F1 | GP Azerbaijan, Minardi “Vettel let off. Hamilton did not respect the regulation”

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The episodes of the controversial grand prix at Azerbaijan continue to keep centre stage. The numerous excursions by the safety car contributed to the final result, together with the pit stop strategies and especially the contact between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.

“Vettel was surely wrong to react. The images are clear and the stop and go penalty was more than just, in fact the Ferrari driver was also let off. The four times world champion, like the German cannot allow himself to lose his head by committing a clearly unsportsmanlike act,” was the determined analysis of Gian Carlo Minardi.

“Seb should have immediately contacted the team to tell them that Hamilton had not respected the regulations and to then contact Charlie Whiting,” continued the manager from Faenza who explains why the Mercedes driver should also have been punished, “The regulations are clear. Between the safety car and the first car there cannot be a space of more than ten cars. In addition, from the moment that the safety car switches off its lights restarts are not allowed.” Instead, Hamilton on the occasion had willingly and clearly slowed down, going against regulations, as happens on nearly every occasion.”

The manager from Faenza also drew attention to the episode that became decisive in the final result.

“It seemed very strange to me that Vettel’s penalty arrived with such a delay, considering the interruption to the race and at the same time as the technical problem suffered by his principal opponent.”

“Despite its technical superiority Mercedes is not error free and Ferrari must be able to take advantage even of these opportunities and the fourth place at Baku represents a positive result for Vettel who obtained a slight increase of his lead, At the beginning of the race and above all after qualifying it was almost unthinkable imagining of such a result,” concluded the ex constructor.

GT Italia | Karol Basz at Monza on the hunt for his first success

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Two weeks after his near win at Misano Karol Basz is ready to make his debut at the temple of speed that is Monza in the third appointment of the Italian GT championship.

The multi winning kart driver from Krakow who has just come from the European Clk-FIA championship round will return to the wheel of the black and orange Antonelli Motorsport Team Lamborghini Huracan Super GT Cup on the hunt for the season’s first success after having obtained pole position and a podium finish in the first round at Imola and having led the race in his stint on the track thanks to a lightning start.

It has been an exciting beginning to the season for the driver assisted by Minardi Management in which he has had the chance to test the ultrafast straights, together with his team mate, during the day of testing.

“I truly like this circuit very much and I can’t wait to take to the track in my Lambo. It is very fast and I hope to have a perfect weekend. But this will also need a touch of luck,” commented Karol Basz.

“Karol’s start in the championship has been more than positive considering that he began totally hungry even though, for the moment, he has missed out on a win. We will certainly try here at Monza. At Misano he went very close, making himself the protagonist with a perfect stint. Kasai’s penalty was a pity. He has adapted quickly to the Lamborghini and the team taking his place solidly in the top positions. Now we have to carry on with our job,” was the analysis of managers Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti.

The two practice sessions of an hour each will start on Friday from 10.30am and 2.40pm in preparation for the official sessions programmed for Saturday 17th beginning at 9.30am. The first of the two races of the Super GT Cup will start at 5.00pm Saturday. Race-2 will begin at 5.30pm with direct streaming on www.acisportitalia.it.

CIK FIA | Karol Basz limits the damage in Alonso’s “home”

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It was a troubled weekend for Karol Basz on the Spanish track owned by F1 world champion Fernando Alonso, the setting for the second round of the European kart championship.

The multi winning Polish driver limited the damage in the final by making himself the protagonist of an important fight back and of a solid race by crossing the finishing line in twelfth place after starting the race in thirty third spot.

On a track that proved that it was not up to the standard of an important appointment such as the European championship Karol fought against a number of problems that conditioned the result from the first sessions despite a good rhythm and managed to obtain a purse of four points.

“It was a very unlucky weekend, but once more the race rhythm was very good. During the qualifying sessions I threw myself into the fray wheel to wheel but unfortunately it cost me a penalty, even though I did not agree with some of the judges’ decisions regarding cutting the track. These episodes form part of motorsport and now I will concentrate on the next appointment with the Lamborghini at Monza in preparation for Le Mans,” was the comment from a bitter Karol Basz.

