and experience. His time is over. We can use architecture as an instance. Today, if you want build something you have to know the latest energy technologies, you have to put style and design together with technology innovation. Ecclestone was an excellent seller of a product the marketing of which in the 80’s was mainly done by Philip Morris in a masterful way. With the prohibition of advertising on the cars the commitment is decreasing. Today, Red Bull is trying to do something similar, but in a different and less impacting way.

Over the last few years, the grand prix recorded a decline of interest.
We are in the video games era, and their sales volume is staggering . Why should a guy stay in front of tv for almost two hours to see a show where nothing happens, when he can be the real protagonist in a motorsport or adventure game? Wouldn’t it be more useful involve the young audience directly making it protagonist?

How we can do this?
By creating a virtual F1 World Championship, simultaneous to the real one. With the same teams, the same cars and the same calendar where the drivers are the guys chosen by the same teams.
Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull, etc. could have a virtual team. This way you would attract a very numerous audience that is also essential for sponsors. We must join our forces. The World fast changed. Let’s look Facebook, Google…

They are talking to change the rules so to improve the show.
Changing F1 isn’t an engineers’ task. They are all about numbers. In their opinion even the paint of the car is an useless weigh. It’s like to go to the restaurant with a nutritionist. I would involve some people of the show business to get some advices, I’d like to see a set designer from Hollywood. I find very limitative the idea that we can save F1 only by changing technical rules. Is it useful to have 1000 hp cars? Today we already have a very fast F1. A Pit-stop lasts 2 seconds…Sometimes I can’t even understand if tires are really replaced. Would it be possible to have fewer technicians? The cars face too fast direction changes and chicanes. They seem to run on some kind of rail without any imperfection. Everything seems very easy. None driver’s effort is transmitted, nor his quality. If we watch a MotoGp race, we can perceive all the efforts and gestures that drivers must do to enter a bend. We should work on the coefficient of adhesion.

Are the teams responsible in some way?
We have to reconsider the whole system. The audience decreases, and Ecclestone increases the GP events and brings Formula 1 in some countries without any motorsport history like Azerbaijan…As we say “He is a lemon squeezer”. He prefers squeeze the organizers and the circuits till the last drop threatening to take away the races. Unfortunately teams care just about their business. Look at Renault affair that has just presented its team: they came back as Manufacturers just because they have the status of “historical team” for guaranteed that is a slice of tv royalties. They came back through the back door without giving a stimulus to great changes.

Also this year, none italian driver will take part in Formula 1, even if many of them proved their value in the most important international championships as GP2, GP3 and European F3.
Today’s Formula 1 is too expensive for a company. It would be necessary a direct action from Ferrari and from the Federation to help these guys to grow and find an outlet in the professionalism.

Paolo’s career among engines started from karting where he has cut his teeth for 5 years before join the single-seaters and take part to Formula Abarth.“I was an autodidact meaning that I had nobody near me. I dedicate the first part of the season to the apprenticeship, but once I became acquainted with the car, I climb positions and reach the top group”.

His meeting with Raverotto in 1981 took him to Formula 3. “In the first four races I gained 28 points thanks to two successes and two podia. In the remaining races, I achieved only 12 points in as many events due to some accidents or technical problems. During that season, Gian Carlo Minardi contacted me to race with him in Formula 2 in Donington and Pergusa. However, in those years I was quite unprepared, in the sense that I was racing because I liked it, without having a clear schedule and F2 was a good target for me because it had twice the horse powers of F3. For a rookie like me the first two races were good, struggling in the middle of the group. Therefore, the following year I decided to continue with the Minardi Team, that Pirelli had started to support. Therefore, the season glided away anonymously. I wanted to become a professional driver and so I passed to the prototypes and then I went in Japan with F3000”.

