F1 | GIAN CARLO MINARDI “CLONES DISTORT FORMULA 1. FERRARI AND RED BULL MIGHT HAVE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE RP20”

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The surprise of the first three days of tests at Montmelò, together with Mercedes’ Dual Axis Steering, was surely Racing Point. Both Stroll and Perez set incredible times placing themselves just behind the two Mercedes drivers.

Right from the first photos the incredible resemblance with the world championship Mercedes stood out. There is the strong feeling that Lawrence Stroll’s team, in addition to mounting Brixworth’s power unit and gearbox and using Brackley’s wind tunnel, had taken other aerodynamic solutions already present on the W10, such as the nose cone for example.

“Clones are a problem for Formula 1 since they distort the concept of constructor. Ferrari and Red Bull had already opened the way with the “collaboration” respectively with Haas, nicknamed the “Ferrarina, small Ferrari”, and Toro Rosso, but in the specific case of Mercedes took a decisive step forward by giving Racing Point the world championship car,” commented Gian Carlo Minardi.

“Perez’s and Stroll’s times confirm the generosity of the W10 project, as well as an as yet unexpressed potential. If the times are confirmed in Melbourne Ferrari and Red Bull will pay the consequences. True constructors could find themselves having to fight with a clone, or a client car as they want to call it,” continued the manager from Faenza.

“It is absolutely a road that must not be taken. The step from constructor to assembler is very short,” concluded Minardi.

Wednesday February 26 the Formula 1 teams will return to Barcelona for the last three days of tests before leaving for Australia which will host the first grand prix of the 2020 season (March 15).

MINARDI “DAS IS A DECOY. I WILL EXPLAIN WHY”

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The 2020 Formula 1 season started officially with the first three days of tests at Montmelò. Even if it is hard to guess the forces at play there was no lack of surprises and twists.

In particular the three days put into the spotlight two issues, one positive and spectacular – the Mercedes labelled Dual Axis Steering – and one negative dictated by clones that I want to deal with later.

Despite being at the end of a cycle – from 2021 the technical regulations will be turned upside down – Mercedes amazed everyone with a new development that had never been seen before in Motorsport, the innovated steering system named DAS that is already present in some high end production cars. This was unlike what we had been used to with production car technology passed on to Motorsport and not vice versa. This lets us understand how far Mercedes is technologically and I am sorry that BMW did not decide to enter the Circus because it would have the skill to oppose the domination.

Despite being at the end of a cycle – from 2021 the technical regulations will be turned upside down – Mercedes amazed everyone with a new development that had never been seen before in Motorsport, the innovated steering system named DAS that is already present in some high end production cars. This was unlike what we had been used to with production car technology passed on to Motorsport and not vice versa. This lets us understand how far Mercedes is technologically and I am sorry that BMW did not decide to enter the Circus because it would have the skill to oppose the domination.

This is a project that requires a development time of about 7-8 months and carried out in parallel with FIA which has already declared it legal but at the same time bans it from 2021. Once again the International Federation has shown all the limits to its administration and approval of the regulations. Such behaviour puts the credibility of Formula 1 into serious question. I do not want to believe that they will use the excuse of a matter of safety. Otherwise everything in F1 would become dangerous.

I will stop here for now but in the next few days I will talk to you about the matter of “clones”.

Gian Carlo Minardi

Foto © Copyright: Batchelor / XPB Images

F1 | A race calendar of 25 Grands Prix. MINARDI “A significant increase in costs”

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As we know, next March 15th the new Formula 1 season will start in Melbourne, the longest in history with 22 rounds (China GP allowing) on the calendar with the curtain falling on November 29th.

Liberty Media’s desire would be to further expand the race calendar up to 25 Grands Prix and. in a recent interview. FIA President Jean Todt said he was favoured this type of operation, highlighting that those who work in Formula 1 are privileged.

