ACI Team Italia ready to grow

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The Adria International Raceway has been the scene of the 12th edition of Aci Sport Federal Super-course, Speed section, the annual advanced course that rewarded, as usual, some young drivers coming from the Italian Championship powered by Abarth and from Kart.

The drivers selected at the end of 2015 season and invited to face the Super-course are Diego Bertonelli and Riccardo Ponzio coming from F4; Lorenzo Colombo, Aldo Festante, Davide Lombardo, and Leonardo Lorandi from Karting. After a careful consideration at the end of four long days of intense learning both in class and on track, Lorenzo Colombo, 15 years old from Legnano, has resulted the best karting driver while Diego Bertonelli, 17 years old from Forte dei Marmi, has been the best one among F4 drivers. 

Gian Carlo Minardi could not missed the event as Supervisor of this Federal Super-course who comments as follows: “I have to congratulate all the selected boys. It has been really hard to choose a winner at the end of these four days, especially among the four kart drivers. All their scores were close, and this proves that they have assimilated very well their tutor’s and instructor’s suggestions and teachings.Also Beronelli and Ponzio, who already knew the circuit and the car, have been able to improve considerably in comparison to their race performances just over a month ago.Both of them have had an excellent apprenticeship opportunity that could bring them substantial results next year.We have learned with pleasure that other Federations are exporting our project and our know-how with young drivers”.

Within the end of the year, some scholarship could be delivered, so to broaden the project of ACI Team Italia that has Ghiotto and Marciello among its current representatives.“ ACI Sport general manager, Marco Ferrari, has declared he wants to make available some scholarhips to the winners of the Super-course  to make easier their passage from Kart to Formula 4 Italia”, the manager from Faenza concludes.

 

F1 – Road to…Brazil

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Formula 1 is ready to reach Sao Paulo in Brazil, the land where Minardi Team made its debut in the World Championship 30 years ago. On April 5th 1985 we were about to join the Circus, even if it happened in the setting of Rio. A dream that came true after a lot of difficulties. I am also glad to remember the three green and gold drivers who raced with me: Roberto Moreno in 1991, Christian Fittipaldi in the two following seasons, and Tarso Marques in 2001.

Interlagos has been theater of final challenges for years, while everything is already draw and written this season. Anyway, there are some interesting details who deserve attention. First of all, we have an open fight between Rosberg and Vettel for the second place of world drivers’ championship, even if Nico will surely have the chance to put an end on it.Behind them we have an interesting challenge Bottas-Raikkonen-Massa for the fourth place, while on the Constructors’ side, Lotus and Toro Rosso compete for the sixth place.Keeping in mind that the first two places are signed by Mercedes, it is a substantial result. About youngs, playing at home Felipe Nasr would like to make a good impression despite his problematic Sauber. During this season he has proved many time to be worthy of this sport. Amid all these, we have a Lewis Hamilton determined to win in the land of his idol Ayrton Senna.

Pirelli will bring, like in 2014, Medium and Soft tires and we can expect 2 or 3 pit stops.Last year Nico prevailed with a 3 pit-stops strategy.This circuit is suitable for amazing challenges, but very demanding for tires and brakes due to its asphalt and changes of direction. The weather will be variable on Saturday with the chance of rain.I hope all the protagonists will be able to give us a good championship final, even if it won’t be so exciting as Valencia for MotoGp.

Finally, Renault would be willing to take a step back and supply Red Bull with its engines.

Kart – Another podium for Karol Basz

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Karol Basz, new KF World Champion, closes his season with a third place in the WSK Final Cup. Having constantly fought with best drivers for top positions and always done his maximum, the Polish driver for Kosmic Racing said goodbye to 2015 from a new podium at the Adria Kartin Raceway circuit.After having signed the third place in Qualifying and in Pre-final, he just missed to win.

“It is pleasant to finish the season with a podium. It has been an amazing year along which Kosmic team and I have proved to be able to reach any results. We have succeeded in winning and conquering the podium of the most important competitions gaining the world title. I hope to be able to announce my plans for next season very soon” Karol Basz, Minardi Management driver, comments.

“Despite Friday’s pole that had suggested us a new success, we are satisfied about this podium. Karl has proceeded on his positive path. This victory wasn’t our main goal of the season, so we have also tested different materials, and we are glad of the result. Now we start working for 2016” Alberto Tonti, Karting manager of Minardi Management, comments.

“I am really satisfied about Karol’s season along which he achieved the goal of the season, the world title, with honors. At Adria, once again, he showed all his talent; he never back down conquering the maximum. Now we will work to raise the bar for the next season” Giovanni Minardi comments.

 
Photo: Alexandros Vernardis/The Racebox
 

F1 – Mexican GP: SCORECARDS

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Let’s grade this grand prix carried out unenthusiastically with the incertitude of a missed rain.

