GREAT NAMES OF MOTORSPORT ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT THE 10TH EDITION OF THE HISTORIC MINARDI DAY. TICKETS CAN BE BOUGHT ON TICKETONE

/in , /by

More than thirty-five champions and icons of Motorsport are expected at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit for the 10th edition of the Historic Minardi Day scheduled for Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September. Tickets are available on  TicketOne, in the authorized TicketOne outlets or at the ticket booths at the Circuit.

This will be a unique occasion to meet drivers, technicians and personalities who have written important pages of world Motorsport and who, over the years, contributed to making the Historic Minardi Day a special event for fans.

Among the personalities expected are the President of ACI Geronimo La Russa, engineers Aldo Costa, Gabriele Tredozi, Luca Baldisserri e Nigel Cowperthwaite, together with Daniele Audetto, Heini Mader, Giorgio Piola, Biagio Maglienti and Mario Isola.

As per our tradition, there will be many drivers and key figures from the world of racing: Giorgio Serra “Matitaccia”, Giovanna Amati, Fabio Babini, Fulvio Maria Ballabio, Benito Battilani, Francesco Bergamini, Thierry Boutsen, Sergio Campana, Sonia Borghese, Massimo Ciccozzi, Roberto Farneti, Beppe Gabbiani, Bruno Giacomelli, Raffaele Giammaria, Alessandra Gallo, Pierluigi Martini, Arturo Merzario, Miguel Angel Guerra, Gabriele Lancieri, Giovanni Lavaggi, Andrea Levy, Riccardo Patrese, Gabriele Tarquini, Nicolò Piancastelli, Luis Perez Sala, Vinicio Salmi, Siegfried Stohr e Tamara Vidali.

One of the features that has made the Historic Minardi Day unique over the years is the chance to see the great stars of Motorsport take to the wheel once again. In fact, many former drivers chose to don their overalls and helmet once again here at Imola to give the public sights and thrills that are hard to experience anywhere else.

For example, in 2019 Emanuele Pirro took to the wheel of the Minardi M189 for the first time, while Gaston Mazzacane found “his” M02 once again, and Gian Carlo Minardi tried his hand with the M192-Lamborghini. In the 2018 edition, it was Aldo Costa, the then director of Mercedes AMG F1, who took to the track with the Mercedes W04. In 2020, it was the turn of Riccardo Patrese to warm the hearts of the fans at the wheel of the 1991 Williams FW14.

More recently, in 2023 and 2024, Thierry Boutsen thrilled the fans by driving Gilles Villeneuve’s Ferrari 312 T5 #2 and Alain Prost’s McLaren MP4/03 n.1. Even engineer Gabriele Tredozii took the Minardi PS04B to the track, while Aldo Costa climbed into the cockpit of the Dallara Stradale EXP, as did the world rally champion Miki Biasion.

Gianni Morbidelli put on a show in Pierluigi Martini’s Minardi M189, while Miguel Angel Guerrra drove Vittorio Brambilla’s March 761, swapping paces with Roberto Farneti, as well as making his debut at the wheel of a Minardi racing car, the M189. Arturo Merziario instead took to the wheel of the Lucchini Alfa Romeo of the Scuderia del Portello, while Bruno Giacomelli took back to the track the BMW powered Formula 2 March 772.

In last year’s edition, Roberto Moreno took to the wheel of the Formula 3 Ralt with which Pierluigi Martini won the 1983 European title.

Finally, there will be the unwavering presence of Pierluigi Martini, one of the symbols of the history of Minardi and the Historic Minardi Day, accompanied by a group of truly prestigious cars: the Minardi M189, the perfectly restored Tyrrell P34/02 and P34/05,the Ralt RT30 Ford-Cosworth and the Ferrari 126 C4 of Michele Alboreto.

In this way, drivers, cars and stories from different eras will come together in Imola, giving life once again to the spirit that accompanies the Historic Minardi Day since its birth, not just to preserve the history of Motorsport, but to bring it back to the track and to share it with the fans and with the new generations.

