600 CARS EXPECTED AT THE 9TH EDITION OF THE HISTORIC MINARDI DAY SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 13-14 TO CELEBRATE THE 40TH ANNIVERSAY OF THE MINARDI TEAM. TICKETS ON SALE IN ADVANCE ON TICKETONE

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Imola -MINARDI DAY

600 cars are expected on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit for the 9th edition of the Historic Minardi Day.

The event born from the passion of the Minardi family, in collaboration with Formula Imola, is ready to make thousands of fans experience Motorsport once again thanks to the tickets (daily-subscription-VIP which is reserved to adults 16 years and over with access to Pit Lane and Paddock 2 parking) which are available on TicketOne (https://www.ticketone.it/artist/historic-minardi-day/). They will give access to the more exclusive areas of the facility to celebrate, among other things, the 40th anniversary of the Minardi Team’s debut in the world Formula 1 championship with exclusive merchandise that will be available for purchase at the circuit.

There will be historic F1 cars to thrill visitors and reawaken indelible memories, starting with the 1974 Lotus 72E/5, up to the 2005  Minardi PS04/B passing through the Tyrrell P34 of 1976 and 1977, the March Beta 761 (1976), Wolf WR 1 (1977), Arrows A/1 (1978), Merzario F1A3 (1979), Shadow DN12 (1980), Lotus Type 91 (1982), Ferrari 126 C4 (1984), Osella Alfa Romeo FA1G (1986), Minardi M189 (1989), Monteverdi (1990), Fondmetal GR03 (1991), Ferrari 412 T1 (1994), due Williams FW33 (2011), together with the replica McLaren MP4-15 built with masterly care in its details by its owner and enriched this year by the autograph of MIKA HAKKINEN. Directly from Balcarce, Argentina, the city of the five times Formula 1 world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, comes the McLaren created by the CRESPI company for the series “Senna” which will be taken to the track by Luciano Crespi wearing the unforgettable original helmet and overalls of the unforgettable Ayrton, thanks to the private collection of Salvatore Apicella, owner and custodian of the “MUSEO DELLE LEGGENDE” (Museum of the legends) in Pavia.

Not to be outdone are the Formula 2 cars with the Brabham BT16 (1965), the March BMW 742 (1974) and 772 (1977), the Chevron B48 driven by Siegfried Stohr (1979), Minardi M283B (1983) protagonist of the 1984 F2 European Championship with Pierluigi Martini and Alessandro Nannini, Formula 3 – Dallara, Martini, Bellasi, Tattuus, Reynard, Chevron, Mygale, Ralt – F3000 including the Reynard Judd 91D, Ralt RT 20B, Reynard 89d, Lola F3000 formerly driven by Helmut Marko, Formula Dallara Nissan 3000c World Series, A1GP, GP2, Prototypes – Lola T70 MK 3B,  Ginetta LMP2, Lucchini, Radical, Chevron, ATS, ARL SPIRE GTR – GT, GTS and Historic GT, also thanks to the important and decisive contribution of the  Scuderia Nuvolari Italia, including the Alfa Giulia GTA, Porsche, De Tomaso Pantera, Jaguar E-Type, Alfa Romeo TZ Le Mans Classic, McLaren M1C Can-Am, the 1989 Lancia Delta Integrale, Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo DTM, right up to the more modern Ferrari 296, McLaren, Lotus, Porsche, Maserati, Alfa Romeo offering something to suit all tastes. The Alfa Romeo brand in particular will be represented by the Scuderia del Portello Alfa Romeo with nine gems from its Museo Dinamico Alfa Romeo storiche da competizione (Dynamic Museum of historic Alfa Romeo racing cars) and the Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo (R.I.A.R, Italian Alfa Romeo Registry) with another five models. Also on the track will be the extraordinary supercars and hypercars created from the flair of Horacio Pagani, Lamborghini, Dallara, Juri Pambuffetti (PJ01) and the Mazdas. These are just some of the cars that will be featured at the 2025 Historic Minardi Day.

The packed programme of the event is enriched by the ACI Storico Festival. On Saturday 13 there will be the Mugello Street Circuit; a historical reenactment of one of the most iconic races featuring vintage and road-going Gran Turismo cars produced up to 2000, starting from Florence and ending in the Mugello in Tuscany covering 316 km, and passing through the Imola circuit. Sunday 14, the Raduno Terre di Romagna (Lands of the Romagna Rally), organized by AC Ravenna, will see 130 teams depart from the circuit (10.00am) and head to Faenza to visit the Racing Bulls F1 Team, before returning to the track for the parade and the closing of the event.

