MORE THAN 600 CARS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE TENTH EDITION OF THE HISTORIC MINARDI DAY, INCLUDING MORE THAN 25 HISTORIC F1 CARS. ADVANCE TICKET SALES ON TICKETONE

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Imola -MINARDI DAY

More than 600 cars are expected on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit for the 10th edition of the Historic Minardi Day, the great event dedicated to the history and passion for Motorsport created by the Minardi family in collaboration with Formula Imola.
The event is ready to let thousands of fans experience a unique weekend, with a programme that brings together activity on the track, legendary cars, meetings with the protagonists, culture, history and entertainment.

Once again, the beating heart of the event will be the exhibitions of the extraordinary historic Formula 1 cars with racing cars belonging to profoundly different eras, from the 1971 Ferrari 312 B2 up to Rubens Barrichello’s 2011 Williams FW33.

Some of the cars expected on the track will be the Shadow DN1 driven by Graham Hill (1973), the Lotus 72 E5 (1974), the Tyrrell P34/1 (1976) and P34/2 (1977), the March Beta F1 761 (1976), the Ensign, the Arrows A1B of Riccardo Patrese (1978), the Merzario F1A3 (1979), the Wolf Ford WR7 (1979), the Ferrari 312 T5 (1980), the Shadow DN12 (1980), the Alfa Romeo 182 (1982), the Osella FA1 E Alfa Romeo (1983), the Ferrari 126 C4 (1984), the Osella-Alfa Romeo FA1G (1986), the Arrows A10 (1987), the Minardi M189 (1989), the Monteverdi F1 (1990), the Arrows A11B (1990), the Ferrari 642 (1991), the Ferrari 643 (1991), the Andrea Moda Formula S921 (1992), the Ferrari F92A (1992), the Fondmetal GR01 (1992), the Ferrari 412 T1 – chassis154 (1994) and the Minardi PS04B (2005).

There will also be the F5000 Lotus 70 of 1970 and the full-scale model of the McLaren MP4/15 created by its owner with extraordinary attention to the details and the permission directly from McLaren and enhanced by the official autograph of Mika Häkkinen.

The Formula 2 will be just as represented by cars such as the Brabham BT16 (1965), the Pygmée MDB17 (1972), the Brabham BT40 (1973), the March BMW 772 (1977), the Chevron B48 of Siegfried Stohr (1979) and the Minardi M283B (1983) which was the protagonist of the 1983 European Formula 2 Championship with Pierluigi Martini and Alessandro Nannini.

There will also be an ample representation from Formula 3, with Dallara, Martini, Bellasi, Tatuus, Reynard, Chevron, Mygale and Ralt, and Formula 3000 cars, including the Reynard-Judd 91D, the Ralt RT20B, the Reynard 89D, the Lola F3000 of Helmut Marko, the Lola B52, Formula Dallara Nissan 3000c World Series, together with the A1GP and GP2 racing cars.

Of course, there will also be ample representation from the Prototypes, with the Alpaine 450B, the Ligier LMP3 the JSP320, the Lola T70 MK3B, the Ginetta LMP2, the Lucchini, the Radical, Chevron, the ATS and the ARL Spire GTR, the Lavaggi LS1, as well as the GT, GTS and Historic GT cars, also thanks to the important and decisive contribution from the Scuderia Nuvolari Italia. Also present will be the 1958 Jaguar Knobbly, the Jaguar E-Type Lightweight and “Imola 91”, there will also be many Lancia Deltas, as well as a special tribute to Riccardo Errani.

The Alfa Romeo brand in particular will be represented by the Scuderia del Portello Alfa Romeo which will bring the Alfa Romeo TZ Le Mans Classic (1964), the Alfa Romeo GTAM (1970), the Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce (1972), the Raffo Tipo 12 Alfa Romeo (1985), the Alfa Romeo 33 1700 Quadrifoglio Verde (1986), the Alfa Romeo Formula Boxer (1987), the Alfa Romeo Formula Boxer (1988), the Reynard 893 Formula 3 (1989) and the EFFEFFE-Alfa Romeo Berlinetta (2018).

