I experienced one of the most exciting days of my 55 years of motorsport.

I had a “younger brother” called Ayrton Senna who showed me see some incredible things, especially in Monte Carlo. Today, I saw an Italian driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, do something just as extraordinary.  First of all, the credit goes first and foremost to him, but also to all those who believed in him in the toughest times, when it was easy to criticize without really knowing his journey, and without understanding what he was building lap after lap.

Looking back at his weekend, from pole position to the fastest laps he set, even when they were not strictly necessary, the profile of a champion emerges once again. Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s constant pursuit for the fastest lap was probably intended, above all, to keep his concentration high and to prove his worth to himself. These are the details which make the difference between an excellent driver and a champion.

This is a wonderful moment for Italian motorsport. Adding to Brandon Badoer’s win in Formula 3, another young man that I always had great faith in, even though luck has not always on his side. We are witnessing something incredible, five consecutive Formula 1 wins by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a record for an Italian racing driver who is not yet twenty. We should be proud of him.

Mercedes has made a big leap forward compared to last season. It can count on two top class drivers and an extremely close-knit team. George Russell is going through a difficult time at the moment, but I still consider him an excellent driver. During the race he was held up by Hajdar and the penalty further compromised his final result.

We are now entering into a crucial phase of the championship. The lead built up by Antonelli is starting to make a real difference, but there are still a lot of Grands Prix to go. This is precisely why it will be vital to continue working with the same determination and maintain the focus at the highest levels.

Toto Wolff is quite right to urge the Italian Press not to get carried away with Kimi’s  current form, since he built up a lead of 42 seconds from his direct rivals before the red flag, and I agree with him. We must let him get on with his work and continue to enjoy himself. Similarly, we must not go overboard with our criticism of Ferrari but let the team work in peace. They certainly have the quality and the resources to bounce back. Today, Ferrari is once again the second force of the championship.

I noticed that Charles Leclerc was particularly nervous. He probably did not expect to find such a motivated and competitive team alongside him. I believe that the mistake that cost him a third place – which was very important for him and for Ferrari – was the result of several factors, also including some tension. There is still a lot of work to do, Leclerc must not become discouraged, but he must stay clear headed and calm to make up for those tenths of a second that he was missing.

It was a Grand Prix full of twists and turns that gave us an unusual and very interesting ladder. Isack Hajdar’s third place did not surprise me. He is one of the rookies who got closest to the championship leaders throughout the season. It has been some time since Red Bull could count on two drivers performing so closely. Max Verstappen was unlucky today but Hajdar had already shown his potential right through free practice and on Saturday he put on an extraordinary qualifying session. Only Antonelli managed to deny him pole position.

Racing Bulls’ fifth and sixth places were also excellent. It was also a historic day for the Cadillac which took its first world championship point with Sergio Perez. They made the most of the opportunity that presented itself, helped by a bit of luck and by good reliability. I hope that they continue to improve

Before saying goodbye until Barcelona next week, I would like to make a final point regarding the decision to display the red flag and to restart the race with a standing start. With ten laps to go, given the obvious issues that they were trying to manage, I believe that in all likelihood the race should very likely have been suspended.

Safety must always be the highest priority. I have dedicated my entire career to this cause and continue to do so through ACI Sport. For me, the movies are a different matter altogether

See you in a weeks’ time.

Gian Carlo Minardi​

L'articolo F1 | MONTE CARLO GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI: “ANTONELLI MADE HISTORY BUT THE RACE SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED” proviene da Minardi.

Congratulations also go to all those who believed in him right from the start: starting with my son Giovanni Minardi, who brought him to Mercedes, to ACI Sport, to Mercedes, and to Toto Wolff for the work they have done in these years. But the main credit belongs to him: “Kimi” has grown race after race and he proved it again today, by setting the fastest lap in the 53^rd lap with tyres that already done 42 laps.

He managed the race like a champion, demonstrating that he had learned from the past. This is one of his best qualities: he never makes the same mistake twice. This is a very important sign for his career.

The consistency of his race pace is also impressive. We also saw this during the Sprint and in previous races: a pace that is always very high. As his fuel tank emptied, he continued to improve, lapping with minimal differences between each lap, often in the order of thousands of a second.

Ferrari continues to have a better start, but at the moment, it is still three-four tenths of a second slower than Mercedes at race pace. The fair and spectacular battle between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc is really exciting, with the British driver finally taking his first podium finish in Ferrari’s colours.