“This is a problem of the blanket that is too short,” commented Gian Carlo Minardi interviewed by www.minardi.it,

“In the light of the reduction of the costs with the inclusion of the budget cap it is insane to want to increase the numbers of GPs, but, on the other hand, the Circus no longer knows where it can find new money. Today the teams move from 70 to 80 people for each trip and, compared to next season with 21 rounds, there will be no reorganization which instead will be necessary for any passage to seasons with 25 GPs. In this case the teams will certainly be called to increase the personnel in order to ensure proper turnover,” commented the manager from Faenza who concluded,

“The personnel has the right to holidays and to rest days and this is not subject to be underestimated, as it would surely entail a increase in costs”

F1 | Gian Carlo MINARDI “A year of transition but the market for the second drovers will be interesting”

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Imola -MINARDI DAY SABATO MATTINA MINARDI GIANCARLO

With the long term renewals of Leclerc (until 2024) and Verstappen (until 2023) Ferrari and Red Bull have started programming their future, with Mercedes and Hamilton ready to continue their fruitful collaboration.

With the season now at the door, the longest ever with 22 grands prix, it looks like a championship of transition in expectation of the great changes scheduled for 2021 which will give us very different cars in both the aerodynamic and technical fronts with the entry of the 18” tyres that will bring about a new design for the suspensions and not only.

In this way the market for the second drivers with contracts expiring in all the teams will hold court with many young drivers ready to put themselves on show. Already last November, after a difficult season with Williams, George Russell gave a big sign of his potential during tests. We must not forget that Vettel’s’ contract with Ferrari will expire in 2020, just like Ricciardo’s with Renault.

“It will be a very interesting season in which we must pay attention to Red Bull, especially if Honda will be able to put another major evolutionary step into play. It will be a hard hurdle for both Ferrari and Mercedes”, commented Gian Carlo Minardi at Minardi.it ‘s microphone.

“We await a championship of transit awaits us in expectation of the great changes in 2021 which will come in conjunction with the budget cap. I already had the opportunity to express my disagreement on this timing, since, acting in this way the forces in the field will be offset. This year Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will have economic strength to already work with an eye towards 2021 and thus open the new cycle with a huge advantage over the second tier teams,” continued the manager from Faenza.

“The budget cap should have been introduced already this year. I find it just as absurd that the drivers’ wages, which are reaching astronomical figures, are excluded from the cap

“With the renewals of Leclerc and Verstappen, Hamilton too will continue his relationship with Mercedes with the aim of equalling Schumacher’s records but I am convinced that he dreams of wearing Ferrari red, just like in Maranello they dream of having him in the team,” concluded Minardi.

19 December 1979 – 2019: 40 years of the Minardi Team

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1980 – GM77, Presentazione del Minardi Team

Wednesday December 19 forty years ago Gian Carlo Minardi’s sporting activity changed style and register. Up to that day the cars handled by the manager from Faenza ran under external “colours”, first of the Società del Passatore and then Scuderia Everest.

““On December 19, 1979 the Minardi Team was officially born, also thanks to Angelo Gallignani, President of Scuderia Everest and in 1980 we debuted on the track with our first Formula 2 racing car, the GM75 designed by Caliri and Marmiroli and entrusted to Miguel Angel Guerra, the first driver to race under the Minardi Team colours,” remembered Gian Carlo Minardi.

Despite the initial hardships the Argentine driver gained a good 9th place in the European Championship. In the following however the Minardi talent scout put under contract a certain Michele Alboreto who, at the wheel of the Minardi-Fly M281, took third place in Pergusa and the brilliant win in the race at Misano in the middle of a torrid August on the Riviera… but that is another story.

Gian Carlo Minardi e Domenico Sangiorgi

At the same time as the Minardi Team’s coat of arms- the blue trapezoid with the lion, Italian flag and yellow letters- also made its debut and accompanied Gian Carlo Minardi throughout his journey that culminated with 21 years in Formula 1 and 340 Grands Prix, numbers that today still legitimize the team from Faenza amongst the top ten teams that have raced the most grands prix in the history of F1 that next year will celebrate its 70th birthday.