Nico Rosberg – 8,5 his season is difficult to evaluate. He has alternated excellent performances with colorless races. On Sunday, he did exactly what we had expected from him some GPs ago, and he was able to cope with the world champion in a battle of fast laps.

Valtteri Bottas, Daniil Kvyat, and Max Verstappen – 8 they are the future of motor sports. All three of them decisively have a fast and aggressive pace. Bottas took William to the podium again, while the Russian driver has been enhancing himself for the whole weekend putting Ricciardo in troubles despite the myriad problems of Red Bull team. Another laudable race for the Dutch driver at STR.

Lewis Hamilton – 7,5 he went on track ready to fight and not as a mere spectator. He missed the decisive spring to pass Rosberg. Anyway, it is always the same, the first and the second place are a matter for Mercedes.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez – 7 another excellent performance for the both standard-bearers of Force India which strengthens his fifth position in Constructors’ standings. An excellent breath of fresh air.

Felipe Massa – 7 because he has fought Romain Grosjean for the whole GP

Romain Grosjean – 6 due to his tenth place. He has to thank Sainz who has been penalized by a complication; otherwise, Felipe Massa would have been behind him.

Sebastian Vettel – 5,5 when you are always compelled to drive to the limit, and you have a car hard to drive, a mistake can occur. In a sole weekend, he did what he has not done for 105 races. Maths keeps him at play for the second place even if it will be a difficult task.

Kimi Raikkonen -5 he was bombarded by complications but the contact with Bottas could have been avoided. What he did during the race is incomprehensible.

F1 – Mexican GP: THE POINT

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The Mexican GP slipped away without strong emotions characterized only by a bad day at Ferrari where both drivers made several mistakes.Talking about the choreography, it was a beautiful grand prix thanks to 300.000 spectators gathered at the circuit with a very scenographic “stadium sector” even if the original big bend remains unique. Instead, there is nothing to report about the show on track. The lack of rain was felt.

Once again, Mercedes dominated the scene with its drivers. After the pole, Nico Rosberg brought the victory home winning his challenge with the new world champion by faster laps; also, he won his battle for the second place with Sebastian Vettel. “Seb” tryed to resist pushing over limit, but he payed the consequences heavily. Surely, the two standard-bearers at Maranello had a stressful day. Once again, Bottas and Raikkonen shown a contact. This time, the Ferrari driver had to retreat and clear out the way to Bottas’ podium. 

On the Red Bull front, the Russian driver proved his qualifying result and dominated Ricciardo. Maybe, If he had hastened his pit stop he would have worried Williams.With Verstappen’s ninth place, Toro Rosso succeeds in nibbling a point in the challenge with Lotus for the sixth place in constructors’ general standings. Once again, the Dutch driver was protagonist of a laudable race. Before dropping the curtain, there are only two scheduled events on the calendar. By now, the whole general standings is clear, only the challenge between Lotus and Toro Rosso, that will become money coming from TV royalties at the end of the year, is in the running.

Therefore, all the efforts will be focused towards 2016. McLaren itself has been using racing weekends with the intention to develop itself and to run kilometers in view of the next season when Haas team will debut with Grosjean-Guttierez as standard-bearers.

                                                                                                                                                          

F1 – Road to…Mexico

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Formula 1 is arranging its return to the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit of Mexico City, 23 years after the last edition marked by Ayrton Senna’s tremendous accident and Williams driver Mansell’s victory ahead of his team-mate Riccardo Patrese.

We will be back in this historic circuit, whose most dangerous and spectacular segment, the Peraltada (bend 14) leading into the straight road of the finish line and to the first right bend, set of a lot of challenges and accidents, has been modified. An “half-circle” where once you had to speed up in order to make the difference. With the new layout, in zone 3, the baseball stadium will be crossed by the variants 12-13-14 that lead into the original circuit.

It will also be an excellent test-bed for the power-units because the 4304 meters (to race 71 times) are situated 2300 meters above sea level, a never-tested altitude that could cause some competitiveness and reliability complications. We will have also to pay attention to the weather. After an heavy rain in Texas, dry free practices and qualifying with a wet race are expected, with temperatures around 22-23° C. Almost the opposite of seven days ago. For Mexico, Pirelly confirms Austin’s Soft and Medium tyre compounds.

On track the attention will be focused on the challenge between Rosberg and Vettel for the second place. Mercedes and Ferrari standard-bearers will certainly arrive with a conflicting mood. Seb, ahead by 4 points is just back from the podium after an amazing recover with a Nico burnt by Hamilton’s victory. At Toro Rosso, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz jr will continue to follow Lotus now in sixth place. Without all its stability complications, STR could easily fight with Force India. Perez will do the honors also thanks to his good last results. At Haas, next to Grosjean, Gutierrez could be announced.