As I have already pointed out, reliability makes all the difference in this phase of the season. Points are precious and those who managed to keep out of trouble were rewarded, Oliver Bearman, Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson, Isack Hadjar, Carlos Sainz Jnr and Franco Colapinto were very good and capitalized on the many retirements, taking home important points for their respective teams. On the other hand, McLaren’s debacle, with neither car starting, was sensational.

Now, let us enjoy Antonelli’s splendid win. In two weeks, Suzuka awaits us, a real circuit that will tell us more about the values on the field.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | CHINESE GP THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “KIMI HAS ALREADY MADE HISTORY: POLE, FASTEST LAP AND VICTORY. AN EXCELLENT BATTLE IN FERRARI” proviene da Minardi.

Between Barcelona and Bahrein, we saw days of testing that were less complicated than I expected, even if we do not know precisely what was tested and in what way. For this very reason, it is impossible to venture a ladder of the forces in the field. Only Melbourne will be able to give us a real snapshot of the situation.  However, it is obvious that Aston Martin is currently lagging behind and struggling compared to the others.

As was predictable, with such a radical change of regulations the engineers have chosen very different solutions. We will see who has interpreted the regulations best. In contexts such as this, the balances established up until last season ca be completely overturned, anything really can happen.

Among the variables in the race, we must also consider the mistakes by drivers, who are called upon to adapt to a new style of driving. Even we viewers will have to get used to new scenarios which are not easy to interpret and decide. But, as with any new development, patience is needed before making any definitive judgments.

Before our next appointment next week, I would like to welcome Mario Isola as the Managing Director of ACI Sport. I was personally involved in this choice, and I am proud of the arrival of such an important figure who represents a further step forward in the development of Italian motor racing, I am delighted to accompany this phase of transition from 2 January to 30 June  ahead of the official inauguration on July 1.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo MINARDI: “2026 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, RELIABILITY AND FUEL DECISIVE IN THE FIRST RACES” proviene da Minardi.

The sixth and last Spring Race will take place in Qatar. This means that the drivers and teams will have only one session of free practice available to get to grips with the tyres and to prepare the racing cars for qualifying and the Sprint itself. Something to also bear in mind is that the grip levels of the track change significantly and can alter the behaviour of the cars.

This weekend the tyres will play an even more important role. Pirelli has brought the hardest compounds, C1, C2 and C3, and has also stipulated that each set cannot cover more than 25 laps of the Losail circuit. This is limit is calculated across all the sessions, including any laps under neutralization. This scenario paves the way for strategies with at least two stops but could even push some teams to consider three.

The reason is linked to the characteristics of the track. Losail is a circuit full of medium-fast corners and long wide curves that put a lot of strain on the front right tyre in particular, as well as a very long main straight that requires an aerodynamic compromise that is anything but simple. The management of the traffic will be a key factor because, despite the DRS, overtaking cannot be taken for granted; starting at the front in qualifying will be crucial to putting together a solid weekend.

Complicating all this even further will be the weather: intense heat, high humidity and a physical exertion comparable to that of the Singapore GP. In the past, Qatar has already shown that it is an extreme race with drivers severely tested by dehydration and heat stress. Therefore, physical fitness will be a crucial variable in both the Sprint Race and the long race.

The final element that should not be underestimated is the possible entry of the safety car, which is always a threat on a circuit that punishes mistakes and with such delicate strategies, could shake things up at any moment.

So, mental focus will also be decisive, especially for the top three in the World Championship. Verstappen, buoyed by his latest wins and comeback; Norris called upon to defend his lead with composure and Piastri who will try to overcome his difficult period.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | QATAR GP, MINARDI “A MENTAL BATTLE BETWEEN NORRIS-VERSTAPPE AND PIASTRI” proviene da Minardi.

It was a sensational weekend also on the side of the participation of the public with Monza, breaking all the attendance records, which demonstrated how much passion there is in Italy for Motorsport, with a spectacular invasion of the track.

Going back to the Grand Prix, I was left positively impressed with the sportiness, calmness and organization by McLaren when they asked Piastri, the current leader of the world championship, to give back to Norris the position he had lost due to a mistake by the team during the pit stop (a problem with the front left). Without wasting time, Oscar immediately let his teammate pass, who thanked him the gesture. I do not know how many other teams, and drivers, would have done the same thing. Amongst other things, McLaren wanted to give a strong message by setting the fastest lap of the race in the penultimate lap.

On the other hand, I did not like Toto Wolff’s comments after the race when he declared he was not satisfied with fifth and ninth places by Russell and Antonelli, highlighting that only one driver did well today, Max Verstappen. Such comments are not good for a team that is already experiencing a few problems. A TP should protect his team. I was surprised by the penalty for Antonelli which came on the last lap when the fact happened on the 46^th lap.