“In that moment we became Constructors, certified by CSAI and FIA; and we grew from year to year until we became too big for Formula 2 but too small for Formula 1. In the 1980s F1 was everybody’s dream and it was at the peak of its fame and so taken by the decision to launch myself in that challenge to construct in 1984 the first prototype F1 car which debuted the following year in Brazil with Pierluigi Martini. All supported by a group of entrepreneurs from the Emilia-Romagna region who trusted me,” continued the manager from Faenza.

Da Sinistra: Ing. Giacomo Caliri, Bruno Corradi (Pilota), Gian Carlo Minardi, Ing. Luigi Marmiroli, Tonino Bertoni (capo meccanico)

“In all those years we built our racing cars with great pride and satisfaction and for this reason, even today, I do not view positively the possibility of having an F1 starting grid made up of assemblers and/or clones”

“I am pleased that forty years later the name Minardi still lives in the memory of the fans as they have shown over the last four years during the Historic Minardi Day. I wish you all Happy Holidays and I will be waiting for you from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April, always of the Imola Circuit for edition number five” ”

1979 – Preparazione GM75 per la galleria del vento

F1 | Gian Carlo MINARDI “Sainz confirmed he is a top driver. 2020 a crucial year”

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With tenth place in Abu Dhabi Carlos Sainz put together his best season in Formula 1 since he began with the colours of Toro Rosso in 2015, racing the final four rounds with Renault’s colours and staying for next season.

With 96 points to his credit, the podium finish in Brazil in the penultimate round of the world championship and finishing in the points 13 times, McLaren’s Spanish driver took sixth place on the drivers’ ladder behind Sebastian Vettel and in front of Pierre Gasly who for more than half the season had his hands on the Red Bull before handing the steering wheel to Albon, starting from Spa-Francorchamps, and “giving” Toro Rosso second place in Interlagos.

This was great progress by the 26 year old from Madrid who, together with the 20 year old debutant Lando Norris, took McLaren-Renault to fourth place on the constructor’s ladder, just behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull and taking fifth place in the grands prix in Germany, Hungary and Japan as the best results before the incredible third place in Interlagos and the sixth place in Monaco, France, Great Britain and Russia.

“We didn’t only just discover Sainz Jr’s technical worth. He is a driver I have always like and the sixth spot on the drivers’ ladder is the confirmation. We are talking about a very fast, correct and modest driver. He is a top driver and will be in the centre of the drivers’ market next season if McLaren does not hurry up and renew him,” commented Gian Carlo Minardi.

“2020 will be a crucial year for the drivers’ market since of the top drivers on Leclerc already had a contract signed beyond that date,” continued the manager from Faenza, “We have seen a good championship that gave us a number of interesting pints for the future with the fiery duel between Verstappen and Leclerc. I like Norris a lot and in his debut season he contributed to McLaren’s rebirth with eleven positive results, as did Albon and Gasly who with the second place in Brazil gave a very strong sign.”

In the nine rounds raced with Red Bull the Anglo-Thai rookie “paid” a gap of only eleven points from the Dutchman who won the Brazil Grand Prix with a fourth place to his credit, four fifth places, three sixth places and only one finish outside the points, at Interlagos.

F1 | Gp Abu Dhabi, THE POINT by Gian Carlo MINARDI “An unexplainable startegy by Ferrari. A reflective pit stop is needed”

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Mercedes ended its latest triumphant season with a disarming performance in which it showed all its strength with Lewis Hamilton’s win and especially for Bottas’ comeback who, after starting from last place on the grid, crossed the finishing line at the foot of the podium in fourth place behind Leclerc.

Leclerc took his tenth pole position for the season but he paid a gap of 43” from the British driver which went up to 64” for Sebastian Vettel. These heavy figures are supported by the fact that in the 27th lap the Ferrari’s people on the wall asked their drivers to save fuel lapping constantly at 1’43” and then gambled on a strategy with one pit stop more but it paid anyway with 1” gap compared to Hamilton’s best lap.