 

F1 | MADRID GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI: “A TRACK WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED. FERRARI NEEDS TO BOUNCE BACK”

/in /by

After having filed away the extraordinary weekend at Monza, highlighted by Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s splendid and historic win, our eyes are already drawn to the next race. Formula 1 arrives in Madrid which will make its debut in the world championship calendar with a completely new track that is waiting to be discovered.

This will be a new challenge for the teams and drivers.  There are no data points gathered during previous Grands Prix to draw upon, and for this very reason, the work carried out on the simulator will take on even greater importance, starting from the first free practice sessions, it will be essential to verify that the simulations match the actual behaviour of the racing cars and quickly finding the right benchmarks and the best setup.

The Madring is a semipermanent circuit of about 5.4 kilometres and 22 bends, alternating city streets with specially constructed sections. On paper, it presents very different characteristics, including fast turns, fast braking points and changes of elevation. The expected speeds could reach 340 km/h.

One of the most distinctive features will certainly be “La Monumental”, the long-banked turn 12 with a bank angle that reaches 24%. It will be interesting to see which aerodynamic approach the teams will choose and how hard it will be to find the right balance between speed on the straight, stability under braking and the downforce needed in the tighter sections.

On a completely new track, the drivers’ ability to adapt and the speed of the engineers in analysing the data collected during the first sessions could make a big difference. I also expect the track to evolve significantly during the weekend.

Ferrari however will be able to count on a few more data points to work with compared to its rivals thanks to the Filming Day in July. This is a small advantage, especially in the very early stages of the weekend. I expect them to mount a strong comeback after the disappointment at Monza. Their home Grand Prix ended well below expectations with Leclerc’s retirement in the opening laps and Hamilton’s sixth place. Madrid offers the Team an immediate chance to turn a new leaf. Furthermore, the characteristics of the new track seem to be more favourable compared to Monza, where the speed on the straight was one of their main weak points.

Of course, all eyes will be drawn to Andrea Kim Antonelli. He comes to Madrid as the leader of the World Championship and riding on wave of enthusiasm following his incredible win at Monza, after starting from nineteenth place on the grid. It will be interesting to see if Mercedes can maintain its dominance even on a track with such radically different characteristics.

Il will be an important testing ground also for McLaren. At Monza they knew they had to be more on the defensive compared to previous races, but they probably hoped to achieve something more than fourth place with Norris and fifth place with Piastri. After the strong progress shown before the Italian Grand Prix, the new Spanish track may give us further indications of the true balance of power with Mercedes.

Of course, also keep a keen eye on Max Verstappen, who returns from his excellent third place in Monza. On a completely new track, the experience and skill of the driver to find the limits of the racing car quickly could take on even greater importance and, in this regard, Max certainly remains one of the top contenders.

It will certainly be a particularly special weekend for Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, who will race in front of their home crowd. For Sainz it will have even greater significance since he was born right here in Madrid. They are two highly experienced drivers, and I am convinced that the support of the Spanish fans will give them even more motivation.

In terms of the tyres, Pirelli has chosen the intermediate range made up of C2, C3 and C4. Since there are no precedents, the choice was made based on the simulations. The expected stresses are significant and comparable to those of demanding tracks such as Silverstone and Francorchamps.  In addition, the choice could favour s two-stop strategy and offer greater protection from overheating in high temperatures.

Therefore, Madrid is a big unknown. Mercedes comes from the spectacular one-two in Monza, McLaren needs to bounce back after a disappointing weekend that fell well below expectations, Ferrari is looking to redeem itself immediately and Verstappen is still an adversary not to be underestimated.

On a circuit where we are essentially starting from scratch, I believe the skill of the drivers to adapt, their work on the simulators and above all the speed of the teams in interpreting the data collected after the first free practice sessions will be crucial.

Gian Carlo Minardi

THE WORLD OF MINARDI IN THE NEW APP: HISTORY, FORMULA 1 AND THE HISTORIC MINARDI DAY ALWAYS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

/in /by

Available free of charge for Apple and Android devices, the new Minardi App gathers the articles and comments by Gian Carlo Minardi, the history of the Minardi Team and an ample section dedicated to the Historic Minardi Day.

