The exhibition is a photographic journey through the Motor Valley in Italy, a place that shows to the world authentic italian identity, culture, history and passion.
Truly Made in Italy.
The show was organized in Singapore by DZ Engineering, a company that designs and produces integrated lighting, telecommunications, and audiovisual systems (it debuted in Singapore for the Formula One’s Night race), and the Dino Zoli Foundation.
It was another podium finish for Karol Basz at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit which was the stage for the fifth of the seven rounds of the Italian Gran Turismo championship when he took third place at the end in race-1 on Saturday afternoon.
After a quick start from the front row with the second fastest time in qualifying-1 the Antonelli Motorsport’s Polish driver, together with Takashi Kasai, became the protagonist of a comeback after having been forced to make an unexpected pit stop due to the puncture of a tyre in the early part of the race that took the “black and orange” Lamborghini Huracan Super GT Cup to last place. Despite the tricky track the pair of Karol and Kasai became the protagonists of an incredible comeback and thus continuing the series of positive results (third consecutive third place) and also setting the fastest lap for the race.
“The first race was really incredible as we were forced to change tyres due to a puncture in the first part of the race that put us in last place. It was very exciting to overtake all those other cars and finishing in third place. Unfortunately the presence of the safety-car in race-2 did not give us the chance to repeat the feat. In any case it was a very positive weekend and I must thank all the Antonelli Motorsport team which gave us a fantastic car and my managers Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti,” commented a satisfied Karol Basz.
“It was a weekend that legitimized Karol’s potential also in GT competitions. After having gained the front row of the starting grid in qualifying he became the protagonist of race-1 following a great comeback after a puncture and without committing the slightest error. We also applaud his team mate Kasai. Unfortunately the long presence of the safety car in the second race reduced the chances of a comeback, but we can put away another weekend with a podium on the plus side. We are ready for the final part of the season,” commented managers Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti.
In two weeks the championship will go to the capital on the Vallelunga circuit for the sixth and penultimate round. In the meantime Karol will be involved in the World Kart Championship in England.
The weekend at Monza legitimized Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton also taking the lead of the drivers’ ladder at Sebastian Vettel’s expense when he could not do better than third place, suffering a further blow with the 36 second gap from the winner. Amongst the protagonists of the Monza paddock on the weekend was also Gian Carlo Minardi who gave us an exclusive interview.
Gian Carlo, after Monza has Ferrari’s hopes for a world title dried up?
Mercedes came here after two perfect weekends, backed by an important technical advantage. At Monza I did not expect Ferrari to suffer such a big gap. It can only respond to the rivals with serenity and the will of the whole team to find once more those tenths of a second to test and worry Hamilton and Bottas. It also requires a Kimi Raikonnen that does not drive off and on. In qualifying under the rain he managed to stay in front of Vettel but then lost himself in the race. The overtaking manoeuvre inflected on him by Daniel Ricciardo was disheartening. He did not even try to defend himself. Certainly the scales have swung heavily towards Mercedes, but nothing is lost. There are still many races in front of us beginning in Singapore. However, the people at Maranello also look over their shoulders at Red Bull.
Saturday at the Italian Grand Prix was the opportunity to also talk about the current freezing of the setups.
What we witnessed Saturday during the qualifying under the rain was something that should never happen. This episode was the result of a regulation that is useless, to say little, since it does not give us a greater spectacle. In fact, it did the exact opposite as we all saw with the more than two hour delay and brought no financial relief to the teams (always a current theme in F1). There are tyres for the rain; there must be the chance to modify the setup according to the climatic conditions. At Monza the situation was exaggerated as the qualifying could not begin until the track was absolutely dry. I must congratulate the public that patiently waited the proper running of the event.
Another hot theme is the penalties to the drivers for changes of components tied to the power-unit
This is another regulation that must be eliminated or modified. Reading that a driver was penalized 35 positions (when it goes well) in a grid made up of 20 cars makes me laugh. It is ridiculous that a driver has to pay a technical mistake. He would already be annoyed because he could not finish the qualifying and then be forced to start the race practically at the back of the grid. If they really want to keep this regulation then the team should pay with the reduction of points in the constructors’’ ladder or with a fine. The system must be totally reviewed because it falsifies the forces in the field and the results. At Monza, without the penalty to Red Bull we would have seen a very different result and other colours on the podium. I will also say another thing: Mercedes, with the technical advantage it has, can allow itself to change the power-unit, start at the back and arrive in any case on the podium. It does not seem very sporting to me.