In addition, on the track there will be no lack of extraordinary supercars and hypercars created from the flair of Horacio Pagani, together with cars from Lamborghini, Dallara, Pambuffetti and Praga, as well as the Mazda MX-5 and the cars from the Lotus Italia and Abarth clubs.

And these are only some of the cars that will liven up the 2026 Historic Minardi Day.

THE ACI STORICO FESTIVAL AND THE LANDS OF THE ROMAGNA RALLY

The packed programme of the event will be further enriched by the ACI Storico Festival

The most proactive moment will be the Lands of the Romagna Rally, on Sunday 20 September, organized by the Automobile Club of Ravenna. One hundred Members of ACI Storico will take part in the rally and, in the afternoon, they will have the chance to experience up close the programme of the Historic Minardi Day.

As per tradition, the full itinerary will start from the Imola Circuit, pass through Faenza to visit the Local Council Art Gallery, before returning to the circuit for the parade lap of the circuit and the conclusion of the event.

In addition, inside the ACI Storico area, in Paddock 1, there will be a mobile display where all the visitors will be able to have an electrocardiogram free of charge, as part of the“Il primo tagliando per il motore cuore” (The first service for the heart engine) campaign, an important occasion for people to look after their health, today and in the future.

THE CHECCO COSTA MUSEUM BETWEEN FORMULA 1, PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE CULTURE OF MOTORSPORT

As one of the major new developments in the 2026 edition, the Checco Costa Museum will turn into a real space dedicated to the history and culture of Motorsport.

Among the five extraordinary Formula 1 racing cars inside the Museum, the public will be able to admire an exclusive photographic exhibition dedicated to the ten years of the Historic Minardi Day and, at the same time, they will be able to follow meetings with authors and protagonists of Motorsport, book launches and award ceremonies that will follow one after another during the whole weekend.
Many prestigious authors have already been confirmed

Amng the appointments, in order of scheduling, there will be Diego Alverà, author of “Giro di pista. Circuiti e piloti che hanno fatto la storia della velocità” (Laps of the track, Circuits and the drivers who wrote the history of speed), and Umberto Zapelloni, with “Formula Italia: Le auto e i piloti che hanno fatto la storia della F1” (Formula Italia: The cars and the drivers who wrote the history of F1).

Mario Donnini, together with Bruno Giacomelli and Andrea Cordovani, will be the protagonist of a double presentation dedicated to “Bruno Giacomelli – Continuavano a chiamarmi Jack O’Malley” (Bruno Giacomelli – They kept calling me Jack O’Malley) and “Crime & Motorsport”.

Following them will be Veronica Vesco with “Michael Schumacher. Una storia indimenticabile” (Michael Schumacher. An incredible story) and Sergio Remondino, together with Stefano Casadio, for the presentation of “Una Lancia nel cuore – Riccardo Errani, la Delta, i rally” (A Lancia in the heart – Riccardo Errani, the Delta and the rallies)

In addition, there will be a presentation of the documentary “Il nostro amico Ayrton” (Our friend Ayrton Senna) and a meeting with Riccardo Patrese, the protagonist with “From Niki to Kimi. Bravery, technology and passion in F1 from yesterday to today).

One particularly long-awaited moment will be on Sunday 20 September, from12noon to 1:45pm, when Gian Carlo Minardi will meet the Press and fans for an open discussion.

This will be the occasion to take stock on the tenth edition of the Historic Minardi Day, share thoughts on the current state of Motorsport and to outline future prospects and plans.

TWO DAYS IN HONOUR OF AYRTON SENNA

The friends of the Tifoseria Ayrton Senna Italia Fan Club will be present with two days entirely dedicated to the great Brazilian champion in the Ayrton Senna da Silva Hall, inside the Imola Circuit with free entry subject to availability.

A packed programme of meetings, personal accounts, books and stories will allow the fans to retrace Ayrton Senna’s story and his extraordinary connection with Imola.

There will also be meetings with Ruggero Melgrati, Umberto Zapelloni, Mario Donnini and Franco Nugnes, as well as a tribute to Gian Carlo Minardi and a special exhibition dedicated to the history of the Minardi Team told through its shirts.

TICKETS, EXPERIENCES AND PARADE LAP ON THE TRACK

Imola -MINARDI DAY

Already available on TicketOne are tickets to attend the tenth edition of the Historic Minardi Day, with the a choice between daily entry tickets and weekend passes for the whole weekend.