In 1987 his friend Pierluigi Martini called him to race with him in F3000.“The previous season, Piero had emerged with an unofficial Ralt. Therefore, the preconditions were good”. However, something didn’t work at the start of the championship. “The car is not up to expectations and we can’t understand why. In the season, we realize by chance that the frame lacked some part of the tank rib. A very curious construction mistake. They fix the frame, and we are immediately ahead of everybody, even ahead of the official Ralt. Unfortunately, during the race our car stops to work due to a structural failure”.

In 1989 Gian Carlo called you to substitute Martini in F1.
Formula 1 was my dream, and when Minardi called me to substitute the injured Martini I immediately accepted. Moreover, we raced in Suzuka, a circuit I knew like the back of my hand. Unfortunately, the cockpit does not fit me, because it was built for Piero. In qualifying I am able to do just a run due to my aches, while in race the clutch broke. In retrospect, maybe it has been better that way.

The following year, you are in couple with Martini with the M190.
Also the new car was too small for my height. The season started uphill, but I decided to continue anyway. We got some good results, but the tires were the bigger trouble.
In that moment, Pirelli wasn’t capable to supply all its teams with the same qualitative level, especially favoring Alesi’sTyrrell. In Japan I had cooperated with Bridgestone in the development of F1 tires, therefore I had an excellent know-how and I was able to realise if there were something wrong since the first laps. Moreover, during winter tests in Estoril with the old car, I raced 3” faster than in the racing weekends of the following year. Unfortunately, Pirelli has never declared this fact openly. The season finished ingloriously.

How do you judge your experience in the World championship?
It was a fabulous and extraordinary experience. In those years my goal was F1. If I hadn’t achieved it, I would have missed something. Then, I understood that environment wasn’t for me because it doesn’t reflect my personality. To stay in F1 you have to be very determined, ready for anything. You must make sure that all listen to you, keeping the tension high within the team, as Senna or Piquet did.
In a recent interview, Piquet declared that he had attacked several times Mansel about personal facts with the sole aim to destabilize him and take off his concentration. If we come nowadays, Vettel has been very hard with Webber. I see in Verstappen the same determination. He seems to say “Get out of the way, I am coming”.

You also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans
At endurance races I was always good. Also the environment was definitely different. My personality doesn’t tend to bully the others, I work together with my teammates to get our common goal.

…And you took part to several Dakar editions.
It was a pleasant and magical experience, especially in Africa. I took part to different editions without any ambition. We just wanted to reach the finish line and live that experience in the best way.
 

Kart – An opening podium for Karol Basz in OK

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Karol Basz has just started his second season with the Kosmic Racing material at Adria in the new OK category. On the Rovigo’s circuit, scene of the WSK Championship Cup, the Polish driver handled by Minardi Management conquered the pre-final victory with almost five seconds lead on the first of his chasers, and he ended the first weekend with the absolute second place in Final.

Once again, Karol showed all his skill on a wet track, signed the fastest lap in the pre-final B and the second best chrono of the Final, where he was protagonist of an  enjoyable recovery.

“It’s nice to start the season with a second place. This year we have a fully new engine, so we start again from zero. It will be a hard season and we’ll have a lot of work to do and a lot to learn. Everything functioned perfectly in the first round. This will be a funny season to us”,  Karol Basz says.

“Even if we missed the top step of the podium, I am glad for this result and for Karol’s beginning. A Pre-final victory and a Final second place after being in fourth. Once again he proved very fast under the rain” Alberto Tonti of the Minardi Management observes.

This year Karol will also be ambassador of the “Young Athletes Foundation” based in Cracow. “I am honored to join and to represent this foundation. We will also be able to introduce the children to our sport, encouraging them to make the best choice. This foundation gathers many disciplines. Being part of it makes me proud. I have been fascinated by competition since I was a child, and I fell in love with motoring at my first turn with a go-kart” Karol observes, highlighting how much a team sports like motorsport is challenging. “A driver is nobody without a good team, and a team will never achieve good results without a good driver. In our sport, victory is played on fractions of seconds. Details make the difference for a victory or a defeat“.