We saw a great hug between you and Fernando Alonso
We saw each other Saturday at the end of the free practice when he had just set the seventh fastest time. We joked on how he managed to set that time. I saw him very calm despite the troubles he is passing through. It is always a pleasure catching up eith him, even though unfortunately we could not stay together long due to his many commitments.
Did you meet the new owners?
I had the pleasure to meet and get to know Chase Carey, a very expansive person who expressed appreciation for my work with the Automobile Club on the occasion of the parade. There is much that can be improved, but it was a wonderful experience, just as they need to update some of the structures at hte Monza circuit. I touched the changes made by Liberty Media, such as the new boardwalk at the entrance to the circuit that allows the fans to meet the drivers who participate.
AT Monza there was also a part of the Minardi Team with F1 experience
It was a weekend full of emotions. I was pleased to see many friends such as Jean Todt, the President of the Federation, Jean Alesi and Ermete Amadesi, the father of the Leoni brothers of the CEA who at Monza celebrated their 50th birthday, together with many others with whom we discussed F1. In addition, it was the chance to have a small get together with Paul Stoddart, Patrick Freisacher and Zsolt Baumgartner – who drove the two-seaters guests drove in – and Gabriele Tredozi, my former engineer.
It really is the case that the rain has dampened the waters. On Saturday with the track conditioned by the driving rain that delayed the qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix by more than two hours Zack Brown apparently signed an agreement with Cyril Abiteboul for the supply of the Renault power-unit beginning as soon as 2018.
In this way the collaboration with the colossus Honda would end after three years of great suffering characterized by many retirements and problems, not least those that marked the grands prix at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza.
The announcement of the supply of engines and the new partnership could already come within the week, on Thursday.
Honda will try to remain in the Circus and could once again approach Toro Rosso. Six months ago a number of meetings between the two were already reported after Sauber’s waiver (which in turn will continue with the supply of engines from Maranello). As we write, Honda’s Chief of Motorsport Yusuke Hasegawa is apparently flying to Japan to draw up the new program.
Gian Carlo Minardi
This weekend Karol Basz will be back on track for the Italian Gran Turismo championship after the double podium finish on Mugello’s picky track. Fresh from his podium finish in the European karting round, the young Polish driver will return to Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit for the fifth round of the Italian championship to continue the series of positive results at the wheel of the Antonelli Motorsport Team’s “black and orange” Lamborghini Huracan Super GT Cup.
It was on the track next to the Santerno River that Karol made his debut in GT competition with the car from the factory at Sant’Agata Bolognese by taking pole position and the podium in round-2 and five months later he is determined to better these results.
“The holidays are finally over after a very long break from the Lamborghini. We hope to repeat the results we achieved at Imola the last time by showing great speed. It would be wonderful to go even better. It’s a track that I like a lot,” commented Karol Basz.
“Karol is in a period of great form as he showed with his latest results in both the Lamborghini and kart with the podium finishes at Mugello and Sweden. We come back to Imola to better the results of the start of the season. Imola is a very tricky track and it will be vital that he concentrates on not making mistakes,” was the analysis of managers Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti.
The motors will light up on Friday 8th with the free practice sessions of 45’ each in preparation for the two qualifying sessions (at 8.50am and 9.10am) scheduled for Saturday morning which will set up the starting grid for race-1 (at 2.35pm) and race-2 at 3.50pm Sunday.
Mercedes totally dominated the Italian Grand Prix, but the number one winner was the public composed of fans and enthusiasts who came in droves and filled the circuit on all three days. Especially on Saturday which was truly long and cold, with a race direction that was not impeccable in its communications. Luckily it finished in the best of fashion with the running of the qualifying session. The public showed its love for F1, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza and towards a Ferrari which must still grow up some more.
From the beginning of free practice on Friday it became clear that Mercedes would have been serious and the gaps inflicted on its rivals in today’s race tell us much of the overwhelming power available for Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
Frankly, after the results of Spa-Francorchamps I expected a less pronounced gap. The thirty six second gap from the winner suffered by Vettel was a sour note for the continuation of the world championship. Clearly it is not yet over, in fact there are still many races before the end, but today’s double will make Mercedes rejoice twice as much in the light of the rounds that will be less favourable for it.
What worries me is Red Bull’s rebirth supported by a highly encouraging Daniel Ricciardo who stamped the fastest lap of the race. Verstappen’s impetuousness played against the Dutchman who, after an excellent start, could have raced for the podium.