In addition to the activity on the track, there will be numerous events in the Conference Room including many not to be missed book presentations by the most authoritative authors of Motorsport and award ceremonies (the entire programme is available on the official website https://www.minardiday.it/intrattenimento-minardi-day/). Sunday 14 from Noon to 12,45pm, Gian Carlo Minardi will meet the press for an open debate. It will be an opportunity to take stock of the event, share thoughts on the current state of motorsport and to talk about future prospects and projects. The Media Centre will host the art exhibitions, “Ayrton attraverso i colori” (Ayrton through colours) with works by Alessandro Rasponi and “Immagini Ritrovate” (Rediscovered images) by Gianni Cancellieri. On Saturday (11am to Noon), in the Briefing Room Cancellieri will present his book. On Saturday 13, on the occasion of the photo shoot on the track with all the protagonists (about 1pm) the “Memorial Nando” award will be presented. There will be a plenty of entertainment in the Paddock area with professional simulators, model cars, a car village, a bookshop, a LEGO® exhibition, sportswear and much more.

F1 | DUTCH GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “FROM A POSSIBLE ANOMALOUS GP TO A LIVELY RACE”

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Despite the premises for a possible anomalous grand prix, we saw a lively race marked by three safety-cars, and with many surprises, starting with Piastri’s excellent start and Verstappen’s masterpiece in managing the car that was about to get out of control.

The first four drivers lapped with impressive times, including Hadjar who took third place on the field, starting with his position on the grid, despite the problems that affected the two Ferrari drivers, Norris and Russell.

With Norris’ retirement due to reliability issues, the Australian stashed away twenty-five points in their direct battle. Even without the retirement, Piastri would still have gained, as Norris himself admitted that he would not have gone beyond second place. It is an important result in the battle for the title between the two McLaren drivers, which remains open anyway as we have nine intense races ahead, also considering the possible penalties for the replacement of components, or reliability issues, as we saw today.

Important points for the constructors’ ladder were won by Albon and Bearman, finishing fifth and sixth respectively with Williams and Haas. Hadjar’s third place takes Racing Bulls to only two points behind Aston Martin. The battle is intensifying, as is the one between Ferrari and Mercedes for second place. With the double retirement by the team from Maranello and Russell’s fourth place, the lead of the” red” cars has been reduced to just twelve points.

It was a rookie mistake by Hamilton. After showing signs of recovery during free practice, he was behind Leclerc in qualifying to then drop out from the race.

In seven days, they will go back on track, and we head to Monza amid many unknown factors.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | DUTCH GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “PUSHING FOR TWO PIT STOPS! MCLAREN FAVOURITE BUT KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER”

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As we await the 9th edition of the Historic Minardi Day scheduled to take place on 13 and 14 September at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit, we look ahead at the fifteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship which will be held in Holland, at the Zandvoort Circuit, home of world champion Verstappen.

There are several factors that could make this Grand Prix interesting, starting with Pirelli’s choice to bring softer compounds than 12 months ago, aiming at C2, C3 and C4. The impression is that everything is being done to push the teams towards two pit stops, as demonstrated by FIA’s decision to increase the speed limit in pit lane to 80km/hour (compared to the previous 60 km/hour). I find this last choice quite questionable.

As far as the weather is concerned, temperatures are not expected to be particularly high, ranging between 15° and 19°C, with the chance of intermittent rain and rather strong winds over the weekend. It is needless to say that McLaren will be the car to beat but with all these unknown factors it is hard to make predictions.

The battle in the second half of the ladder is always interesting, with four teams very close together. This is very exciting for a fan like me.

In recent days the anticipation of the GP has been heightened by Cadillac’s press release that announced Bottas and Perez as its official drivers. Since this is a new reality, I would have expected a more forward-looking choice, perhaps with a young driver paired with an expert one.

There have also been rumours about the future of Colapinto. The young man must be left to work in peace, and I hope that these weeks off have helped him to regain his composure and to put the mistakes he made during the first part of the season behind him, the last one during a test. Let us not forget that Alpine also has several internal problems to resolve since it is currently the team at the bottom of the table.