“Despite a weekend that was anything but easy Karol showed that he is a true professional making himself a protagonist of a solid Final which ended with a concrete result after climbing up the ranking in view of the championship. The track did not live up to expectations where the performances were distorted by inadequate kerbs and some cutting of corners was not punished which did not give the drivers the chance to express their true worth,” commented managers Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti

As we await the their round on French soil the next weekend Karol will return to the wheel of the Antonelli Motorsport Team Lamborghini Huracan in the Italian GT championship appointment at the temple of speed that is Monza.

F1 | Gp Canada, THE POINT by Minardi “Mercedes untouchable, but the result favoured Vettel”

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As we predicted, Montreal confirmed that it was fertile ground for Mercedes which dominated the scene by registering pole position, the race win and Lewis Hamilton’s fastest race lap, as well as the first double for the reason. The British champion put much of his talent into his 65th pole and putting more than six tenths of a second between his car and that of his team mate.

It was a very difficult grand prix to decipher, above all for Ferrari, even though Vettel’s fourth place was surely important in view of the world championship. Despite the debacle, he limited the damage in regards to his direct rival who at Monte Carlo(in a weekend that was just as difficult) who was not able to go further than sixth place. In such a tight championship these results can be vital. It was race that quickly became uphill for the German who was forced to change his rear wing and to play catch up and it seems fighting with a less than perfect underside of the car. As yet unexplained problems slowed Kimi Raikonnen’s race even though at some stages he was not able to maintain a constant race rhythm.

Daniele Ricciardo was very good. As a professional he was once again ready bringing home third place. It was a pity for Verstappen who made a fantastic start. Unfortunately reliability was fatal for him. This result confirms quite well that Red Bull is a team not to be underestimated and which in the second part of the season could be a gauge for the championship.

Force India’s behaviour was inexplicable. Sergio Perez did not heed the team order in favour of his team mate in the moment that he was the faster driver. At driver market time this act will not be favourable for the Mexican who could have aimed for a place in a top team.

Finally there was an unplanned moment also in Formula 1 with Fernando Alonso who showed up amongst the fans in the grandstand. He gave vent to his adrenaline due to his retirement from the race two laps from the chequered flag by greeting the Canadian (American?) public that had sung his praises for the entire weekend. It is not secret that McLaren is looking for a “plan B” on the motor front even though it will not be easy since Honda is also a sponsor.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Robert Kubica once more drives a F1 car. Minardi “I hope to see him once more as a leading player”

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There are news items that do good for sport and for Formula 1. Robert Kubica has once more taken the wheel of a Formula 1 racing car after more than six years from that terrible February 6th, 2011 when the Pole ran off the road during the Andorra rally and hit a Skoda Fabia.

Robert undertook 115 laps of the Valencia circuit at the wheel of a 2012 Renault E20. At 32 years of age I hope that he will be able to come back to the Circus as a leading player. With obstinacy and sheer hard-headedness he managed to return to the wheel of a racing car with important results.

Formula 1 today needs media personalities and Robert is one of these thanks to his frankness, sincerity and speed. This test was also an excellent promotional move for the entire milieu. As I have stated a number of times Formula 1 must find a point of contact with its fans. It cannot continue keeping itself closed within bunkers called motor-homes.

In order to guarantee a future this sport must earn a generational change even of its enthusiasts and it can be achieved by drafting new drivers and with personalities. The results in terms of the public of the Historic Minardi Day is the confirmation of how big is the desire of the motorsport enthusiasts and F1 fans to touch the cars and to see the cars and protagonists up close by entering the pits to meet the drivers, mechanics and engineers, or even only to observe the cars when they are dismantled for inspection or ready to take to the track.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Gp Canada, Minardi “Mercedes is the faourite, but Ferrari is going strong”

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Formula 1 has come to Gilles Villeneuve’s home. Montreal is a circuit which I consider a watershed due to its characteristics If Ferrari manages to come out of the Montreal round undamaged it can begin thinking big.