From a technical/political point of view, the discussions about Red Bull engine will go on. Honda would have come itself forward finding Ron Dennis’ veto. Instead, Renault is waiting public apology and some head to blow up at RBR. Considering that we are at the end of October it is a complicated situation.

Happy Birthday, Bernie

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Remembering fondly your special telegram for my 50s: Bernie, well done! Your 85 are fabulous.

F1 – Pierluigi Martini "I am working for a Minardi day at Imola"

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Pierluigi Martini is the favourite driver by fans. In a challenge on fb that has involved all the drivers who have run for the color of Minardi Team during the twenty one seasons of the stable from Faenza in the F1 world Championship, Pierluigi Martini, 54 years old, has vanquished his competitors. “It could not be otherwise. Pierluigi has ruced with us more than 100 GP contributing to write in good part Minardi Team F1 story. Today we are still united by a strong friendship. He would have deserved to win more successes in his long career” Gian Carlo Minardi comments.

He has raced for the Team founded by Gian Carlo Minardi 107 F1 GP in 119 bringing on track the first single-seater signed by Minardi Team in 1985. His path has gone on from 1988 to 1991 and from 1993 to 1995. Also the first point in a world championship has been signed by Pierluigi in 1998 in Detroit. After saying goodbye to the Circus, in 1999 he imposed himself on Le Mans 24 hours.

This year he has come back in a collectors’ Minardi cockpit. During Austria GP week-end he got behind the M185 wheel, while during the Goodwood festival of speed, Paul and Graham North’s M189 was back to rumble (see the photo gallery).

“As soon as I have got in the cockpit I felt right at home. As if time had stopped running and I had got out from the single-seater the day before. My M189 was like a custom-tailored suit. Those car were very smaller than today’s F1 cars, and it seemed to be in direct contact with the asphalt. Moreover, your head was completely out from the cockpit and you had a great view. I have immediately remembered the good times spent with that car, but also the hard ones. The car was very rigid and it was crazy to drive. Small wheel, three pedals and manual transmission. If you were not physically prompt it was the car which drive you and not vice versa”. An enthusiastic Pierluigi Martini remembers. He said us that he has been working also for a new proposal.“I am accomplishing the restoration of my M189. We are finishing the engine electronics and along with Gian Carlo Minardi I am planning to organize a Minardi day in Imola mobilizing all the Minardi people. A great day in a car racing circuit with all the F1 Minardi cars and more“.

F1 – US GP: SCORECARDS

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Evaluating a funny GP like that in Austin is always a pleasure. I offer my congratulations to Hamilton for his third World title, but I give the highest mark to:

Sebastian Vettel – 9 maker of a perfect race along which he push his Ferrari to the limit without a sole mistake. Forced to start in 13 due to the replacement of his engine, he succeeded recovering till third place smelling the second one. Despite complicated conditions he has been impeccable in every situation fighting with any means. Like certain champions he can bring out the best in his Ferrari differently to his drive-mate.

Max Verstappen – 8+ once again he showed us what he is made of, especially with his excellent takeoffs.

Carlos Sainz Jr – 8 he went trough some mistakes which strengthened and allowed him to close a great race. Both he and his team-mate are taking STR towards an un-hoped sixth place in spite of a loss of points due to reliability.

Lewis Hamilton – 7,5 we have always to remember the car he has at his disposal. Surely, last week-end he has not been impeccable. Anyway I congratulate with him for his third title.

Sergio Perez – 7 another race where the Mexican driver proved his nature and to be good at. Along with Hulkenberg, he is taking Force India to unhoped levels: the fifth place is strengthened.

Daniel Ricciardo – 7 I liked very much the Australian driver both in qualifying and on race. As long as he could he fought like a lion proving to be at play even in difficult conditions.

Daniil Kvyat – 6 what a pity his juvenile mistake with which he canceled what he had well done till that moment.

Nico Rosberg – 5,5 the German heavily disappointed me. With such a car to drive, sometimes he makes second-.driver’s mistakes. That is not really good.

Kimi Raikkonen- 5 due to my liking for Ferrari. Anyway it is time to stop defending him or someone have to explain what kind of technical complication occurred. The comparison with his team-mate is embarrassing.

F1 – Us Gp: THE POINT

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The Grand Prix of Austin offered us the most beautiful week-end of the season thanks to the hard weather conditions that affected the supremacy of Mercedes and gave us an amazing show.

Among over-takings, recoveries, and over-turnings at the top positions, Mercedes has brought another double-victory home. Once again Lewis Hamilton won the race claiming his third world title and closing the championship. Nico Rosberg attempted to win but he could not do anything, his season has surely been under expectations.With the wet track Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat had hoped. The Australian driver, before dropping to rear positions and closing in tenth overpowered by Alonso on final, has led the race for some laps.

