Founded by Gian Carlo Minardi in 1979, with the aim of competing in the
European Formula Two Championship, the Minardi Team made its Formula One
debut in 1985. After spending its first few seasons in motorsport’s top
category acclimatising to the demands of Grand Prix racing, the team took
its first World Championship point in 1988, with the 6th place of Pierluigi
Martini in Detroit (USA), then in 1989, scoring in Great Britain (fifth and
sixth places), Portugal (fifth) and Australia (sixth).
Minardi's best season to date was 1991, when its effective,
Ferrari-powered chassis helped the team to claim seventh place in the final
standings of the World Constructors' Championship. In 1992, Minardi switched
from Ferrari power to the Lamborghini V12. A sixth-place finish at the
Japanese Grand Prix provided the team with a point for its efforts during
the season.
The 1993 car was designed under the supervision of experienced Austrian,
Gustav Brunner, and the chassis proved to be highly effective, fourth place
in South Africa, fifth in Monaco, and sixth at Donington and Imola
propelling Minardi to eighth place in the Constructors' Championship.
During 1994 and 1995, Minardi entered into a joint-venture with Scuderia
Italia. Unfortunately, a series of commercial difficulties jeopardised the
team's future and, by the end of 1996, an alliance formed by Gabriele Rumi
and Flavio Briatore acquired a majority stake in the company.
The 1998 season marked a turning point for Minardi. Briatore severing his
ties with the company and his shareholding being acquired by Gabriele Rumi.
The successful Italian businessman, who headed up the Fondmetal group of
companies, thus became the majority shareholder in the team and embarked on
an extensive restructuring and upgrading programme. As a result, Minardi was
joined by new, highly skilled personnel on the technical side, with Gustav
Brunner making a return to Faenza .
In 1999, the Minardi personnel line-up was further strengthened by the
arrival of Cesare Fiorio as Team Manager and Sporting Director. As in 1998,
the Faenza-based team was ranked 10th in the final World Championship
standings, in this case, courtesy of a very valuable point scored at the
European Grand Prix by F1 "rookie", Marc Gené. One of the most satisfying
aspects of the 1999 season was the excellent reliability of the M01, which
helped its drivers to 10 top-10 finishes.
The 2000 campaign marked Minardi's 16th year in Formula One, and although
the team did not succeed in scoring any points during the course of the
season, it retained its tenth-place ranking in the World Championship,
finishing ahead of the notably better-funded Prost squad.
In 2005 Paul Stoddart decided to sell the Minardi F1 Team to Red Bull thus
ending the teams participation in Formula 1. In 2006, Gian Carlo was
convinced by his son Giovanni to combine with GP Racing to create the
new Minardi Team by GP Racing racing in the Euroseries
3000. 2007 sees the Minardi name hook up with another Formula 1 legend
Nelson Piquet sr in the formation of the Minardi Piquet Sports GP2 team.
Exciting times for all Minardi fans as the Minardi Gryphon returns to the
upper echelons of motorsport once again.
FORZA MINARDI
Click Here for Minardi Drivers past and present