It as a Ferrari that in the first two appointments showed that it knows how to adapt to changing conditions, even though Mercedes starts with an advantage, We are talking about a track with fast straights and important braking points and where fuel consumption plays an important role. Hamilton and Bottas will be able to count on their two magic buttons. Unlike what happened in Monte Carlo the long legs will not be a problem.

The race will be run on a track that suffers sudden weather changes in which the safety-car has a high level of intervention. The barriers are close and any error can be paid with a heavy price. Last season’s record will be easily broken. In qualifying the drivers could go below the 1’10” barrier. On the tyre front the two top teams have made slightly different choices with 9 ultrasoft sets for Vettel and Raikonnen against the 8 of Hamilton and Bottas.

After a positive weekend in the Principality which finished with Ricciardo on the podium, Red Bull could return just behind Ferrari and Mercedes. The improvement of the chassis is not supported by Renault’s motor (I sometimes have the impression that the French constructor does not supply the same engine to Renault and Red Bull), even though on some circuits they will be the gauge for this year’s championship.

We expect a weekend and grand prix with very different characteristics from those that we have seen up till now.

A good grand prix to all.

Gian Carlo Minardi

GT Italy | Karol Basz just misses out on the coup at Misano

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At the Misano circuit, the stage for the second round of the Italian GT championship, Karol Basz once more put himself under the spotlight at the wheel of the Antonelli Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan Super GT Cup, even though the final result did not do him justice.

At his second excursion in the Italian championship and debut at the circuit named in honour of Marco Simoncelli the many times karting champion who next week will be one of the protagonists of the second round of the CIK-FIA European championship at the Spanish track owned by Fernando Alonso with the Kosmic Racing Team won a place on the front row of the grid with the second best time and just missed out on winning race-2 after having made the fastest race lap time.

At the start of the second race the Polish driver took a leading role with a perfect start which put him immediately at the head of the race where he dictated the rhythm until the pit stop. Karol handed over the wheel of the black and orange Lamborghini with the number 102 to his teammate Takashi Kasai who incurred a 25” penalty due to an error of judgment at the re-entry of the safety car and thus lost the race lead in the final laps, finishing the race in sixth place.

“I was very happy with my work in both qualifying and the race. The car was perfect and our rhythm was excellent. The penalty at the end was a pity. I was hoping for the first win. We will surely try once more at Monza, but first must come Spain for the European kart championship,” commented Karol Basz.
“Karol showed all his worth both on the track and by setting up his car. After the contact which involved Kasai during the first part of race-1 the Antonelli Team was very good at repairing the car, also following Karol’s indications for modifying the setup in light of the second race where he was perfect at the start, He would have deserved success. In his turn he did not commit the slightest error. It was a pity for the penalty,” was the analysis of managers Alberto Tonti and Giovanni Minardi.

As we await the round at Monza in programme for two weeks time, Basz will fly to Spain for the second round of the European karting championship.

Karol Basz at Misano to continue the path of the Italian GT championship

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A little more than a month after his debut in the Italian GT Championship on the Imola track Karol Basz is ready to go back to the wheel of the Antonelli Motorsport team’s Lamborghini Huracan Super GT Cup to front up to the second of the seven double appointments at the Misano circuit.

After the exciting baptism with pole position and the podium finish in race-2 the Polish driver is determined to continue along the road of his apprenticeship together with Japanese driver Takashi Kasai.

In the course of these weeks Karol climbed into the cockpit of the supercar from the company from Sant’Agata Bolognese for one of the two days of testing at the Misano World Circuit and the very fast track at Monza, the stage for the third round.

“They were two very important days for me as they gave me the chance to get to know circuits and to increase the feeling with the car and team in light of this weekend. Beginning the season with the pole and the podium was really fantastic and I can’t wait to go back on track to try and improve myself. I have much to learn and each round is a vital piece of the puzzle,” commented Karol Basz.