Fourth place overall for Ferrari that tried everything to exceed its potential by focussing on a low down-force setup. However, this result represents the maximum achievable with this car.

It was an excellent result for Albon, seventh with Williams, and then for Bortoleto just behind him with Sauber. Albon was able to overturn a qualifying session that ended only with fourteenth place, by fighting for the top positions by setting some very interesting times.

We await eight interesting rounds. In two weeks, at Baku, McLaren could confirm tits championship title. While the internal battle between its two drivers remains open.  While we wait for the Azerbaijan GP, I look forwards to seeing many of you at Imola for the 9^th edition of the Historic Minardi Day, where I expect to find the same enthusiasm experienced over the last few days at Monza. It would be a nice gesture towards all the collectors who, with great dedication and passion, often working in the evenings to prepare their cars to come to have fun on the track and to entertain the fans. I am looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | ITALIAN GP THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “VERSTAPPEN WAS STUNNING. WELL DONE MCLAREN FOR THE SPORTSMANSHIP. NOW EVERYONE AT THE HISTORIC MINARDI DAY” proviene da Minardi.

An excellent third place for George Russell who never gave up even though Mercedes was not perfect once again, especially during Antonelli’s tyre change. However, Antonelli still managed to take a point which should give his morale a boost. Now he has a month’s holiday to recharge his batteries and rediscover the right peace of mind for the last part of the season.

After Leclerc’s masterful lap in qualifying, Ferrari said goodbye to Hungary with fourth place. The driver from Monte Carlo was very candid after qualifying, declaring that he was absolutely surprised at having taken pole position because their real potential was for third or fourth place. Anyway, the collapse in performance after the second pit-stop was inexplicable, costing him over 37” (plus penalty) from Norris in just 30 laps, after running two thirds of the race at an excellent pace that allowed him to keep the two McLarens behind him.

It was another positive result for Sauber, with Bortoleto battling it out with his manager Fernando Alonso, finishing fifth. The Brazilian is putting his teammate in difficulty, confirming his excellent past in the lower formulas. After a few disappointing results, Aston Martin has been reborn, taking both cars into the points. A completely unexpected ninth place for Verstappen who, despite having fought tooth and nail, crossed the finish line more than seventy seconds behind McLaren.

We now have to wait almost four weeks before starting again with the Dutch Grand Prix.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | GP HUNGARY, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MCLAREN DOMINATES. FERRARI SLUMPS IN THE FINAL PART” proviene da Minardi.

The Hungaroring will be the last round before the (well-deserved) summer break and will most likely be the watershed moment for many realities, in particular, the smaller teams which will then have to make the important decision of whether to continue focussing on the season or to channel all their efforts towards 2026.

In particular, I refer to those teams occupying the second half of the ladder, led by Sauber with 43 points, followed by Racing Bulls (41), Aston Martin (36), Haas (35, and finally Alpine bringing up the rear with 20 points.  The gaps are very small and all it takes is a positive result (see Sauber’s podium in Silverstone with Hulkenberg) to turn the situation around. At the moment, Aston Martin is focussed on internal reorganization and 2026, with repercussions on the results on the track.

They take to a track that is practically a wide kart circuit where qualifying plays a crucial role. The weather could also be an unknown factor that should not be underestimated with highly variable temperatures throughout the weekend (expected to drop from about 30 degrees on the Friday to the 25° forecast for Sunday) with the possibility of rain as well. These changes could also have repercussions on the tyres, with Pirelli bringing the C3, C4 and C5. Usually, the evolution of performances during the weekend is very marked on this track, especially during the first two days. Graining could appear during Friday’s free practice and then gradually decrease as the cars rubberize the asphalt. High thermal wear is a factor that the drivers will have to deal with even in the qualifying lap, with the Soft tyre that – if not managed adequately – could put them in difficulty in the last two bends of the track, just as the supplier points out.

The Hungaroring will not be the stage of the last days of Formula 1 activity before the summer break. In fact, a session of tests for the developments of the tyres for 2026 will also be held at the circuit, scheduled for Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 August with the collaboration of Ferrari (one day), Racing Bulls (one day), McLaren (one day) and Alpine (two days). The tests will be used to decide on the designs for next year.

On the track front, it will be interesting to follow the internal battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris with the Australian winning in Belgium, extending his lead over his teammate. Positive signs came from Ferrari with Leclerc’s third place and Hamilton’s partial comeback, thus reinforcing their second place in the constructors’ championship.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | GP HUNGARY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “40 FORTY YEARS FROM THE FIRST EDITION AND THE MINARDI TEAM’S DEBUT IN F1” proviene da Minardi.