Gian Carlo Minardi

AT THE 9TH MINARDI DAY, AN INTENSE PROGRMME IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM WITH PRESENTATIONS OF BOOKS AND AWARDS CEREMONIES

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The intense programme of the 9th edition of the Historic Minardi Day scheduled for September 13 and 14 at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit continues to grow, as does the incredible fleet of cars

In addition to the intense activity on the track with the exhibitions of extraordinary historical cars including 20 Formula 1 Minardi, Ferrari, Williams, Lotus, Tyrrell, March, Monteverdi, Merzario, Wolf, Fondmetal, Shadow, Arrows, GP2, Formula 2, Formula 3, F3000, Formula Junior, Historic GT, Prototypes that wrote the most important pages of international Motorsport, together with cars from the Scuderia Tazio Nuvolari, Scuderia del Portello Alfa Romeo, and the Raduno Terre di Romagna (Lands of the Romagna Rally) within the ACI Storico Festival, to the elegance and the technology of Pagani, Dallara, Lamborghini, Pambuffetti and Mazda Hypercars and Supercars, The programme is enriched by many activities within the paddock area, with areas dedicated to numerous activities from the professional simulators, to model cars, the car village and the LEGO® exhibition. Do not miss the presentations of books by the most authoritative names in Motorsport in the Conference Room.

APPOINTMENT IN THE BOOKSHOP – THE PROGRAMME

 Programme for SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER, Imola Circuit, – Conference Room

10.00 to 11.00: Presentation of the book L’ultimo garagista: La storia della Forti Corse raccontata da chi l’ha vissuta (The last gearhead: The history of Forti Corse told by who lived it) by Claudio Maglieri and Gianfabio Forti

11.00 – 12.00: The Alboreto Prize, presented to Max Angelelli

12.00 – 12.50: Presentation of the book Senna, Le Verità (Senna, The Truths) with the author Franco Nugnes

14.30 – 15.30: Presentation of the book Quella volta che… memorie di vita e di corse (The time when…memories of life and races) by Ivan Capelli

15.30 – 16.30: Presentation of the book CRAZY RACERS I “folli” del Motorsport (CRAZY RACERS The “madmen” of Motorsport) by Mario Donnini and new illustrations by Giorgio Serra “Matitaccia”

16.30 – 17.30: Presentation of the book FORMULA 1 2023/2024 La tecnica – Technical insights (FORMULA 1 2024/2024 The technology – Technical insights) (Hot topics 2025) by Paolo Filisetti

17.30 – 18.30: Presentation of the book 5 anni di Formula 1 – 2018 – 2022 Cronache tecnico-umoristiche (5 years of Formula 1 2018 – 2022 technical humorous chronicles) by Herbert Stohr

 Programme SUNDAY 14 SEPTEMBER, Imola Circuit – Conference Room

9.00 – 10.00: Presentation of the book I primi 50 anni del Club Gilles Villeneuve di Erbè (The first 50 years of the Gilles Villeneuve Club of Erbè) by Stefano Benedetti

10.00 – 11.00: Presentation of the book Ferrari crisi e riscatto. Da Surtees a Hamilton, dissidi, tragedie, flop e grandi trionfi della Rossa in Formula 1 (Ferrari crisis and redemption. From Surtees to Hamilton, disputes, tragedies, flops and great triumphs of the Red Car in Formula 1) by Adriano Cisario

11.00 – 12.00: Presentation of the book Rivivere Ayrton (Reliving Ayrton) by Mario Donnini with the participation of the artist Alessandro Rasponi and the Associazione Tifoseria Ayrton Senna Italia (Italian Association of Ayrton Senna Fans)

12.00 – 12.45: Press conference with Gian Carlo Minardi

14.30 – 15.30: Presentation of the book Parole di corsa (Racing words) by Emiliano Maria Savini

15.30 – 17.30: Presentation of the book Un’estate lunga dieci anni – L’avventura della Scuderia DIEMME (A ten-year summer – The adventure of the Scuderia DIEMME) by Enrico Borghi and Marco Balbi

To make sure not to miss the packed programme of the 9th edition of the Historic Minardi Day, scheduled for the weekend of 13-14 September, tickets can be bought on TicketOne (https://www.ticketone.it/artist/historic-minardi-day/). All the information is available on the website www.minardiday.it.

EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING FOR THE 9TH EDITION OF THE HISTORIC MINARDI DAY SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 13TH -14TH TO CELEBRATE THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MINARDI TEAM. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ON TICKETONE

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Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit, Passion returns to the track on the occasion of the 9th edition of the Historic Minardi Day which promises to be a record-breaking event in both quality and quantity with track sessions almost sold-out.

The event created by the Minardi family, in collaboration with Formula Imola, is ready to spark once again the passion of the thousands of fans (in 2024 there were more than 17,000) who, thanks to the tickets (daily-subscriptions-VIP, the latter reserved for adults 16 years and over with access to Pit-Lane and Paddock 2 parking) already available on TicketOne (https://www.ticketone.it/artist/historic-minardi-day/), will be able to access the most exclusive areas of the facility, experiencing the event as protagonists. It will also be an opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the debut of the Minardi Team in Formula 1 which took place on April 4, 1980, on Brazil’s Jacarepagua Circuit at 9.30am during the first free practice session, with new merchandize available in the circuit.

In the 15  sessions scheduled for each day, extraordinary Formula 1 racing cars that wrote memorable pages will take turns on the track, including the Tyrrel P34 and P34B, Lotus 72 E/5 and TYPE 91, Ferrari, Fondmetal, Shadow, Wolf, Motoverdi, Williams, March, McLaren, Arrows, Merzario and, of course Minardi, to mention but a few (the entry list is continuously being updated).

There will also be Formula 3000 cars such as Reynard, Lola and Ralt, F2 that forged great champions including the 1979 Chevron B48 of Siegfried Stohr, the 1977 March BMW 772, and the 1983 Minardi M283B-BMW, Formula Junior, Formula Italia, Formula Abarth, Formula Ford, GP2, Prototypes like the Lucchini Alfa Romeo, SR2, P392 with the iconic Martini Racing livery, GT, GTS and Historic GT such as the 1947 McLaren M1C Can-Am, Porsche 993 3.8 RSR, the 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ Le Mans Classic, the 1973 De Tomaso Pantera, the unmistakable 1989 Lancia Delta Integrale, Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo DTM, thanks also to the important and decisive contribution of the Scuderia Nuvolari Italia, up to the more modern Ferrari 296, McLaren, Lotus, Porsche, Maserati, Alfa Romeo for a line-up that satisfies all the tastes of the fans. The Scuderia del Portello Alfa Romeo will be the protagonist with nine gems from its Museo Dinamico Alfa Romeo storiche da competizione (Dynamic Museum of historic Alfa Romeo racing cars) including the Formulas Alfa Boxer and Tatuus Monza, the Giulia TZ, 75 Superturismo, GTV2000, 33 CIVM, two GTAm models and the exclusive Berlinetta Effeffe. On the track there will also be supercars and hypercars created by the flair of Horacio Pagani, Lamborghini, Dallara, Juri Pambuffetti (PJ01) and the Mazdas. These are just some of the cars that will be featured in the 2025 Historic Minardi Day.

The packed programme of the ninth edition of the Historic Minardi Day is further enriched by the ACI Storico Festival which will feature the Raduno Terre di Romagna (Lands of the Romagna rally) on September 14, organized by the AC Ravenna. This event was made possible thanks to the valuable collaboration of (in alphabetical order):  AC Ancona, AC Bologna, AC Ferrara, AC Firenze, AC Forlì, AC Modena, AC Pistoia, AC Ravenna e AC Rimini. As per tradition, the programme is packed with events, starting with the departure from the Imola Circuit of the 100 teams enrolled that will pass through Faenza to visit the Racing Bulls F1 Team to then return to the track for the parade and the close of the event.