“After the first discrete weekend at Imola we can’t wait to see Karol in action once more in the Lamborghini Huracan. With started on the right foot, but unfortunately we made some mistakes that compromised the win in race-1 at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit. Therefore at Misano we must try and grow in terms of results. The chances are good and thanks to Team Antonelli and team-mate Kasai we were able to take to the track at both Misano and Monza. In this way we will be able to push right from the start,” was the analysis of managers Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti.

The curtain will rise on Friday in the first trials in preparation for the two qualifying rounds planned for Saturday at 11.25am and 11.50am. The two races of 48’ + 1 lap each will start on Saturday at 7.25pm and Sunday at 1.50pm. Both will be broadcast on direct streaming on the websites of www.acisport.it and AutomotoTV.

F1 | Gp Monte Carlo, Minardi “Excellent Vettel. Decisive strategies”

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It was a Monte Carlo Grand Prix under the sign of Ferrari. After having won the front row in qualifying they also brought home a fantastic, and just as important, double with a view to the world championship. The result will surely build morale, taking them to the top of the two ladders. It was also a weekend where all the records were broken. It was incredible seeing these young men hurtling around the streets of the principality brushing the guardrails

Vettel was fantastic in all the stages of the race and he deserved full marks. In the first sprint he stayed in his team mate’s slipstream, saving his tyres as much as possible, which then made the difference in the crucial moments with masterful laps before his first pit stop and the restart after the safety car following the accident between Button and Wherlein.

It was a grand prix with few overtaking manoeuvres, as per tradition, in which the strategies had an important role. With Max Verstappen’s pit stop Red Bull committed its umpteenth mistake in strategy which also made Mercedes fall into temptation with Bottas who finished the race off the podium and behind Daniel Ricciardo. By staying on the track as long as possible Vettel and Ricciardo had better luck than their respective team mates.

In light of the world championship it was important for Sebastian to win, not only considering Lewis Hamilton’s seventh place but also due to the possible penalties that could come following the substitution of components of the power-unit between now and the end of the season.

Carlos Sainz was very good with his sixth place for Toro Rosso. The Spaniard confirmed that he is just behind the big drivers, lapping with regular times for the entire race. Perez’s impetuousness was a pity because it spoiled Kyvat’s race. As happened in Spain it was interesting following the race on the timing monitors which were marked with many fastest laps.

In two week we will be in Canada, a track which will be a hard test for the braking systems.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Gp Monaco, Minardi “Ferrari is favoured due to its shorter legs but Mercedes has two aces up its sleeve.”

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This weekend Formula 1 will wear its best clothes to take part in the most glamorous appointment of the reason. Despite its peculiarity Monaco is an important appointment in the light of the world championship above all due to the great equilibrium between Ferrari and Mercedes that has emerged in the first part of the season.

The barriers and the guardrails are lurking and it will need only the slightest error to ruin a whole weekend. Qualifying has always played a dominating role in the final result of the race proper and this year will be no different. Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton will line up on the grid after two wins with the Ferrari driver leading the drivers’ ladder with 104 points, 6 more than the British driver, but with Mercedes ahead in the constructors’ ladder.

Ferrari could have a slight advantage thanks to its slightly slower pace compared to its direct rival Mercedes, even though indiscretions from overseas (from Germany) after the Spanish Grand Prix speak of a WO8 equipped with two overboosters, as well as the button that guarantees extra power for a lap. Hamilton or Bottas could also have an extra 15” to use in specific occasions, such as the start or during an overtaking manoeuvre (see the overtaking manoeuvre that Vettel suffered at Montmelò).

We must not forget Red Bull. In the first grands prix Verstappen and Ricciardo suffered important gaps (at Barcelona the Australian driver finished in third place more than 75” behind the winner) although in qualifying they manage to defend themselves. In addition, last year Ricciardo managed to place his RB in the front row ahead of Rosberg. Therefore keep an eye on them!

Strategy will play a key role and Pirelli will bring Ultrasoft, Supersoft and Soft mixes. In the Ferrari pits Vettel and Raikonnen opted for 10 “violet” sets (one more than Mercedes), 2 “red” (one less than Mercedes) and one “yellow”. In anticipation of Monte Carlo the sole supplier for the Circus decided to review the pressure of the tyres downwards. The front tyres will go from 19 PSI to 17 PSI while the rear tyres will go from 18 PSI to 16.5 PSI. This is another important aspect for Ferrari which up to now has shown that it knows how to manage the tyres very well with the SF70H.