Two new initiatives have been introduced for the tenth anniversary edition.

The Experience package has been designed for those fans who wish to experience the Historic Minardi Day even more as protagonists with privileged access to the 4th floor of the Terrazza (Tower) Lounge, access to the Podium for a group photo, premium content and dedicated services. The package includes access to Pit-Lane and is reserve for those aged 16 years and over.

Furthermore, the Parade ticket, dedicated to those who dream of taking directly to the track with their own car, will make its debut.

The event is set for Sunday 20 September, around 6.00pm, for the celebration lap behind the Safety Car. Participants will be able to enjoy this experience, together with friends and relatives, including those younger than 16 provided they wear a helmet, and they have the relevant admission ticket and respect the number of people allowed to travel in the car.

A WEEKEND FOR FANS AND FAMILES

Rounding off the weekend will be a packed programme of entertainment in the Paddock area, with professional simulators, modelling, an Automobile Collectibles Village, and many other activities dedicated to fans and families including the children’s area (Paddock 2) where the youngsters will be able to enjoy themselves with incredible inflatable games.

So, on September 19 and 20 Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit will be transformed into a great dynamic museum of Motorsport where cars, drivers and protagonists of different eras will meet to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Historic Minardi Day,

F1 | DUTCH GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI: “ZANDVOORT RETURNS WITH THE SPRINT RACE. THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IS ENTERING ITS DECISIVE PHASE”

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After the summer break the Formula 1 World Championship takes to the track once again for the Dutch Grand Prix. It is a particularly significant restart because this is the final edition of the Dutch race: from next year Zandvoort will be dropped from the calendar.,

So, it will be a special weekend, especially for Max Verstappen who will race his home Grand Prix for the last time in front of his home crowd. This is where the Dutchman built a major part of his recent history, taking three wins, and it will be interesting to see if he will be able to say goodbye to Zandvoort with another result as a front runner.A

The circuit is very distinctive and gives nothing away. Its 4,259m are characterized with 14 bends, some of them very fast, and especially the two banked bends, 3 and 14, which have inclines of 19 and 18 degrees respectively. These characteristics impose very high vertical and lateral loads on the tyres, and it will be essential to find the right balance of aerodynamics and management of the tyres.

For this round Pirelli has chosen C2, C3 and C4 as the Hard, Medium and Soft respectively, the same combination used last year. The choice of the softest range contributed to the two-stop race in 2025 race, also thanks to the interventions by the Safety Car. This year it will be interesting to see how the teams will interpret this combination once again, and whether the Sprint Race might further alter their approach to the management of the tyres.

Another element that is not to be underestimated will be the level of the grip. Zandvoort is very close to the sea and the sand carried by the wind could alter the conditions of the track, even during the same weekend. And the wind will also be another important variable, especially with this generation of racing cars and with their current aerodynamic characteristics.

The Sprint format will make everything even more complicated. Drivers and mechanics will have only one session of free practice, one hour in which to find the proper setup for the car before facing the qualifying for the Sprint, the Sprint Race, qualifying and the Grand Prix. So, it will be crucial to come well prepared and able to quickly assess the behaviour of the car.

After having seen the first half of the season, Mercedes is still the benchmark. Andrea Kimi Antonelli comes to the restart as the leader of the championship with 219 points, with Lewis Hamilton on 169 and George Russell on 160. The lead built up by the young Italian is significant, but it certainly does not allow him to let his guard down. With many points still in up for grabs and the Sprint format increasing the chances to shake up the ladder, the balance of power could change every weekend.

In the first part of the season Antonelli demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to manage the race and the tyres. As well as a maturity that continues to surprise given his young age. He will now need to maintain his consistency in the second half of the championship, knowing that the pressure will inevitably increase.

On the other hand, Ferrari comes to Zandvoort after a period in which it showed mixed results. Charles Leclerc’s win at Silverstone was a significant moment, but in Hungary the Team failed to continue that progress. Therefore, Zandvoort will be another test to gauge how Ferrari really measures up against Mercedes and McLaren.