In addition to the activities on the track, there will be events in the Conference Room with many presentations of books and award ceremonies (the whole programme is available on the official website https://www.minardiday.it/intrattenimento-minardi-day/), featuring some of the most authoritative names of Motorsport such as  Franco Nugnes “Senna, Le Verità”  (Senna, the truths), Mario Donnini “CRAZY RACERS I “folli” del Motorsport” (Crazy racers, the madmen of Motorsport), Paolo Filisetti “FORMULA 1 2023/2024 La tecnica”  (Formula 1 2023/2024 Technology), Emiliano Maria Savini “Parole di corsa”  (Racing words), Heribert Stohr “5 Anni di Formula 1 2018 – 2022 Cronache tecnico-umoristiche” (Formula 1 2018-2022 Technical-humorous news reports). During the intense programme the following volumes will be presented: L’ultimo garagista: La storia della Forti Corse raccontata da chi l’ha vissuta by Claudio Maglieri and Gianfabio Forti (The last gearhead: the history of Forti Racing told by who experienced it), Quella volta che… memorie di vita e di corse by Ivan Capelli (The time that… memories of the life and races)  I primi 50 anni del Club Gilles Villeneuve by Erbè di Stefano Benedetti (The first 50 years of the Gilles Villeneuve Club),  Ferrari crisi e riscatto. Da Surtees a Hamilton, dissidi, tragedie, flop e grandi trionfi della Rossa in Formula 1 by Adriano Cisario (Ferrari crisis and redemption. From Surtees to Hamilton, disputes, tragedies, flops and great triumphs of the Red Car in Formula 1), and  Un’estate lunga dieci anni – L’avventura della Scuderia DIEMME by Enrico Borghi and Marco Balbi (A ten year long summer-The adventure of the DIEMME Team). Sunday 14, from noon to 12.45 Gian Carlo Minardi will meet with the Press for an open discussion. This will be the opportunity to take stock of the event, share reflections of the current state of motorsport, and discuss prospects and future projects. Saturday 13, during the photo shoot on the track with all the protagonists (1.00pm) the “Nando Memorial” Prize will be presented. There will be plenty of entertainment in the Paddock area with professional simulators, model cars, the car village and the LEGO® exhibition.

F1 | GP HUNGARY, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MCLAREN DOMINATES. FERRARI SLUMPS IN THE FINAL PART”

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At the Hungaroring McLaren scored its seventh one-two finish of the season, the fourth in a row, demonstrating its overwhelming domination. So far both Norris and Piastri have been the protagonists of a very fair duel, the likes of which we have rarely seen. They knew how to manage any type of strategy in the best way possible, changing them (rightly so) between the two drivers, with Norris earning the win on the track.

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

F1 | GP HUNGARY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “40 FORTY YEARS FROM THE FIRST EDITION AND THE MINARDI TEAM’S DEBUT IN F1”

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For the fourteenth round of the World Championship, Formula 1 arrives at the Hungaroring in Budapest to cross the line of the 40th edition – just like the years since the Minardi Team’s debut in the F1 World Championship – with eleven rounds still to go.

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

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

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Spa-Francorchamps certainly gave us an eventful Gran Prix, as often happens in such wet track conditions, and in looking for safety: we had to wait an hour and a half before the start. It was a race that confirmed McLaren’s dominance, with Piastri demonstrating he has something more compared to Norris. His overtaking maneuver was a masterpiece, as was his overall management of the race. He made two minor mistakes, which can happen on a track like Spa.

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

F1 | GP BELGIUM, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “FERRARI IS BETTING ON SPA, RED BULL CHANGES FACES”

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After a three-week break and a few shake ups – see Red Bull –, Formula 1 is getting ready to switch on the engines for the halfway point of the season. Spa-Francorchamps promises to be a very important race in many ways. As already stated, it will be the first without Horner on the pit wall for Red Bull, while Mercedes should have reached a definitive solution on the drivers’ front.

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

F1 | THE BRITISH GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “CHAOS AND SPECTACLE: MCLAREN DOMINATED, HULKENBERG ON THE PODIUM, DISASTER FOR FERRARI”

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Silverstone gave us a race that was as crazy as it was spectacular, marked by many mistakes by teams and drivers, with Ferrari and Mercedes among the protagonists in the negative way.

The absolute star of the weekend was McLaren that showed a race pace two seconds per lap faster than its rivals. A disarming, and in some ways worrying, superiority built on an excellent aerodynamic downforce. It was a shame for Oscar Piastri who compromised his race when the safety car returned; a trivial mistake, but one that cost him dearly. More than a win for Norris, it seemed like a race lost by the Australian.

Applause also for Sauber and Nico Hulkenberg, starting 19th, the German finished on the podium behind the two McLarens, taking the first podium of his career. His was an impeccable race in which he knew how to make the most of the mistakes by others.

Disappointment for both Ferrari and Mercedes, where Hamilton, without the mistake, could easily have aimed for the podium. It went even worse for Charles Leclerc, sunk by questionable strategy and by a few personal mistakes: it was a Sunday to forget.