Gian Carlo Minardi

Indy500 | A phenomenal Fernando Alonso is already a legend.

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A fifth place in qualifying for Fernando Alonso is not a result of note, but if it comes in his debut in the category at the Indianapolis 500 it certainly has the flavour of a feat, In the five laps of qualifying Nando was able to improve with each lap managing to equal the feat on another legend.

“In the 106 year history of the Indy 500 no Formula One driver managed to do better than Fernando Alonso in qualifying. He managed to equal the result of Jim Clark in 1963. It is the confirmation of what I have been saying for years, independently of his results of the last few seasons. Fernando remains one of the best drivers on the grid,” commented Gian Carlo Minardi who brought the Spaniard to his debut in Formula 1 in 2001, “His arrival is of great benefit to the category. A positive result in the race as well will place him definitively in the category of motor sport legend, as if he still needed to do so, had earned the right to this title with this result. I wish him the greatest luck and Sunday I will barrack for him,” concluded the manager from Faenza.

The path at the wheel of the Dallara-Honda entitled McLaren of Andretti Sport with the number 29 began by brilliantly overtaking the rookie Orientation and then he presented himself in the bowl of Indianapolis together with all the other drivers to best prepare the four laps available for qualifying, becoming one of the most active on the track. In 19 days he wrote an indelible page in the history of motor sport. Sunday 28th he will try to complete the task. In any case Nando has already won his challenge with the Indy 500.

We await a sensational weekend. The Monte Carlo Formula One Grand Prix and the 500 miles of Indiapolis.

F1 | Gp Spain, Minardi “Ferrari and Mercedes devastating. Finally true overtaking and close duels”

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The Spanish Grand Prix, the fifth round of the F1 world championship, gave us another exciting race on the edge of hundredths of seconds between Ferrari and Mercedes. Strategies and team tactics played an important role in the final result, just as the overtaking manoeuvres and the close duels did, luckily unpunished by the marshals. The battle at the start was very good, as were Sebastian Vettel’s duels with Bottas first and then with Hamilton. The English champion then took the lead with a great display of force as he also took the fastest lap of the race two laps from the finish and thus claimed the pole, race and fastest lap triple.

Barcelona gave us a very reactive Ferrari that knew how to reply very well to the many changes introduced by Mercedes, managing to reduce the gap even more. The car from Maranello is a strong machine and put together very well that reacts to the developments.

The force of these two teams in regards to the other teams is devastating. Third placed Daniel Ricciardo finished 70 seconds behind and all the others were more than a lap from the winners.

It was a pity that the accident immediately knocked out Kimi Raikonnen, thus forcing his Ferrari team mate to fight alone against the two Mercedes that were able to take advantage of team tactics. Ferrari and Mercedes will go to Monte Carlo close on the two ladders where Fernando Alonso will be missing for his home race after having given a show of his enormous talent taking the McLaren-Honda to seventh spot (a near miracle) and improving his performance in the course of the race up to the final lap. I wish him the best of luck for his adventure in the Indianapolis 500, even though I do not agree with it as the race requires specific preparation.

This weekend we saw important signs of change on the part of Liberty Media. The interviews with the drivers in direct contact with the fans were excellent, as well as the quick reaction to the tears of the very young Kimi Raikonnen fan after the driver’s exit when he was brought to meet his idol in the pits. In forty years of activity I had never seen anything like it.

It was a grand prix that gave us important surprises in the back markers such as the precious points brought home by Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso.

We anxiously await the next chapter.

Gian Carlo Minardi

5000 enthusiasts at the Imola Circuit formalize the success of the second edition of the Historic Minardi Day

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It was an edition of the Historic Minardi Day that showed itself stronger than the weather. Not even the rain managed to dampen the enthusiasm of the five thousand passionate fans that went to Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit to live a full weekend dedicated to motorsport and the team from Faenza.

