GIAN CARLO MINARDI “QUALIFYING RACE, A SYMBOL TO BE WELCOMED POSITIVELY”

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Having said goodbye to Imola Formula 1 continues its journey in the old continent stopping this weekend in Portugal on the Portimao track for the third round. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are separated by only one point with a win each and I hope that this head to head could be a constant factor for all the season.

Last year Portimao entertained us like Imola did two weeks ago which shows that the “historic circuits” represent a guarantee for F1 where the unexpected is just around the corner. We are faced with a season that is particular and of transition as we await the new regulations in 2022 but also full of novelties such as the Qualifying Race (a 100km race) which will makes its debut soon at Silverstone. This is certainly an important signal that could change the panorama of F1 on both the technical and sporting sides. Important scenarios can be opened and must be welcomed in a positive way. We can draw the conclusions only after having tried it.

At Portimao it will be interesting to see the forces on the field we saw in Imola will be confirmed, beyond the supremacy between Mercedes and Red Bull with a good struggle between McLaren and Ferrari for third place. From the first grands prix a big gap between the two top teams and the rest of the group has not emerged.

Amongst this year’s novelties the teams and FIA are gaining confidence with the budget cap and the checks carried out but the rest of the idea which, even if it is an important and interesting tool, it must be changed. To really see the results it will be necessary that all the items must be included, without exception.

Gian Carlo Minardi

GIAN CARLO MINARDI “IMOLA DESERVES A FIXED SPOT ON THE CALENDAR”

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Imola showed that it is second to no other circuit. The weather helped to give us a great grand prix won fully by Max Verstappen, the protagonist of a great race, as well as being one of the few not to make a mistake.

The duel with Lewis Hamilton, who was as strong as he was lucky, was very good. After his mistake the red flag and the re-start gave him a good hand but he was very skilled in coming back swiftly place by place reaching second place ahead of a very good Lando Norris who confirmed McLaren’s competitiveness.

Ferrari’s defence was very good. The fourth and fifth places by Leclerc and Sainz represent the best result possible but the team can finally count on both its drivers. Certainly Bottas was missing, in constant difficulty up to the collision with Russell. In this circumstance the Englishman was absolutely guilty since in the Finn’s attack he already held his foot and then lost control of his Williams. It was a serious mistake.

This weekend I expected something more from Alpha Tauri, even if it reached the points zone thanks to Gasly’s eighth place.

A weekend has ended; it was long but with decidedly positive implications. As a Circuit we received the compliments of the Federation and both Imola and the Motor Valley, together with the whole of the Emilia-Romagna region gave a great demonstration of their worth. Now it will be important go continue working to find a fixed spot on the calendar.

Even if it is too soon to come to a conclusion this weekend we had the confirmation of the good compaction of the performances but above all that it will all be a challenge between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 COMES TO IMOLA. GIAN CARLO MINARDI “REASON OF GREAT PRIDE TO BE TFor Gian Carl Minardi “HE FIRST IN EUROPE”

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Three weeks after the opening round in Bahrain won by Lewis Hamilton after a good battle with Max Verstappen (second across the finish line) this weekend the Formula 1 Circus will land in Imola with the stopping in Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit to give life to the “Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna GP”

For Gian Carlo Minardi this will be the first Gran Prix as the President of the Imola Circuit “Having Imola as the World Championship’s second round, the first in Europe, is a source of great pride and Emilia Romagna, together, together with the Motor Valley, its monuments and its food, is ready to relaunch the World Championship. The Grand Prix represents a great opportunity in terms of worldwide visibility and, together with the Circuit’s Director General Riccardo Benvenuti, we are also working to make this extraordinary territory known. We are grateful to all the institutions for the great effort put in place and our aim is also to consolidate Imola’s presence within the upcoming calendars”

Supporting the GP will also the second round of the F2 Championship and the first round of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine “Starting Monday the motor homes will also start to arrive and the anti-Covid safety procedures will also begin with swabs every day to be able to gain access to the Circuit,” continued Minardi.

“In these months we have worked hard with the aim of repeating, and also trying to improve, the result achieved last year. We have decided to intensify the service on the track to reduce to a minimum the neutralizations resulting from the re-entry of the safety-cay. Imola is a circuit of historical characteristics with gravel off the track where every mistake can carry a heavy price. Furthermore, given the possibility of rain the weather could be an interesting variable for the spectacle.”

On the race front the challenge for the win will be a matter between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen “Behind them however will be a good group made up of McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine and Alpha Tauri. I am convinced that Tost’s team will able to achieve a good result as happened already in Sakhir”