Sincerely I did not understand the strategy adopted by Ferrari, especially with Leclerc who, after his masterpiece in qualifying with the Medium tyres, stopped in the 12th lap at the same time as Vettel who had started with the Softs. The people in Maranello must take a reflective pit stop to focus on all the corrections to be made in light of 2020 which concern the chassis, the engine and reliability to which must also be added the mistakes by the drivers and in the strategy.

As was to be expected, Verstappen brought home third place overall amongst the drivers at Leclerc’s expense. The result in Brazil played a crucial role in this direction. Red Bull Honda is certainly the name that grew most this season and the second place in the constructors’ ladder may have slipped away due to the initial choices. They were justified but they did not affect the drivers’ side with a Verstappen who was certainly extraordinary.

We must also highlight the good result by Sainz who finished in sixth spot on the drivers’ ladder which confirms his place as a top driver.
Now we have a long, but short, winter, since more than 100 days separate us from the Melbourne gp but the gap from Mercedes really is huge.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Gp Abu Dhabi, MINARDI “The most important grand prix on the political side. A tug of war between Mercedes-Liberty Media”

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We have come to the last grand prix of the season. After the chaos in Interlagos it will be interesting to the reaction by Ferrari which will try to take away third place on the drivers’ ladder from Verstappen, even if the leap is dicey at the moment.

An exciting season is closing, one that gave new life to the world championship. Although there is still the duel between Renault and Toro Rosso for fifth place with Tost’s team galvanized by the second place two weeks ago with an excellent Gasly which the team second place for the season, I expect a purely political weekend.

The new Concorde Agreement is still at stake and foreign rumours talk about strong disquiet in Mercedes. After having won six world championships a tug of war has begun for the division of the proceeds between Liberty Media and Daimler President Ola Kallenius that could lead to taking a major decision such as withdrawing the team led by Toto Wolff.,

To date the unanimity of views between the teams in both the sporting and financial aspects needed for the Concorde Agreement is lacking. To date we have strong inequalities between the various teams that, with the insertion of the Budget Cap starting in 2021, will inexorably increase since those who have the strength will use next season to make major investments that will guarantee them a huge advantage in the following years. A mistake in evaluation was made since it should have progressed in stages, inserting a spending limit in 2020 and only after the new technical regulations.

The fact remains that we are faced with a delicate moment for the future of the series that cannot afford to lose precious constructors since Mercedes is not the only one to threaten withdrawal. Mercedes which currently is also the supplier of the Power Unit to Racing Point and Williams with a contract already signed with McLaren in light of 2021.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Gp Brazil, THE POINT by Gian Carlo MINARDI “Wrong not to punish Vettel. A foul action”

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We witnessed a good grand prix that was characterized by different strategies between drivers of the same team in a weekend dominated by Verstappen, just as we announced.

This was also race characterized by two incredible mistakes by two world champions who have won ten world titles between them. They were two very different episodes. Once more Leclerc was able to make Vettel nervous who, with an action that was as incredible as it was insane that ruined both his own race as well as that of his team mate and gave Ferrari an incredible zero in the score sheet. In Maranello they will have a big problem to solve. Hamilton instead spoilt second place for an excellent Albon and denying Honda a historic treble. The 5” second penalty was also too little. For his part the British champion apologized but it was not a simple weekend for the team from Stuttgart, orphan in Brazil of Toto Wolff. They had problems of reliability and from the sporting point of view.

All this however arose from the entry of the safety car, which did not make sense since Bottas’ car was off the track and not in a dangerous position. The management seemed “too American” to me.