Kimi Antonelli was also unlucky, forced to refire after being rear ended by Lawson who badly damaged the rear of the Mercedes. Once again, the young Italian talent found himself out of position due to faulty strategy.

After Saturday’s extraordinary pole position Max Verstappen finished fifth. He was penalized by a spin and a setup that was too focused on dry conditions. The Red Bull, lacking downforce, suffered in the wet conditions.

Such unusual conditions often give us unpredictable placings: aside from the first two places, standing out are the names of teams and drivers that seemed destined for anonymity after qualifying. Shining were Sauber and Alpine which were able to capitalize on the opportunity. Aston Martin took home valuable points with Stroll in seventh place and Alonso in ninth

The next round, Spa-Francorchamps at the end of July.

Gian Carlo Minardi

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”

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McLaren put on show all its technical supremacy, giving us a battle between Norris and Piastri that was as good as it was fair, especially in the first 20 laps.  Luckily, they were there to entertain us, otherwise there was little to see behind them, except for a few good battles. Their technical advantage is such that the two drivers can battle it out cleanly, and now it seems that they can only lose the races.

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

F1 | GP AUSTRIA, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “QUALIFYING DECIDED BY THOUSANDTHS OF A SECOND”

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Formula 1 arrives in Austria’s Red Bull Ring where the teams will find unusually hot weather with temperatures that could reach 30° waiting for them. This is surely an unusual setting for this GP which, together with the very abrasive asphalt, could put the C3-C4-C5 chosen to Pirelli to the test.

Additionally, gravel traps have been added to bends 9 and 10 in order to limit the track limits between the kerbs and the concrete escape ramp which could cause difficulties for the drivers.

So, it promises to be a hot weekend both in terms of the weather, and in terms of sport, with the management of the tyres playing a very important role. Let us not forget that last year the 4,318m of the track were covered in barely 1:04.314 (Max Verstappen’s best time). This translates into a fiery qualifying session, probably decided by thousandths of a second where the slightest slip is enough to risk not making it through to the next round.

Despite the result in Canada, McLaren remains the car of reference, but we must keep an eye on Mercedes, on the rise after Russell’s first win of the season and the first podium of his career by Antonelli. Ferrari will take to the track with a new skid pad which should resolve the ground clearance problems pending further developments in England. Never underestimate the usual Verstappen who is racing at home, together with the team.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP CANADA, THE POINT BY CARLO MINARDI “KIMI, AN AMAZING PODIUM. HE HELD HIS OWN AGAINST THE SHARKS. NORRIS, WHAT A MISTAKE!!”

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Kimi Antonelli’s podium finish in the Canadian Grand Prix represents a moment that is as wonderful as it is important for Italian motor racing. This podium came after three hard grands prix for the driver from Bologna, mainly due to reliability problems.

At 18 years of age, he was the protagonist of an extraordinary race in a very hard context such as the Montreal track. If we analyze his lap times, we can see that in some circumstances he was even faster than his teammate, who won the race. Hats off to Toto Wolff and Mercedes who invested in him, but, above all, congratulations to him for earning this result on the track.

From the very first curve he made himself the master and then managed a very tight race in the best way possible, with five cars separated by barely five seconds with ten laps to go.  Apart from the mistake that involved the two McLaren drivers, with Norris confirming all his mental fragility, Antonelli was able to keep behind the current leader of the world championship. Piastri, who last year was in the battle for the title until the end, Norris, by twice attacking the two times reigning world champion Max Verstappen who managed to avoid being overtaken by making the most of the strategy by quickly entering the pits to change tyres.

He was surrounded by sharks, and he did not let himself be intimidated despite being the youngest and the least experienced. Let us not forget that experience cannot be bought at the supermarket but can only be acquired on the track without making mistakes. Just like he did today. This result can help us make the Italian system grow and credit also goes to ACI Sport.

In addition to Kimi’s podium, Mercedes also “took home” the first win of the season thanks to George Russell. The changes introduced in Canada paid off, earning them second place on the constructors’ ladder. For the first time since the start of the season McLaren finished a GP off the podium.

Fifth and sixth places for Ferrari.  This result reflects the current strength of this car. In a championship that is still very long and hard fought there will be room to recover. For now, those at Maranello can console themselves with the third successive win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Certainly, having cars in the first four positions is an incredible result, synonymous with competitiveness and reliability. Obviously, they still know how to build winning cars.

Now we wait to see what will happen in Austria.

Gian Carlo Minardi