We had the latest disappointment from McLaren (even though there was not much hope for it due to the characteristics of Monza), whereas Williams managed to obtain important points in the light of the world championship ladder as it tries to reach fifth place (at Toro Rosso’s expense) thanks to a great race by the very young Stroll who finished in front of Massa.
Now we can only wait for Singapore. Over the next few days I will describe to you the emotions and the impressions I gathered directly at Monza.
Gian Carlo Minardi
The grand prix at Silverstone saw the latest chapter in the heated struggle within the Force India team between Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez. The key incident occurred in the thirtieth lap on the very fast section of the track that leads into the Eau Rouge-Raidillon when the Mexican driver touched the anterior left wing of his team mate’s car with the rear right of his car reducing it to bits and puncturing his own tyre.
The contact forced the Race director to put the Safety-car on the track to give the marshals the chance to remove the pieces from a very dangerous part of the track.
“Luckily the two drivers were able to return to the pits and nobody was hurt, but we have reached the point that FIA must intervene in a decisive manner in regards to the two drivers to put an end to the struggle between them before someone is hurt” commented firmly Gian Carlo Minardi.
“It is not the first time that Ocon and Perez have touched and Force India is showing that it is unable to manage the rapport between its drivers. Today it went very well, but it could have put in danger the other drivers or also the public,” concluded the Manager from Faenza, “What we saw went well beyond an on track battle between the two drivers.”
The latest contact cost the Silverstone based team a number of points, finishing the weekend only in ninth place and with two points, even though its fourth place in the Constructors’ championship is still firm.
Spa-Francorchamps gave us the answer we expected from Ferrari. It was an important second place for the team and for Sebastian Vettel (who just renewed his contract for three years) since he knew how to defend the leadership on an unfriendly track. Not only was a Mercedes double avoided, but Raikonnen finished in front of his countryman despite excessive severity towards him by the marshals.
Hamilton and Vettel, two great world champions, battled on the edge of thousandths of a second as was seen by the Ferrari driver’s fastest lap of the race in the 41st lap which gave him the new track record after the fantastic pole position (the 68th and a record time) by the British driver who equalled Michael Schumacher.
It was a great business card for Ferrari in light of the next grand prix at Monza, which will be the first organized directly by ACI (the Italian Automobile Club) and for which the ticket sales are going really well. At this moment Mercedes’ true ace in the hole is the overboost as we saw, particularly at the start and the restart after the departure of the Safety-car.
If the 10 second Stop and go penalty given to Kimi Raikonnen for not having slowed down under the yellow flag after Max Verstappen’s exit (his car was already at the side of the track) seemed excessive to me, I think the moment has come for FIA to make a decisive and heavy intervention in regards to Ocon and Perez in order to end this contest of wills before someone gets hurt. What we saw on track was much more than a contest between two drivers. Force India is showing us that it does not know how to manage its two drivers.
Gian Carlo Minardi
With the end of the summer break we are getting ready to start the final part of the championship which has proven to be very balanced. We are nine rounds away from the end and, at least on paper, Ferrari and Mercedes have four favourable grands prix each. The winner will be the one better able to put on track the latest developments and who will make the least errors since, up till now, neither Vettel nor Hamilton have been blameless.
We start with Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, two tracks that favour Mercedes before going to Singapore which could also be the watershed for the drivers’ market. In this final part of the season possible penalties for the replacement of components of the Power-Unit could also come into play. Sebastian Vettel is slightly disadvantaged compared to Lewis Hamilton.
We are coming to a track that is very demanding on both the cars and the drivers with a heavy aerodynamic load and very high speeds.
Traditionally the weather is very variable and for the first time in the Ardennes Pirelli will bring the Ultra-Soft mix. Friday’s free practice will be decisive for studying this mix and understanding the laps it could cover before changing to the harder mixes.
As in Belgium, so at Monza where the first curve will represent an important unknown. Historically the La Source bend has decided the fate of many drivers in the race and where Ferrari lost a championship when Grosjean took off dangerously on Fernando Alonso.
Red Bull could be the third force with Verstappen and Ricciardo ready to steal points by taking advantage of its good aerodynamic load before going all in at Singapore. We will probably not see again the beau geste by Toto Wolff’s men when they gave Vettel three points which could prove decisive.