 Photo: Alexandros Vernardis/The Racebox

Minardi.it meets Luca Badoer "Minardi, an extraordinary team principal"

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Luca Badoer’s career counts 32 grand prix, from 1995 to 1999, and a big regret linked to the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring circuit. We continue our meetings with the drivers who contributed to write the history of the Team founded by Gian Carlo Minardi. We recalled along with Luca his experience in Faenza, but we also talked about his engagement at the wheel of the Prancing Horse.

In 2010 you announced your retirement, after 12 years as a Ferrari tester. Do you still have some contacts with Maranello? And, what do you do now?
In 2010 I announced my retirement as a tester, but I continued my cooperation with Maranello in the following four years. I was engaged in the development of the GT car. I have been working in my family company since last year.

Let’s step back. In 1994 you become a Minardi tester and the following year you were promoted to official driver. Why did you chose the team in Faenza? What impressed you?
First of all it was an Italian team and Gian Carlo Minardi was passionately experiencing Formula 1. Surely it was a good opportunity to me in view of ’95. As a matter of fact we achieved some good results. I was still young and I had the opportunity to learn a lot. It was a positive experience.

After 5 years, in 1999 you came back in Faenza.
In that moment I was under agreement with Ferrari as a tester. Gian Carlo wanted me strongly with him and this greatly made me pleased. I was very happy to be back in Faenza. Once again it was a positive year.

…All fans remember a “cursed” European grand prix. You were in the fourth place, few laps from the finish line.
It’s one of those events you can’t forget. We were fighting for the podium,  unfortunately the gearbox broke just few laps from the checkered flag. We could have achieved a sensational result to a small team. Moreover, we all know that only the top six were able to get some points in those years…

What did you think at that time? What did Gian Carlo Minardi tell you in the pit?
I don’t remember, but it was a common tragedy that I experienced in first person. We were doing an extraordinary race. It was a body blow.

A victory would have been able to change your F1 career?
It’s hard to say so. You build your F1 career with the first choices and I wasn’t very lucky. I debuted with Scuderia Italia with a disastrous car that probably prevented my path. The podium at Nurburgring ’99 would have helped me, but I was already a Ferrari tester. My path was already marked.

You raced with Scuderia Italia, Minardi, Forti, and Ferrari. What is the strong point of the team from Faenza that you best remember?
I remember the team from Faenza as a little, but well organized, and passionate stable. Gian Carlo Minardi was an extraordinary team principal. Even now, I meet him with great pleasure.

In 2009 you took Felipe Massa’s place at the wheel of the F60 during the Valencia Grand Prix. An Italian driver was at the wheel of the Red in a grand prix: was it a dream coming true?
Yes, a dream that became a nightmare very soon…

What difficulties did you find?
I was coming from a seven months break because they started to ban the tests. I wasn’t familiar with the F60, a difficult and scarcely competitive car. The kers had just been introduced. Ultimately, I don’t feel guilty because who took my place didn’t do better than me. It was a difficult car and you needed to do a lot of test to well understand it.

Also this year no driver represents Italy in F1, even if they there are many Italians in the most important international championships like GP2, GP3 and European F3. Why, in your opinion?
It’s hard to answer because I am not the right person for this. Surely, it is sad not to have any Italian protagonist in the championship.

Do you think we need a team like Minardi to bet on young people?
Definitely. We especially need a person like Gian Carlo Minardi who used to bet on young people. He wasn’t afraid to bet on novices.

What do you think about today’s Formula 1?  Do you agree with the testing prohibition that makes everything virtual?
If I could I would liberalize tests. We are talking so much about a costs decrease, but at the same time they compel the teams to buy these innovative simulators and expensive softwares. Sometimes, they make some decisions too lightly. It’s always better to test directly on the track. In my F1 career I did 135.000 km, 32.000 of which just in a season.