Congratulations to Gasly for both having brought Toro Rosso to second place in the race and the excellent weekend, He was reborn and answered the “failure” with deeds. Carlos Sainz was just as good as the protagonist of a good recovery. This was a historic result by Alfa Remo’s two drivers as well who took fourth and fifth place. I was especially happy for Giovinazzi who managed the race very well while protecting his team mate’s back as the times showed.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Gp Brazil, MINARDI “The Budget Cap should have been brought forward”

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Despite having reached the penultimate grand prix of the season there are a number of different things to consider starting with qualifying at 7.00pm with the race scheduled for 18.10.

Third place is at stake for the drivers, with the internal duel in Ferrari between Leclerc and Vettel and the sixth and seventh place between Racing Point and Toro Rosso,

The last few editions were characterized by bad weather and severe thunder storms and care will need to be taken in the first downhill bend to the left which is often the stage for side swipes. Leclerc will have to pay a ten place penalty for having replaced some components of his power unit but seeing the characteristics of the Sao Paolo track it may not be so penalizing since the track favours overtaking as we saw last year with Ricciardo who, having started from 10th place, in a few laps had already reached the top six. Keep an eye opt for Red Bull because without the Verstappen-Ocon clash last year the Dutchman could have brought home the win.

For Mercedes this will be the first grand prix without Toto Wolff and it will be interesting to see how the team will be manages, even if they are still the point of reference.

The last few weeks have been very intense for the future of Formula 1 that is oriented towards zero emission between 2025 and 2030, but staying closer to us, 2021 will be the stage for major technical and sporting changes one of which is the inclusion of the Budget Cup

On this matter, I believe that a serious mistake has been made by not bringing it forward to next season. With the current regulations 2020 will be the scene for crazy spending by the three top teams which will have the possibility to move far ahead of the remaining 7 teams. Those who will be able to spend money next season will be able to enjoy a considerable advantage that will have a positive impact on the following years. For this reason I do not expect a major inversion of the forces in play which as it happens was the main objective for containing the costs.

Gian Carlo Minardi

Historic Minardi Day 2020 in pursuit of Formula 1, the ACI Storico Festival and the Elegance Competition

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The organizational machine of the Historic Minardi Day is already working at full speed to prepare the 5th edition which, as per tradition, will have as its home Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit which will open the gates from Friday April 24, 2020.

There are many confirmations but there will be many new attractions, as Gian Carlo Minardi unveiled at the ACI Stand at the Padua Festival.

“The fact that we extended the event by one day is already a major development. Next year the engines of the Formula 1 and all the extraordinary cars that will come to Imola will be turned on starting from the Friday and they will only be turned off on Sunday April 26th,” said Gian Carlo Minardi.

“The other great development is represented by the participation of ACI Storico which will be our main partner through the ACI Storico Festival (ACI Historic Festival), a get together for all the ACI clubs in Imola. There will be no lack of occasions for meetings and conventions in a setting of fantastic cars and great enthusiasts. We must not forget that many historical races belong to ACI and that for some years it has started up many activities including Ruoti Nella Storia (History in wheels) in Italy’s most beautiful towns” in Italy’s,” continued the manager from Faenza.

“The fifth edition of the Historic Minardi Day will also be the stage for the first elegance competition dedicated to historical cars. Staying in the field of history, the “Savio Trophy” has been confirmed, as well as the non competitive outing in the hills of the Romagna.”

Amongst the new developments there will many confirmations. “The DNA of the event remains solid. The single ticket(which can be bought at the circuit-Ticketone) willgive access to the Circuit’s paddock, pits and terrace to be in direct touch with the racing cars and their protagonists. Last year we hosted 32 F1 racing cars for a trip through more than half a century of history to which were added many F2, F3, F Junior, Prototypes, Gran Turismo and Lancia Martini Racing which gave life to an extraordinary spectacle that recalled an exciting sound. In addition, many enthusiasts had the chance to experience the excitement of a lap of the Santerno Circuit aboard a Supercar of the calibre of the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio, Renault Alpine, Dallara Stradale, Lamborghini and Pagani.