Starting today, the world of Minardi is even closer to its fans. Available for Apple and Android devices, the new Minardi App, designed to gather in a single unique digital space, the news, history and events connected to one of the best known and appreciated names of Italian motorsport.

The new application lets you follow all the articles signed by Gian Carlo Minardi, including the analyses dedicated to the Formula 1 World Championship, and the now traditional “IL PUNTO / THE POINT” column, through which the founder of the Minardi Team makes comments and analyses the Grand Prix races, the frontrunners and the main teams, technicians and sportsmen of the World Championship.

Of course, an ample space is reserved for the history of the Minardi Team, the protagonists of more than twenty years in the Formula 1 World Championship. Thorough the App fans will be able to leaf through this extraordinary adventure, discovering racing cars that took the name Minardi to all the world’s circuits and the drivers who wrote its history.

One space is dedicated entirely to the Historic Minardi Day, the event that every year brings to Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit racing cars, historic cars, drivers and fans.

Ahead of the 10th edition, scheduled for Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, with the App it will be possible to look up the event’s programme, have access to photos and discover the cars taking part in the 2026 edition.

Furthermore, during the two days of Historic Minardi Day, the App will let you follow the live webcams installed in the circuit to experience up close what happens on the track and in the paddock. There is also space for “Shorts”, quick and immediate contents through which trivia, news, and last-minute updates from the Imola Circuit will be told.  In this way, the App will become a real travelling companion for experiencing the Historic Minardi Day, for both those in the circuit and the fans who will want to follow the event from far away.

The new App was created for the purpose of creating a digital point of reference for all the fans of the world of Minardi, bringing together the past, present and future: from the history of the Minardi Team to the current Formula 1 narrated by Gian Carlo Minardi, up to the Historic Minardi Day and the cars the continue to bring back some of the most fascinating pages of the history of motorsport.

The new Minardi App is now available for download on the Apple App Store (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/minardi/id6782636438) and the Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.minardi&pcampaignid=web_share).

 

F1 | ITALIAN GP , THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “FROM ASCARI TO ANTONELLI, KIMI MADE HISTORY IN MONZA”

/in , /by

This was a special day that confirmed once again how much Italy is a key player on the international motorsport scene.

My first round of applause goes to ACI for the wonderful organization of the Italian Grand Prix. New record attendances were set, and we saw a very well-organized event on a par with the history and prestige of Monza.

Making this weekend even more special were our young people who made the Italian National Anthem resonate and gave us major results. Thank you goes to all these young men who, with their commitment and their results, are contributing to making Italian motorsport stronger and stronger.

Congratulations to Nicola Lacorte, the frontrunner in Formula 3 with a wonderful win in Monza, and to Emanuele Olivieri who, in Imola, won Race-1 of the Regional Formula and took second place in Race-2, confirming his place at the top of the ladder.

Of course, today we saw something that will remain forever in the history of our motorsport thanks to Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s extraordinary win.

Sixty years after the last win by an Italian driver in the Italian Grand Prix, Kimi took Italy’s flag back to the top step of the podium in Monza with an extraordinary race that he built up starting from nineteenth place and finishing when he decisively overtook his teammate George Russell at the Ascari Variation three laps before the chequered flag.

This win takes in even greater significance when we consider the history of our motorsports. Antonelli came to Monza as the leader of the World Championship, something that had not happened with an Italian driver since Alberto Ascari. Winning his home race while starting from the back of the grid is a feat that speaks not only of speed, but also his maturity, determination and the ability to read the race.

What impressed me the most was Antonelli’s race pace. He was consistently fast throughout the race, progressively making up ground until he caught up to Russell. At that point we saw a thrilling confrontation between the two Mercedes drivers that Antonelli settled in the final laps. He did not just make up ground – he caught up to his teammate and beat him on the track.