Renault confirms the rumors on Alonso

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Paris’ Champ Elisées has been the evocative scenario chosen by Renault to inaugurate its new era in the F1 World Championship.

The new RS16 will be assigned to the young couple composed by Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer with Esteban Ocon, winner of the FIA European F3 and GP3 Series titles in 2014 and 2015, as a third driver and tester. In the last few days, the Danish ex-McLaren has been chosen to take Pastor Maldonado’s place, who wasn’t supported anymore by national oil company PDVSA. That way he is back in the Circus as an official driver after a year break.

In this occasion they also talked about team future programmes, and Carlos Ghosn confirmed the indiscretions on Fernando Alonso revealed by Gian Carlo Minardi on the website www.minardi.it last December. “Surely, I would like to sign with Fernando Alonso. Throughout our years in formula 1, we have worked and known a lot of drivers and Fernando is one of the best”.

In 2005 and 2006 the Spanish driver added the last two titles to the French company, a goal then missed in 2008 and 2009 when he came back in Enstone before moving to Maranello and woking. Fernando comes from a disastrous season with McLaren-Honda and 2016 will be the year of truth.

Surely, the new total black livery with a touch of yellow has surprised, but it will probably changed in view of Australian Grand Prix. Also the exposed car was only a show car created on a 2015 frame. We will see the RS16 during the first tests in Barcelona.

 

Mark Webber, a dream called Le Mans

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Newly crowned World Endurance champion at the wheel of his Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1, Mark Webber in an interview released to www.minardi.it, anticipated us his goals for 2016 with the company from Stuttgart putting the victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that he missed last year into the foreground.

“Le Mans is such a special event. It’s a very long, intense week and the race is incredibly hard to put together.There’s a very special atmosphere at that race and to stand up on the podium in front of tens of thousands of fans is an unreal experience. It would be great to win Le Mans, it’s such a huge challenge and would be a great feather in my cap, but at the same time I’m not getting any younger and won’t be chasing after it for the next ten years” the Australian driver told us. Mark started his career in 2002 at the wheel of the Minardi Team. He succeeded to put himself in the spotlight from his first race in Melbourne in front of his home crowd bringing his PS02 in the fifth place and giving the stable from Faenza two points. “The Minardi Team was a very special moment in my career. We got good results and I enjoyed racing hard against teams we really shouldn’t have been. Gian Carlo has always given me good advice”.

His path in Formula 1 continued without interruption till 2013 passing through Jaguar, Williams and Red Bull with a total amount of 217 grand prix and 9 victories, 42 podia, 13 pole positions and 19 fastest laps in race. “Compared to Formula 1, there is a very friendly atmosphere in the WEC paddock. Within the team both sides of the garage work towards the same goal and there is a busy exchange between engineers and drivers. The inter-team rivalry known in F1 is almost non-existent” Mark highlights referring especially to the fight with his teammate Vettel during 2013 season. Then, he describes the differences between the two cars. “The transition from F1 to WEC was a big adaptation process for me in the first few months(..) The cars are heavier than an F1 car, but faster. With three drivers in the car you have to compromise on certain things inside the cockpit such as seat and pedal positioning, and in particular some aspects of the set-up related to individual driving styles, which is something you need to get used to”.

The new season starts on April 17 with the 6 Hours of Silverstone, the first of nine FIA WEC events, and it continues at Spa-Francorchamps, Le Mans, Nurburgring, Mexico City, Austin, Fiji, Shanghai, and Bahrain.“Last year, after our first win in Germany I knew that we could go all the way if we kept our heads down and continued to work hard. We will start testing the new car in February. This year’s car will pretty much be an evolution of last year’s car and we’re starting with a very good technical basis which allows us to focus our efforts on improving other areas such as the aerodynamic efficiency, weight, suspensions”, the Australian driver closes. “Having been part of Porsche’s LMP1 program has been very rewarding. It would be awesome to have Ferrari and BMW both in the championship and good to compete against them”.