Now all the attention will focus towards the challenge between Rosberg-Vettel for the second place in the world championship where Nico has everything to loose: closing behind a Ferrari driver would be a great defeat to him. Masterful race for Vettel who springing from the 13th place was able to recover till the podium closing a few tenths of a second from Nico. Also Sainz’s recover was amazing. From the last place he has recovered till the sixth place closing the last week-end of Toro Rosso which has almost reached the podium with Verstappen. Essential points for STR from the point of view of the World Championship because it has approached the sixth place of Lotus. Jenson Button’s sixth place with his McLaren ahead of Maldonado’s Lotus proves how this race has been odd and affected by the heavy rain in the morning.

With all the titles already assigned we’ll be back on track in a week for the Mexican GP, the new calendar event. Congratulations to 2015 World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

F1 – Road to…Austin

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The Circus has said goodbye to Russia and flown to the Us in Austin, one of the best Tilke circuit: 5500 technical meters with twenty bends for fifty six laps. It should be more hot than Sochi even if it is going to rain on Friday and Saturday.

Pirelli will bring his Soft and Medium tyres, tyre-compunds non-optimal for teams like Ferrari. So we will have a lot of unknowns and unpredictable moments. With the challenge for the title already closed in favor of Hamilton who needs just a second place to prove himself World Champion for the third time, all the attention will be focused on Rosberg and Vettel’s challenge for the second place. For the German driver at Ferrari it would be an unexpected goal, while Rosberg has much to lose towards his team-mate and his team.

If the technical aspect of this grand prix will focus on the struggle between the two standard-bearers at Mercedes and at Ferrari, from a political point of view, the substantial changes proposed by engine suppliers will be the main topic. Having these proposals to be endorsed by the F1 Commission, all the teams will take part in several meetings trying to find the indispensable unanimity. From my personal point of view these proposals are fair because development, growth and research are all part of Constructors’ DNA. Nothing should be done, anyway, at the expense of Customer-teams which deserve equal regard. Only this way they can level performances on track. The soap opera about Red Bull engine continues. I think both RB and TR will stay with Renault because times are too tight to create two different gear-boxes.

Returning to the circuit, we will have seen Raffaello Marciello behind Sauber wheel for the fourth time. I have been stressing the importance for each team of dedicating a car to young drivers for years. “Lello” has came from a complicated GP2 season, I hope he will prove his real worth because he has all what it takes to reach F1.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Joao Vieira in action with JD FR 2.0

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At the Spanish Jerez de la Frontera circuit, Joao Vieira has taken his first steps driving an Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. Among the 28 drivers who have taken part of the first day of collective tests, the Brazilian driver has got behind the wheel of JD Motorsport team’s car for a first contact with this single-seater car, after having filed away his Tricolor Formula 4 season. 

For Joao it has been the first contact with the Spanish circuit and the single-seater which animates the trans-alpine brand, with the purpose of first evaluations in view of 2016.This first contact has been characterized by uncertain weather with a wet track in the morning and a dry one in the afternoon that have not anyway let Joao to make mistakes.“It was a really useful day to me because I had the opportunity to test a totally new car. Renault is more aerodynamic than Taurus F4. You can feel it especially in bend. Also the engine is more powerful. We are working for 2016 and in the next few weeks we are going to test another car to evaluate the best choice”,  Minardi Management driver Joao Vieira comments.

“We can only be glad about Joao’s work. Despite the changing conditions of the track have made his first contact more difficult,he has done well anyway not making any mistakes. Everything was new to him, from the track to the car.  We have to thank Renault for its invite and JD team for its work. We are looking around in view of 2016 and in the next few weeks we are going to test another car” manager Giovanni Minardi and Alberto Tonti comment. 

A.A.A. Formula 1 for sale

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Without being denied by Mr. Bernie Ecclestone, the possibility of a new F1 owner has been back in the limelight in the last few days. “There are three groups interested in purchasing F1 and there will be a new owner within the end of the year”. Mr. E would keep his position as he has declared himself. “The Groups interested in acquiring F1 royalties asked me to keep my role”.

At present the Circus is under the control of CVC capital Partners which would be willing to transfer 30% of its assets. According to rumors, among the candidates, there would be the current owner of the most famous American football team, Stephen Ross’ Miami Dolphins, along with the sheiks of Qatar who already own Paris Saint German.

Some time ago also Dietrich Mateschitz, owner of Red Bull and Toro Rosso stable has been mentioned. A name that manager from Faenza Gian Carlo Minardi really appreciates as he declared at www.minardi.it.“There is no question, we need a charismatic man with exceptional business and marketing skills. Mateschitz has demonstrated to be very capable. At this time, F1 needs someone able to attract new audience”. Surely there would be some problems with the ownership of his two F1 teams.