Gian Carlo Minardi
The two days of tests on the Budapest track as well as bringing Robert Kubica on track for a official appointment with Renault, the debuts by Luca Ghiotto with Williams and Charles Leclerc (an FDA driver) in the Ferrari and without forgetting the great work completed by Antonio Giovinazzi during the free practice in the Hungarian Grand Prix and at Barcelona for the Pirelli tests also brought attention back to the problems of young drivers to put a place in the top racing category.
With the departure of the Manor team before the start of the season the places available for this year’s world championship decreased to only twenty. It is certainly an ever tighter funnel for the many young drivers climbing the pyramids of the training categories until they reach the new Formula 2.
This time the person feeding the debate was Gunther Steiner. The Haas Team owner – in his second season the F1 –and currently in seventh place on the constructors’ ladder – emphasized the lack of small team such as Minardi which in its 21 seasons was able to launch many young drivers who then went on to confirm their skills in the top teams and writing their names in the winners lists.
“Minardi’s DNA was that of always working with young drivers, beginning in Formula 2 and carrying on this attitude even into Formula 1. However, Minardi worked and wagered non only on young drivers but it also trained mechanics, press officers, technicians and engineers that then found places in the most prestigious teams”
“I have been saying for years that Formula 1 lacks personalities with the will and the capacity to wager on the young by bringing new faces into the paddock. Recently we have witnessed only the important changes of team colours. Personally I established an agreement with Bologna University which advised us of the most deserving students to be placed into the Minardi team structure,” continues the manager, “The top teams that aim for the world title must have in their teams drivers already trained. It is up to the other teams to take on the task of finding or giving experience to the young drivers of the future by finding the perfect mix of experience and talent. Therefore it is vital supporting a Junior Team” remembered Gian Carlo Minardi interviewed at the microphones of the www.minardi.it blog.
In his analysis the manager and chief engineer of the American team commented “When Minardi was there he was almost happy to be last because he knew that he had the duty to bring young drivers into Formula 1. He would surely have preferred being further ahead, but he could live with that because it was their business model.”
Against this the manager from Faenza remembered the successes achieved by his team such as the seventh place in the 1991 world championship and the efforts made by them to make its debut in Brazil on April 4th, 1985.
“In its history Minardi won many important placings despite limited financial resources and even more restrictive regulations. I lived a period in which the starting grid was made up of more than the current ten teams and with points given only to those who finished in the first six places.”
“In addition, we did not have the same protection in the supply of engines and tyres which, as I always said, are black and round. When we finally got the opportunity of having important engines such as the Ferrari (we were the absolute first team to become clients for Maranello) we achieved seventh place in the constructors’ ladder. Other teams needed more years to achieve the same results.
“In order to make our debut in 1985, we had to build our turbo engine (Motori Moderni) fighting against the official houses. In order to continue our adventure in 2000 we bought old Cosworth engines (relabelled Fondmetal at first and then European) whereas today the technical regulations oblige the constructors present to supply more than one team and identical specifications for all in regards to the supply of tyres,” concluded the ex constructor.
After the about face by Sauber (which currently has a Ferrari engine) which months ago had announced the arrival of the Japanese power unit, despite a preliminary agreement signed by then team boss Monisha Kaltenborn there were rumours in the paddock in Hungary of a possible agreement with Toro Rosso (which currently has a Renault engine).
For Red Bull’s satellite team it would have been an important opportunity since together with the Honda power unit there would have been some important liquidity (as well as the driver Nobuharu Matsushita). In addition, they would have counted in an official motor. An absolute first for Faenza.
“Everything will remain unchanged in 2018. Toro Rosso will continue with Renault respecting the contract in force and Sauber with Ferrari. According to the last words by President Marchionne, Sauber could become Ferrari’s Junior Team. The negotiations between Toro Rosso and Honda were solid, but the Japanese seem to have tired of the constant to and froes. It would have been a great chance for TR being finally able to count on an official engine with a good input of liquidity”
“At the present time Liberty Media cannot allow itself to lose an important constructor such as Honda whose only option is to hope to continue its collaboration with McLaren which in Budapest celebrated sixth place and the fastest lap of the race thanks to Fernando Alonso” commented Gian Carlo Minardi
We are in the second half of the season and in two weeks the motors will once again be turned on after a summer break that is only outwardly silent. Ferrari will go to Spa-Francorchamps in a strong position after the first and second places won in Budapest. It was an important testing bench for Maranello which it passed brilliantly and with full marks since it happened on a track that was favourable for it.