WEC – Mark Webber calls Ferrari and BMW in LPM1. Exclusive interview

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New winner of the World Endurance Championship title at the wheel of his Porsche 919 Hybrid, Mark webber started his career in Faenza. It was 2002 when the Australian driver debuted in the Circus at the wheel of his PS02 with an exciting fifth place. In an exclusive interview on www.minardi.it, Mark told us about his season with the Minardi Team, last year’s victory and goals for 2016.

Congratulations for the World Champion Endurance title with Porsche. An extraordinary return. At what point of the season did you realize to have the chance to win the championship?
 We had some very encouraging results towards the end of 2014 and the writing was on the wall that we could get some momentum however it didn’t quite fall into place at the first race of the season in Silverstone. We worked hard in all areas and Le Mans showed that we had a very reliable, resilient package. After our first win in Germany I knew that we could go all the way if we kept our heads down and continued to work hard.

Let’s step back. In 2002 you made your debut in Formula 1 World Championship with a fantastic 5th place. Would you tell us something about that weekend and the satisfaction for the first points in your first race?
It was a very special moment in my career to drive my first F1 race in my home country with all the support from the local crowd. I remember Stoddy told me on the grid ‘Look mate, if you can get this car home that would be an absolute dream for me’. After the race start, there was a massive accident at the first corner and even though I managed to get out of it the car took quite a battering and for some time it looked like it was terminal. However we got through the whole race distance and crossed the line in fifth place which was unbelievable. The reaction from the crowd was unique and it was incredibly special to start my career in F1 in that way.

When did you meet Minardi f1 Team the first time?

It was late January in the build-up to the 2002 F1 season as my deal was done very late. It was the first time I’d ever been to an Italian racing team. It was a very modest set-up but of course I was very excited that I was now a race driver for a F1 team.

After Minardi, you moved to Jaguar, Williams, and Red Bull. What the experience in Faenza taught you?
I loved how tenacious the team was; it was obvious their budget was small but the principles inside the team was still all about hard work and preparing the cars the best they could. Many times that year we got good results purely because the underdog spirit was always strong and I enjoyed racing hard against teams we really shouldn’t have been.

Do you have a special memory of Gian Carlo Minardi?
Gian Carlo was always very warm and passionate – the values instilled in the team came from him. It was obvious he was hungry for the team to do well with the resources the team had and the drivers were a big part of that and had an important role to play. Although his English wasn’t very good and my Italian any better, it was still very easy for me to tell when he was happy or sad about how I drove! I always enjoyed a good relationship with him.

Let’s go back to the WEC. Have you had to change your driving style and attitude toward the race to conform it to porsche 919 LMP1?

The transition from F1 to WEC was a big adaptation process form me in the first few months to be honest and a completely new experience. It was definitely a new challenge having to work around the needs of two other drivers. With three drivers in the car you have to compromise on certain things inside the cockpit such as seat and pedal positioning, and in particular some aspects of the set-up related to individual driving styles, which is something you need to get used to. I loved my time in F1 as an ‘individual’, but at this stage in my career I really enjoy being totally open with my fellow team mates and engineers to get the most from our collective knowledge. The cars are heavier than an F1 car and also the seating position is different which is something to get used to. However these cars are very rewarding to drive, the speeds are high and consistency is key. As a driver in this category you have to be extremely versatile and adapt to the circumstances, whether that’s driving the car at three in the morning or when plans change and you’re putting in a triple stint.