He then completed an impeccable race by setting the fastest lap right on the very last lap. It was an extremely positive signal of the mastery and security that he has achieved at the wheel of the racing car, and a win that is worth a lot in terms of the World Championship.

On the eve we had highlighted how Monza could have been the circuit most suitable to serve the penalty connected to the power unit, thanks to the characteristics and the chances for overtaking. Kimi exceeded all expectations, transforming a weekend that, on paper, could have been raced on the defensive into one of the best and most significant wins of his young career.

We saw a truly thrilling race, characterized by intense battles, overtaking and lots of excitement. I believe that it was one of the best weekends experienced in Monza in recent years: Mercedes, as was predictable on a track with these characteristics, took a splendid one-two finish, ahead of Max Verstappen who never gives up and took an excellent third place.

Once again, unfortunately, I believe that on the Ferrari front, they should talk less and act more. The result was certainly below expectations, with Charles Leclerc retiring in the early laps and Lewis finishing Hamilton only sixth.

I find it hard to understand what happened in the first lap between the two Ferraris, including the subsequent mistake by Leclerc. Starting from third and fourth places, I believe that the priority should have been to keep the positions and think in terms of the team. Instead, they threw away points which could have been very important in the fight for second place on the World Constructors’ Championship.

It was a weekend that fell below expectations also for McLaren. They knew they had to come to Monza in a more defensive position compared to the recent races, but they probably hoped to harvest something more than Norris’ fourth place and fifth place for Piastri. The unique characteristics of the Monza circuit may have played a role, but after the great progress seen in recent races, it will be interesting to see, as early as the next race, whether what happened in Monza was only an isolated episode connected to the track, or whether Mercedes managed  to set up an important gap once again.

Instead, it was a positive weekend for Alpine that started with a pole position that was certainly hard to predict on the eve. The race then largely restored the values on the field, but it remains an important result in the battle for fifth place in the battle with Racing Bulls in the Constructors Championship. For its part, Racing Bulls managed to get both cars into the top 10, earning precious points.

And once again, the Italian public showed that it is a sporting audience and not fanatical. Seeing all the fans on their feet for the last lap, ready to cheer Kimi Antonelli for a win that seemed almost impossible the day before was one of the most wonderful sights of the day.

Monza applauded an Italian driver who won the Italian Grand Prix. This was an image that had been missing for sixty years, and one I believe that all of us will remember for a long time.

Before closing, I would also like to also share some news that is particularly important for us.  From today, the new Minardi App, which was designed to bring our world together in one place, is available for Apple and Android. All my articles, including “IL PUNTO/THE POINT” dedicated to the Formula Grands Prix, the history of the Minardi Team with the racing cars and the drivers which were part of that history and an ample section dedicated to the Historic Minardi Day.

Ahead of the 10th edition of the Historic Minardi Day, scheduled for Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, with the App it will be possible to look up the event’s programme, find out ab out the cars taking part, see photos and videos and, during the weekend, follow the webcams installed at the circuit and the “Shorts” with trivia, news and last-minute updates. It is a new way to always stay in touch with the world of Minardi and to experience our passion for motorsport together.

Download the new Minardi App:
Apple App Store | Google Play Store

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | ITALIAN GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI: “MONZA A CRUCIAL TURNING POINT FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. MERCEDES MUST STEP UP TO THE CHALLENGE BY MCLAREN”

/in /by

GP Portogallo F1 – Archivio Minardi Team

The Formula 1 World Championship lands in Monza for one of the most awaited and fascinating rounds of the whole season. The Italian Grand Prix is always special, but this year it takes on an even greater significance given the tight competition that has characterized the championship so far and the presence of Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the top of the world championship ladder.

Monza is a unique circuit and completely different from Zandvoort. It is the Temple of Speed, a circuit in which aerodynamic efficiency, the power of the power unit, the speed on the straight and stability in braking are essential. The cars will race with very low downforce configurations, and it will be particularly difficult to find the right balance of being fast on the long straights without overly penalizing the car on the chicanes and the fast corners.