Now we await nine grands prix which, always on paper, four favour Mercedes and four Ferrari with Malaysia being the unknown quantity. It will surely be important for the men in red to arrive at the last appointment in Abu Dhabi with a good lead over the rivals. It will begin with two weekends labelled Belgium and Monza which will be pro Mercedes. Vettel will try to defend his place at the top of the ladder (14 points ahead of Hamilton) and with Mercedes that leads the constructors’ ladder with a 39 point advantage over the pair of drivers with the prancing horse.
Traditionally these two legs are important stages in the drivers’ market and this year will not be an exception with Vettel’s place being the true focal point. Ferrari apparently has placed nn the German’s desk a multiyear contract worth 120 million dollars in order to ensure its favourite who, on the other hand, could be persuaded for an extension of only a year.
Possible pair Vettel-Hamilton
The results of the next races will decide Vettel’s future in Ferrari and Singapore could represent the watershed for the drivers’ market. If the world championship should not go well the contract renewal would be difficult. In House Mercedes Valtteri Bottas’ renewal has slipped to mid September despite the fact the Finn is in the fight for the title. Vettel’s arrival at Brackley together with Hamilton would not be so improbable considering that Toto Wolff’s men have shown that they know how to handle two world champions who won together three world titles. Despite his four titles with Red Bull the German is still “hungry” and if 2017 should go badly the renewal would be difficult. Only the contract sum would not be enough.
Robert Kubica is chomping at the bit
The tests in Hungary gave us various positive points and signals. One of these was certainly the return of Robert Kubica in an official appointment, six years after his terrible crash in rallying. The Polish driver put together 142 laps at the wheel of the Renault making the fourth fastest time of the day and causing a fair bit of disarray in the French team.
Luca Ghiotto and Antonio Giovinazzi. Laudable work.
In the days after the grand prix in Hungary even Italy’s colours smiled. Luca Ghiotto at the wheel of the Williams at Budapest and Antonio Giovinazzi at the wheel of the Ferrari in the Pirelli tests figured well accomplishing their tasks with full marks and completing the day’s full programme. For Ghiotto it was his debut at the wheel of an F1 car and he managed to put together the distance of nearly three grands prix. They deserve a moment of peace.
Stroll is ready to buy Force India
There are rumours that Lawrence Stroll (father of Lance) is interested in Force India which over the last two years has shown that it is the fourth force in the world championship despite its financial difficulties. This could further upset the market, tied with the eventual retirement of Felipe Massa. If this is the case Stroll junior would leave Williams, taking the place of Sergio Perez or Esteban Ocon (a Mercedes driver as is Pascal Wehrlein currently driving for Sauber).
Keep an eye on the young Frenchman Charles Leclerc who in Budapest set the fastest time at the end of the first day of tests at the wheel of the SF70H, attracting the attention of a number of team owners. Even Sauber, ready to become a Junior Team Ferrari, expressed words of praise. In short, there is much meat on the fire.
Everything went “almost” according to the script with sun and Ferrari according to the “we told you so”. There was an all Ferrari front row of the grid after a weekend during which the team from Maranello knew how to make the best of all the new changes made to the track and a good start would have been enough to then carry on. And then, as always, something unexpected happened. A steering wheel was not set properly and Vettel’s race became more complicated. It was a splendid win that confirmed the pace of this world championship that saw Ferrari as the favourite on this track. It was an important double for both world championships with a special mention for Raikonnen’s work acting as a squire for Vettel who was capable of taking his own car to victory despite the hindrance.
The race was interesting technically but less so as a spectacle, as we know overtaking is difficult at the Hungaroring. We must stress the performance by Red Bull who was always on show during the weekend and in the race. Without the penalty for the trifling error at the start which cost Ricciardo exclusion from the race Verstappen could have placed himself in the battle between the two Mercedes drivers and may have caused some problems for Raikonnen.
Worthy of mention were the usual Fernando Alonso brought the McLaren Honda to 6th place showing his indomitable determination and Carlos Sainz who pulled off a good 7th place and a nice collection points for a Toro Rosso that was a little distracted by future plans with rumours that predict a Honda motor.
Finally a mention of the fair play by Mercedes who managed the team games in a very correct way, so much so that they gave up three points for Hamilton that could weigh heavily in the future in terms of the Driver’s title.
The circus is going on holiday and it was essential that Ferrari bring home all the points to face up to the next two races of the restart with the spirit of those who are ready to overturn the predictions that see Mercedes as the favourite on the fast tracks at Spa and Monza. The technical reaction was there and who knows if the weather conditions or differing scenarios could also upset the predictions.
Gian Carlo Minardi