You have almost won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. What has been the most beautiful moment in the season? 
Le Mans is such a special event. It’s a very long, intense week and the race is incredibly hard to put together. The team put in a phenomenal effort, the no 18 car had a few issues but the 17 and 19 cars ran seamlessly, and the cars finished very healthily. There’s a very special atmosphere at that race and to stand up on the podium in front of tens of thousands of fans is an unreal experience. 
Winning the World Championship at the last race in Bahrain is definitely my highlight of last year. It’s an incredible achievement of Porsche to have won both the drivers and manufacturers’ title in what was only our second year back in the sport and I’m very proud to be part of this and be a World Championship winning driver with one of the most prestigious sportscar brands in the world.
How is the atmosphere in the FIA WEC world championship respect to Formula 1?

There is a very friendly atmosphere in the paddock and the manufacturers have a huge level of respect for each other as they know just how much work goes into it this project. Within the team both sides of the garage work towards the same goal, which is getting both cars as high up as possible so this is obviously completely different to an F1 team. The communication across both cars is very open and there is a busy exchange between engineers and drivers. The inter-team rivalry known in F1 is almost non-existent because encouraging that sort of competition doesn’t help the manufacturer’s aim of getting both cars up the front.

On April 17 the WEC starts at Silverstone. Have you already seen and tried the new Porsche? What are you working to improve a machine that has proven to be very fast and reliable?
I’ve not yet seen the 2016 car, we will start testing in February. This year’s car will pretty much be an evolution of last year’s car and we’re starting with a very good technical basis which allows us to focus our efforts on improving other areas such as the aerodynamic efficiency, weight, suspension etc.

What other manufacturers  would  you like to see racing in LMP1?
Ferrari and BMW – they have great racing pedigree, especially Ferrari in sportscars, while the category is a perfect platform for BMW to showcase their future technologies. It would be awesome to have them both in the championship and good to compete against them.

After successfully racing  in Formula 1 and winning   the World Endurance Championship, what are your next goals?
It would be great to win Le Mans, it’s such a huge challenge and would be a great feather in my cap, but at the same time I’m not getting any younger and won’t be chasing after it for the next ten years. I still enjoy the racing and having been part of Porsche’s LMP1 program has been very rewarding.

Kart-Riccardo Negro "Kz my goal for 2016"

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After ending 2015 season with the world event at Le Mans, valid for the International KZ2 Super Cup, where he defended the OK1 official colors, Riccardo Negro cannot wait to race again regularly. After his success in the WSK Euro Series and two seasons where he seldom raced, Minardi.it caught up with Riccardo to talk about his present, past, and future.

In your palmarés you have a success in the WSK Euro Series and a third place in the World Championship CIK-FIA 2003, a 2014 far from races and a “fluctuating” 2015. Why weren’t you able to race regularly despite your good results?
It is difficult to answer. Surely, I had good results in 2013, but the following year I had few opportunities to race, maybe because of wrong decisions.

In 2015 you raced again. How do you judge your season?
Once again, it was a fluctuating season where I had not the possibility to get me noticed with regular racing. I was back on track after six month and this has affected my results. At Le Mans we could collect an important result, but we had to retreat for a failure.

Let’s go further into details. You started the year at Adria in the WSK Super Master Series with CRG.
I raced again after a six months break. Surely, it is not easy to be back in a high level competition after a so long period because you have to find your rhythm and oxygen again. It helped me to remove some rust.

…and to prepare the European FIA-CIK KZ2 Championship with the team Renda Motorsport.
We had some difficulties during the first event in Sarno, while we failed the final due to a disqualification in Spain. At that point we took a difficult decision: to skip the final in Belgium because we were offside with no chances to win the European podium.

…And ending the year at Le Mans as an OK1 official driver with a Iame engine.
I was very happy to receive a convocation from OK1 for Le Mans. Before leaving, I had the opportunity to have two testing days to learn about the new material and reach a good feeling with the team and its engineers. When we reached the circuit we spent a lot of time to improve all the material, but I was able to gain the Final, our minimum goal. After a good recover, racing with good chronometric times, the water sleeve broke forcing me to retire.

What are your goals and plans for 2016?
2016 is a great unknown in this moment. Surely, my goal is to race again at the top levels regularly. I confess my goal is KZ. Along with Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti of the Minardi Management, I am working to find the best solution.