And McLaren really is one of the great unknowns of the second half of the season. After having demonstrated significant progress in recent races, the team finally realized its true potential with Lando Norris’ first win of the season. This was an important sign that McLaren has returned to the fight for the top places and it will be interesting to see whether the win in Budapest marks the start of a new phase in the championship.

Even Red Bull deserves a great deal of attention. Max Verstappen continues to obtain impressive results even when the car does not seem to have the potential to stay constantly at the top.  And at Zandvoort he will also have a special incentive: to bid farewell to his home crowd with a performance that lives up to their expectations.

So, the second half of the season will open with many questions. Mercedes must prove its superiority; Ferrari must give continuity to the progress shown in the fits and starts; McLaren must show that the win in Hungary was not a fluke; and Red Bull must continue to make the best of every occasion.

Furthermore. Zandvoort will be a particularly interesting circuit to evaluate the capacity of the teams to adapt quickly to the conditions and the new format. With only be one hour of free practice, and the Sprint race already scheduled, there will not be much time to correct any mistakes in the setup.

Therefore, we expect a very intense and important weekend for the World Championship. After the summer break they will restart with the championship wide open and many points up for grabs.

Zandvoort will be the start of the decisive phase of the season and, with Monza coming straight after, even Italy’s motorsport is getting ready for some particularly important weekends.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | HUNGARIAN GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “NORRIS WON, BUT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IS MORE OPEN THAN EVER”

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The Hungarian Grand Prix gave us a wonderful and closely fought race, confirming once again how close this World Championship really is. Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli were the front runners of the weekend, and I am convinced that from now to the end of the season they will continue to give us a show.

Norris raced a simply perfect weekend. After pole position, he managed the race with great authority, setting an exceptional race pace and demonstrating he always had the situation under control. I believe that, even without unexpected twists and turns that characterized the race, it would have been very hard to challenge him for the win.

Behind him, Max Verstappen confirmed all his worth once again. In my opinion, he is making the difference with a Red Bull that today does not seem to have the potential to fight regularly for second place. His overtaking of Lewis Hamilton was spectacular, a move that demonstrated once again the Dutchman’s talent.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli raced his usual high-level race, confirming a truly impressive continuity of performance, although he must be careful with the track limits during the race.  Without the penalty, he would probably have been able to fight for second place with Verstappen. On the other hand, I believe that, from what we saw throughout the weekend, Norris had something extra compared to everyone else.

With the results from the Hungaroring, the World Championship remains wide open. It only takes a small episode to go from hero to zero, as Ferrari’s race showed.  Charles Leclerc’s imperfect start and Lewis Hamilton’s penalty for speeding in pit lane compromised a result that could have been even better. I do not believe that Ferrari had the potential to win today, but it could certainly have aimed for a place on the podium.

However, the weekend’s real surprise was McLaren. The team had already shown major signs of improvement in the previous races, and at Budapest it had realized all its potential by taking pole position and the win. It was a shame for Oscar Piastri’s retirement, which denied the team a possible double and confirmed the that the issues of reliability continue to be a major concern even for the cars with Mercedes engines.

Speaking about Mercedes, even Geroge Russell staged a remarkable comeback. A problem at the start dropped him to the back of the pack, but he was able to climb back up to seventh place, limiting the damage and confirming once again the excellent race pace of the German car.

It was a very strong performance also by the Racing Bulls which, with fifth place, reached what I consider to be the season’s objective. It was a very satisfying result for the team from Faenza which continues to improve race by race and the confirms the quality of the work carried out both on the track and in the development of the car.

Another very positive weekend for Italy’s motorsport has come to a close. In addition to Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s podium finish in Formula 1, Leonardo Fornaroli did well in the first session of free practice with the McLaren and he will soon have another chance to climb into a Formula 1 car with Team Haas. In Formula 3, Brando Badoer took two third places, in the Sprint Race and the Feature Race, consolidating his fourth place in the overall standings. In Formula 2, Gabriele Mini took a spectacular win in the Sprint Race and thanks in part to his ninth place in the Feature Race, he consolidated his second place in the championship.

The World Championship is now taking its summer break. We are heading into this break with an even more open ladder and with at least three teams able to battle it out for the win. All the ingredients are in place for an extremely spectacular second half of the season.

Gian Carlo Minardi