It will also be interesting to see the energy management. Monza’s long straights are an important challenge for the new generation power units, and it will be crucial to find the right balance between recharging and use of electric power. Furthermore, the simulations indicate lap times significantly faster than last season, and this will add another interesting element.

From what we saw at Zandvoort, one of the main themes of the weekend will be Mercedes’ response to McLaren’s progress. Lando Norris comes to Monza on the back of two consecutive wins and the team from Woking has taken great steps forward in recent races, managing to transform technical developments into performance and results.

Mercedes is still an extremely competitive car, as it showed with second and third place finishes in Holland by Antonelli and Russell, but now it is called to respond. Major updates are expected here in Monza, and it will be interesting to assess their effectiveness on a track with characteristics that are completely different from those of Zandvoort.

For Andrea Kimi Antonelli this will inevitably be a special weekend. He comes to his home Grand Prix as the leader of the World Championship and in front of the Italian crowd, but he must deal with the grid penalty for the introduction of new components of the power unit.

This was a strategic decision by Mercedes. We are entering into the phase of the season in which even the management of the components and any penalties become essential, and Monza, thanks to the characteristics of the track and the greater possibility of overtaking, may be one of the best tracks for limiting the consequences.

It will therefore be important for Kimi to have a faultless weekend.  Up to now he has shown great skill in reading the races, managing the tyres and adapting to different situations. These very qualities will be essential on Sunday to make up ground and secure important points in the World Championship. Watch out for the first turn!

Ferrari arriva invece davanti al proprio pubblico con l’obiettivo di essere protagonista. Nelle ultime gare abbiamo visto segnali positivi, alternati però a fine settimana nei quali non è riuscita a raccogliere quanto avrebbe potuto. Monza rappresenterà quindi un altro banco di prova importante per capire il reale livello della vettura e la capacità della Scuderia di inserirsi nella lotta tra Mercedes e McLaren; a tal proposito sembra che anche loro portino sviluppi importanti in particolare legati alla power unit.

On the other hand, Ferrari comes to its home crowd with the aim of being a front runner. We saw positive signs in recent races, alternating however with weekends in which it did not achieve as much as it could have. So, Monza is another important testing ground for understanding the true potential of the car and the capacity of the Team to join the battle between Mercedes and McLaren: and in this regard, it seems that they too are bringing major developments, particularly regarding their power unit.

There is of course a lot of attention also on Red Bull. Max Verstappen’s Dutch Grand Prix ended practically immediately, but the four times world champion remains a driver who can make the difference even when the car does not seem at its best. Monza will also be an interesting testing ground to assess the performance of the Red Bull on the long straights.

On the tyre front, Pirelli has chosen C3, C4 and C5 as Hard, Medium and Soft respectively. All three compounds could be used during the race; a lot will depend on the temperatures of both the air and the asphalt.

On paper, the strategy should be aimed at only one stop, also considering the time travelling through Monza’s pit lane. However, a lot will depend on the management of overheating, especially the rear axle exhaust which is under great stress during acceleration.

And it is the management of the tyres that could be one of the most interesting technical aspects of the weekend. The strong accelerations coming out of the chicanes, together with the power available, will require particular attention, while stability in braking and traction will be essential to putting together a competitive lap.

We are now entering the phase of the season in which simply having the fastest car is not enough. Technical developments, reliability, the management of the components of the power units (here the accelerator will be wide open for 75% of the race) and resulting penalties will be decisive, as well as the strategies of course. Within the teams the pecking order will also begin to take shape increasingly clearly as the battle for the World Championship intensifies.

Also keep a keen eye on the young Italian drivers involved in the training categories. In Formula 2, Gabriele Mini comes to his home race in second place on the ladder and after a season that has seen him constantly among the front runners. It will be an important weekend for the race in the title, and I expect him to be in the top positions again. In Formula 3, there will be 3 Italians at the start: Brando Badoer, currently fifth in the championship, Matteo De Palo and Nicola Lacorte. It will be interesting to watch them in front of their home crowd during a weekend that has special significance for our entire movement.

Gian Carlo Minardi