How much is it important to race regularly for a kart driver?
Driving regularly is fundamental when you race with your kart at high levels because you have to keep your rhythm and physical shape. Even during a forced stop, between a race and another, it is important to have the opportunity to take to the track for some training sessions. In karting, the only rule to be trained is “consuming the asphalt”.

Photo: Alexandros Vernardis/The Racebox

Italy is here!

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Although in 2016 Italy won’t be in Formula 1 with its drivers, at an international level the situation is very different with five standard bearers already confirmed in the three most important championships: GP2 Series, GP3 Series, and FIA European F3.

A strong signal demonstrating how the “Beautiful Country” is still able to prepare and make grow its guys.“It is the result of the work of the Federation in last years and the prove that Italy has nothing to envy to the other nations” Gian Carlo Minardi says. “Unfortunately, to reach F1, besides drivers’ technical qualities you need huge budgets and it would be useful to have a minor team ready to bet and capable to find the most talented drivers. As Federation we are working to help, in part at least, our guys, also under the economic aspect with some scholarships” the manager from Faenza continues.“Last year we started the ACI Team Italia project and it continues also this year. It’s not a consolation, but the situation isn’t better outside our borders. In these days, Stoffel Vandoorne, maker of an excellent season in GP2, is engaged in pirelli’s tests at the Paul Richard with McLaren. He declared he isn’t sure to enter the world championship not even in 2017”.

Antonio Giovinazziand Raffaello Marciello will race in GP2 respectively with Prema and Russian Time colors. If to Marciello 2016 should be the year of redemption after a complicated season, Giovinazzi will debut in the waiting room of F1, after his positive season in FIA European F3 and his success in Master F3. “I was really glad reading Prema’s announcement about Giovinazzi, even if I am a bit embittered because four years ago I had already supported the candidacy of Antonio to important Teams and groups. When I saw him at Imola in his sixteen years, he made me an excellent impression”.

After the eight place achieved last year, Antonio Fuoco is again at the starting grid in GP3 series with the Trident Team, while the schedule of GP3 Series vice champion Luca Ghiotto is to be defined. The Venetian driver would be glad to sign his debut in GP2, future Formula 2, but he could remain another season in GP3 with the aim to win the title. On the FIA European F3 front, Alessio Lorandi will keep his growth.“He will be the driver of the Carlin Team, one of the top team in the championship. Even him comes from kart and at his first year in F3 has done very well despite his very young age“.

 

 

It's time for concrete actions

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Let us not hide the truth. Formula 1 is in a moment of confusion and precariousness, with sponsors running away along with fans, and the figures hardly add up. Every day we read everything and its opposite. We always hear saying “cost reduction”, but ultimately there is little concrete.

The Srategy Group and the F1 Commission have hard time to make substantial decisions for a change. We are facing a difficult economic situation. We have an oil crisis, companies that transfer their investment towards cheaper fields, recessions in TV investments, and scandals like that of Volkswagen and Renault. Also FCA is in a difficult moment facing important deadlines.

There are many opportunities to take advantage of, but it would time to close with serious and professional proposals. In this moment we are playing the engines match, but I have the impression that with drastic changes the English teams want to divert the attention on their greatest strength: the aerodynamics. Meanwhile, at Geneva, we have reached an agreement to continue with Power-Units till 2020 with the aim of lowering costs by standardising some components and arresting any developments. Spending over 20 million for an engine is really unmanageable, in my opinion, and it would be impossible to continue this way.

In terms of entertainment, teams would have asked the commissioners to be more indulgent with drivers. I am happy to have focused the attention on this aspect, especially last season. Formula 1 has grown thanks to the duels. However, keeping the same judges in all races becomes important.

With a new smile more, we are preparing to live and closely follow another intense season of Formula 1 … and may the best win.