On Saturday and Sunday more than twenty five Formula 1 racing cars which included not only historic Minardi cars but also Ferrari, Williams, Dallara, Fondmetal and about thirty F2, F3 and GT cars took turns at racing around the track that was the stage for more than forty years of racing history. The paddock and the pits were invaded by passionate fans from all around Italy together with Team founder Gian Carlo Minardi and racing drivers who wrote important pages of motorsport history such as Pierluigi Martini, Luca Badoer, Gaston Mazzacane, Roberto Moreno, Giovanni Lavaggi, Alessandro Nannini, Emanuele Pirro, Andrea Montermini, Gabriele Tarquini, Nicola Larini and Riccardo Patrese who were also protagonists of the Golf match on Friday that was the prologue to the weekend.

A weekend of motorsport, music and show business with the presence ontrack of the Roman singer songwriter Max Gazzè who was the protagonist of the Live Music Show on Saturday evening who shared with Gian Carlo Minardi one of the event’s most emotional moments at the wheel of a Lamborghini powered M192. At 11.30am the manager from Faenza made his debut at the wheel of a Minardi racing car owned by Dutch collector Fritz Van Eerd and completed a lap at low speed of the whole Imola circuit accompanied by the warm applause.

“I think I made an Imola track record with the slowest ever lap by car,” joked Gian Carlo Minardi as soon as he left the car, “I must thank my friend Fritz who made everything available for me from the car to the helmet, It was a beautiful and emotional gift. At 70 years of age and with slicks on a wet track I realized a dream that I had delayed for too long. I must thank all the collectors and drivers for all the affection and warmth they showed, together with that of the fans. One aim of the Historic Minardi Day was to bring families back to the track and to bring them closer to what for me is the most beautiful sport. The aim was achieved in spite of the bad weather and rain.”

“Thanks too to the presence of my friend Max Gazzè who despite the terrible weather conditions entertained us with great music on Saturday evening and who shared the atmosphere of the pits for the whole weekend.”

“Of all my concerts, I will always remember Gian Carlo Minardi’s congeniality who, in a surreal ambiance, moved to the rhythm of the music under an umbrella,” was the Roman singer songwriter’s comment.

“Despite the weather not helping the event there were really many enthusiasts who took part in the second Historic Minardi Day. It’s a sign that when we speak about Formula 1, whether historical or current, the Imola circuit brings back memories that always live in the minds and the hearts of those who love this sport. I want to thank the Minardi family for having made us live these emotions and I hope that this event will become even more an irrevocable appointment on the calendar of the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit,” said Pier Giovanni Ricci (Circuit Director).

There were positive reactions from the protagonists “I waited 55 years to drive a Minardi and I finally managed to do it. We are celebrating the story of a man and a team that wrote pages of motorsport history, a history of passion, tenacity and challenging difficulties. It was an incredible weekend. I hope it becomes a permanent appointment in the future,” said an enthusiastic Emanuele Pirro.

After 17 years Gaston Mazzacane, a protagonist of the 2000 season together with Marc Genè once more took to the wheel of a Minardi M02. “It was a dream to come back to Imola and drive a Formula 1 car. I had the same emotions as then. Congratulations to the Minardi family. It was a sensational event. The quality and numbers of cars were incredible,” said the Argentinean driver.

“I love Gian Carlo Minardi. I raced for him seven years,” said an unmistakeable and sarcastic Alessandro Nannini who was also the protagonist of the Golf match at Faenza’s Le Cicogne Golf Club. “Last year I could not be here but I have already booked a place for the 2018 edition,” concluded the ace from Siena.

“With Gian Carlo Minardi I experienced fantastic years and I am tied to him and the team in a special way. I owe him a lot. It was a great event which not even the rain ruined or stopped. I came as a guest but next year it would be fantastic to come back in a driving suit and helmet,” declared Luca Badoer who is now committed to following his son in his first steps in kart racing.

The Historic Minardi Day also invaded the hills and medieval towns surrounding Imola and Faenza with a caravan of over thirty historic road cars in the Minardi Classic.