“Our objective is to bring back to the Circuit the atmosphere of the paddock in the early years of Formula 1 be eliminating the barriers that risk keeping fans away. With the chance to give you an appointment for April I want to thank the more than 15,000 passionate fans that that literally invaded the paddock and the pits,” concluded Gian Carlo Minardi.

 

F1 |Gp USA, THE POINT by Gian Carlo MINARDI ” Mercedes’ undisputed supremacy. Ferrari indecipherable”

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The third last round of the Formula 1 world championship has been archived under the sign of Mercedes that was the protagonist of a supremacy that was never questioned with Bottas who won first set pole position and then achieved the win and with Hamilton who put his hands on his sixth world title.

This grand prix must make Ferrari think, especially in light of next season in which there will be only minor changes and these final rounds could represent the first design of the forces in the field next season. Ferrari said goodbye to Austin with Leclerc’s fourth place who however paid a gap of 52” from the leader and with Vettel’s retirement due to a failure. This was surely a step backwards from what we have seen in this second part of the season. It was a heavy null score for Vettel who now finds himself in fourth place on the ladder and behind his team mate. This year’s ladder could influence the hierarchy within the team.

The people at Maranello must understand, amongst other things, what did not work, especially in the first stint when both drivers paid the large gap compared to its direct rivals Mercedes and Red Bull. Once more they struggled to interpret these tyres that have a minimal difference from one mix to another.

It was another positive weekend for Albon who brought home important points after a race aimed at recovering, for Ricciardo’s Renault and the two McLaren drivers. In qualifying we saw a good compaction of the times, something that was not respected in the race with only seven drivers covering all the laps.

Two weeks and then Formula 1 will go to Brazil for the penultimate round.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Gp USA, MINARDI “The challenge is open between Mercedes-Ferrari-Red Bull. Waiting for Thursday’s press conference”

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21.10.2018- Race,

Formula 1 comes to Austin from Mexico City for the third round of the world championship. We are coming from an interesting grand prix that saw four drivers cross the finishing line within 6” with Lewis Hamilton ahead of Sebastian Vettel, team mate Valtteri Bottas and Charles Leclerc who was the unfortunate protagonist of a particularly slow pit stop that cost him the podium.
Max Verstappen was missing from the fight, having paid dearly for his mistake in qualifying. I expect an equally tight duel along the 15.5 km between the three top teams with Mercedes leading the group together with the British champion who is preparing to celebrate his sixth personal world championship title.

It is not enough to have the best car to win but it needs the highest perfection under every aspect. The slightest imperfection is paid for dearly. We are facing an exciting end of season that can only be a good omen for 2020.

After a first part of the season that was not easy Ferrari defended itself, especially with the pole positions and it let us see that it is in the running, even if there was no lack of problems with reliability and some mistakes in strategy. Last year after Lewis Hamilton’s pole it was ex Ferrari driver Raikonnen who brought home the win. The Finn is passing through an uneasy period with Alfa Romeo, even if he was not helped by the team that was the protagonist of too many mistakes, especially concerning Giovinazzi. The eighth position that they currently occupy in the ladder reflects their potential but here in Austin they could come back into the points zone.

This is not an easy time even for Toro Rosso that was overtaken by their direct rivals Racing Point. Gasly saved the weekend in Mexico with an excellent performance bringing the team two points with Kvyat demoted to eleventh place after the penalty for the collision with Hulkenberg in the last lap.

Last weekend the tyres were the protagonists with Verstappen running practically the full race having changed tyres in the first lap after the collision with Bottas. Pirelli will also bring to Austin the hards (c2), mediums (c3) and softs (c4) with only Leclerc (of the top drivers) with 9 red sets, one more than Hamilton, Bottas, Vettel and Verstappen. Four sets of yellows for Bottas and Verstappen and two whites for Hamilton and Vettel.

As we await the the practice session we also await Thursday’s press conference where we will find out the guidelines for the 2021 season.

Gian Carlo Minardi