Minardi "Italy is going back to the splendors of the ‘80s and ‘90"
The Monza race was the final event of the Speed Italian Championship. About 7000 race enthusiasts attended the Italian race, which marked the end of a very satisfying season, whose results were uncertain until the very last round. The Prototype Championship and the GT Championship’s winners, were uncertain until the last race. The first one was won by Faccioni, the second one was won by the two Porsche drivers Lucchini and Postiglione.
The Formula ACI CSAI Abarth Championship was won by Alessio Rovera (born in 1995) who got the better over Michele Beretta (born in 1994), who tried to be hot on the heels of his colleague in the Championship’s finals. Thanks to the result achieved, Rovera and Beretta are entitled to attend the Super Corso organized by the Federation School (November 4th to 7th) and take part in the Auto GP testing session offered by Scuderia Coloni as a prize.
The season was not free from difficulties: the lack of people attending the Championship’s events was compensated by the competence of drivers and teams who gave us an engaging and high-level show. Despite the worldwide financial crisis, this was an ever-growing season and the maximum number of participants was reached at the Brianza-based circuit. The “Open Doors” initiative launched by ACI-Sport met a positive audience response. A large number of race enthusiasts coming from Lombardia crowded the paddock and the gallery. It was a very good experience which paves the way to new options and initiatives with regards to the 2014 racing season.
The Italian flag proudly waves also on other racetracks, even abroad. The successes achieved by Antonio Fuoco in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps and by Raffaele Marciello in the F.3 Euroseries are a clear demonstration of Italian drivers’ talent. We don’t have to forget Antonio Ghirelli’s success in the Auto GP Championship and Antonio Giovinazzi’s second place in the British F.3. All these results are a clear proof that everybody’s work is leading Italian motorsport up to the ’80s-’90s level and I do believe all these achievements will contribute to restore the reputation our drivers enjoyed in the past.
I’d like to praise also the ACI CSAI, the Federation School and the FDA whose 4-year-old project starts bearing fruits at an International level. The project started with Raffaele Marciello, the first promising youngster and went ahead with Antonio Fuoco. This season we arranged some evaluative testing sessions with promising go-kart racers. We know that, because of the crisis we’re undergoing, drivers are lacking the “gas” to take off, anyway the results achieved are of a good omen and great efforts will be made to try to support them. Unfortunately, after Fisichella, Trulli, Liuzzi left F.1, no other Italian driver has taken part in the top Championship anymore, so a generation gap was created and it’s so difficult to close it immediately. All the work done aimed to make the most of young drivers’ talent and to draw attention on them.
The 2014 season’s news will be the introduction of Formula 4, which is a preparatory formula for young drivers coming straight out from kart racing. The President Sticchi Damiani has adhered to the FIA-conceived project since the beginning and now we’re proud to be the first Federation to carry out this project. 15-year-old young drivers will have the chance to drive cars duly designed to direct them towards a career as professional drivers and to compete in more demanding Championship in the future. It’s a challenge, but a great opportunity for us to continue to act as tutors and make the most of new talented drivers.