Ferrari got onto the podium with Leclerc, third across the finish line, consolidating second place on the constructors’ world championship. The driver from Monte Carlo paid a penalty of 20 seconds, but this can be seen in a positive light: it shows that the innovations introduced are working, especially considering the great power of the team led by Andrea Stella. Hamilton made up for his “mistake” in qualifying where his time was cancelled by a few millimetres: otherwise, he would have started from the top 5.

Fourth place for the usual Verstappen, after his extraordinary win in the Sprint where he was masterful. After a good qualifying session, Tsunoda was again outside the points zone.

At the moment, I see Mercedes in turmoil. Looking at the race times, Antonelli was faster than Russell, and I honestly do not understand the strategy adopted towards him at his best moment. Certainly, he made a mistake that compromised his qualifying, – and consequently the race – but I do not agree with the criticism levelled at him.

Another weekend in the points zone for Albon, who drove his Williams into sixth place, and for Bortoleto who is improving, as is his Sauber. This is not a surprise, considering his past in F3 and F2: Gabriel is confirming his skills on the track. Equally as positive was Lawson’s eighth place, for both him and Racing Bulls. This confirms that, too often, some decisions are made too hastily. Pierre Gasly closed the top 10 with an important point for Alpine which has a lot to review internally.

We have entered the second half of the championship that promises to be heated, especially in the back lots, with four teams within a handful of points. However, I would not rule out Alpine, currently in last place with 20 points: a successful weekend is enough to make up ground.

Hungary now awaits us, before the summer break.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | GP BELGIUM, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “I DO NOT SHARE THE CRITICISM OF ANTONELLI. FERRARI IS IMPROVING” proviene da Minardi.

All eyes are on Ferrari which will bring its new suspension to Belgium, already tested at Mugello during the 200km filming day. On a weekend which sees the return of the Sprint race and with only one session of free practice, on the Friday. This could be a strong signal from the team.

As usual, the weather will be an important variable: the forecasts predict mixed conditions, with a wet track for the Sprint Race, while qualifying and the GP should be run in dry conditions. On a track that is demanding track for both the cars and for the drivers – characterized by 19 bends, traction problems and engines under stress on the long straights – with the 1,900 metres of the Kemmel section, run under full throttle for 24 seconds, standing out.

For this round Pirelli has chosen three non-consecutive dry compounds: while Medium (C3) and soft (C4) are contiguous, the Hard will be the hardest of the 2025 range, namely C1. The use of two types of wet tyres, the Intermediate and the Extreme Wets, is not to be ruled out

We are entering into the second half of the season with two consecutive rounds (Belgium and Hungary) before the summer break. While there is little to say about the battle for the constructors’ title – solidly in the hands of McLaren – for the drivers’ title., with the internal battle between Piastri and Norris, there will certainly be plenty of interest, even when it happens behind the scenes.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | GP BELGIUM, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “FERRARI IS BETTING ON SPA, RED BULL CHANGES FACES” proviene da Minardi.

One of the main protagonists was out of the running right from the start, Max Verstappen, having been hit through no fault of his own by Antonelli who made a rookie’s mistake. I do not want to make excuses, but part of the responsibility also lies with the Mercedes team: they made some serious mistakes in qualifying, sending him onto the track too late. He started from a position that did not reflect either his value, or that of the car. I hope that he can quickly forget this episode, arriving in in good spirits at Silverstone where he took his first win in Formula 2 last year.

We saw a Ferrari that is improving, even though it still loses an average of 3 tenths of a second per lap. However, Leclerc’s third place and Hamilton’s fourth place were two encouraging results for the rest of the season, as we await the next developments planned in Great Britain. Furthermore, the Team took back second place in the World Constructior’s championship, behind McLaren. This too is a good sign for morale.

There was also a great performance by Racing Bulls, with Lawson deserving special praise, especially considering what he went through at the start of the season.

Fernando Alonso was equally impressive. He battled with Lawson for 70 laps, and he was fantastic defending against the attacks from “his” driver, Bortoleto. His gesture towards the Sauber driver at the end of the race was also very nice. The experience shows all his worth in battle.

It was an important grand prix for the second-tier teams which took valuable points, especially Racing Bulls, Sauber and Haas, making the most of the absence of a Red Bull and a Mercedes.

Gian Carlo Minardi

L'articolo F1 | GP AUSTRIA, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MCLAREN IS A SPACESHIP. ANTONELLI, A ROOKIE’S MISTAKE, BUT IT’S NOT ALL HIS FAULT” proviene da Minardi.