Archive for category: News

We have entered the final part of the season and the last seven grands prix, as planned, will be in the search for reliability. All the teams that have taken advantage to the fullest all three of the units are evaluating which will be the lesser evil: not incurring a penalty and running the risk of not finishing the race or attempting a comeback from last place on the grid by mounting the fourth power-unit.

 In Red Bull and Mercedes this choice was made in Russia with an excellent result for Max Verstappen who managed to recover up to second place also thanks to the arrival of the rain. Due to its characteristics, the Istanbul track could also favour this solution. Certainly Lewis Hamilton is on early warning after the problems suffered by Bottas and Latifi.

Even Ferrari opted for this solution by choosing the change for Sainz’s car. They are working a lot on the new engine in light of the next ban.

On the compounds front, Pirelli brought the C2-C3-C4 compounds but the organizers have cleaned the asphalt with hot water together with a strong jet making the asphalt more abrasive. This could lead to a race with two pit-stops rather than just one.

The challenge between McLaren and Ferrari for third place restarts with the team from Maranello in front of its rivals by a point. Red Bull will honour the partnership with Honda with a fully revamped livery. We expect an interesting grand prix on both the spectacle and technical sides. Friday morning’s practice could already give us the first confirmation.

Gian Carlo Minardi

I expect a weekend full of appointments and passion. Even if at Spa the duel for the world title between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen resumes after almost a month I expect many of you at the Imola Circuit for the fifth edition of the Historic Minardi Day. It will be a new beginning. We have put in place many protocols and we hope in the common sense and sportsmanship of all our fans and enthusiasts, as they have always shown in these years, for the weekend to unfold properly.

There is a lot of desire to go back onto the track, as the enthusiasts have shown which has allowed us to exceed 290 cars present, just like the data that is coming out of the early ticket sales. As always there will be two days of passion and entertainment with extraordinary cars that have made Motorsport history. There will be no lack of problems but we count on overcoming them with everybody’s help.

After the summer break the season restarts from a track that is as fabulous and demanding track as Spa-Francorchamps with a Mercedes that has partially recovered the gap with Red Bull. However, it is a Mercedes rattled internally by a number of rumours.

We are entering into the most complicate phase of the season where reliability will play a major, if not decisive, role in the final result. We expect three demanding circuits for the engine, in order: Belgium, Holland and Monza. Some teams have already mounted the third unit and must eventually decide when to take the penalty for a further change.

We are also entering into the hot part of the drivers’ market, even if the first confirmation has already come with the renewal of Fernando Alonso by Alpine. And it could not be otherwise… Two intense days await us and I hope to be able to meet you in the paddock and the pits of Imola.

Gian Carlo Minardi

After two grands prix on street circuits we return to a permanent circuit in which Mercedes has always done very well. It is a track with paved escape routes and characterized by two long straights and 15 curves that should certainly favour the two Mercedes. Verstappen can try to defend himself but it will be difficult for Red Bull to oppose them. The heat, as well as the wind, will be two characteristics that should not to be underestimated but I do not expect an exciting grand prix.

Ferrari comes from two positive results in which it showed positive growth and at the Paul Ricard the team is called to an important test in the fast curves but it must not lose sight of the objective of the third place in the World Championship by trying to oppose a McLaren that in the last two rounds has not exactly been up to par.

It will also be interesting to follow the development of Vettel and Alonso who at Baku put on display all their experience, especially in the re-start. For Vettel the podium will be a nice breath of fresh air and I hope he really has recovered from the crisis. By going from Ferrari to Aston Martin this year he has put himself in discussion. Unlike Monte Carlo and Baku, Le Castellet is a track where the car and engine are fundamental. The driver’s skill can make less of a difference.

Gian Carlo Minardi

After a year’s absence Formula has come back to Monte Carlo. It will certainly be a very interesting weekend considering the close battle between various teams and I expect a very hard fought qualifying. For pole position and the front row, excepting upsets, it will be a duel between Mercedes and Red Bull with Hamilton and Verstappen ready to give us new emotions. However, keep an eye on the outsiders who are ready to place themselves amongst the number two drivers. At the moment Perez is taking the measure of the new car and could be more vulnerable.

Even if I would like to see Ferrari on the podium I believe it will not be an easy result to achieve, especially the heavy gaps paid in the previous GPs.

We come to Monte Carlo with two new developments in McLaren: a completely new livery to honour a major sponsor (a major signal for the future of the World Championship) and the renewal Lando Norris’ contract for further two seasons.

In these weeks I have heard and read a lot of criticism of Nikita Mazepin. Maybe he bit off more than he can chew and his arrival in the top flight was premature but making certain sentences after barely three rounds is excessive. In the recent past the press criticized Lance Stroll very heavily but he now holds his own with a four times world champion and has all five of Aston Martin’s points to his credit. His team mate could also suffer at this moment. It is right to give him time and the chance to grow,

Gian Carlo Minardi

Having said goodbye to Imola Formula 1 continues its journey in the old continent stopping this weekend in Portugal on the Portimao track for the third round. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are separated by only one point with a win each and I hope that this head to head could be a constant factor for all the season.

Last year Portimao entertained us like Imola did two weeks ago which shows that the “historic circuits” represent a guarantee for F1 where the unexpected is just around the corner. We are faced with a season that is particular and of transition as we await the new regulations in 2022 but also full of novelties such as the Qualifying Race (a 100km race) which will makes its debut soon at Silverstone. This is certainly an important signal that could change the panorama of F1 on both the technical and sporting sides. Important scenarios can be opened and must be welcomed in a positive way. We can draw the conclusions only after having tried it.

At Portimao it will be interesting to see the forces on the field we saw in Imola will be confirmed, beyond the supremacy between Mercedes and Red Bull with a good struggle between McLaren and Ferrari for third place. From the first grands prix a big gap between the two top teams and the rest of the group has not emerged.

Amongst this year’s novelties the teams and FIA are gaining confidence with the budget cap and the checks carried out but the rest of the idea which, even if it is an important and interesting tool, it must be changed. To really see the results it will be necessary that all the items must be included, without exception.

Gian Carlo Minardi

And here we are. Formula 1 is finally ready to start again with a season, despite it being of transition, full of new developments not only on the driver’s market but also from the technical point of view. Despite the restrictions imposed by the Federation to reduce the aerodynamic load the engineers have already shown they have made up the gap allowing the drivers to race with times that are already very close to those of 2020 despite only three days of tests.

I find it absolutely absurd that the teams have been able to enjoy only these three days of training to prepare for such a long season. They better not come and tell me that they do so for a matter of limiting the costs.

Amongst other things the budget cap will also make its debut this year which I will continue to oppose for how it has been put together. It is not at all functional. In order to make sense it must include all the expenses, without any exclusion. A team must be free to manage its assets without exclusions that still create differences. As it has been structured it does nothing for the spectacle and much less to create equality between the teams.

A season with many unknown factors starts from Bahrain and, to date, it is very hard to establish a ladder of the forces in the field, even if, as far as I am concerned, Mercedes remains the point of reference for everybody despite an uneasy start (as far as could be seen). I had an excellent impression from Red Bull and Honda, as well as Alpha Tauri. McLaren knew how to adapt the chassis very well to the new Mercedes engine. There are many young drivers at the start, with some “old men” such as the return of Fernando Alonso with Alpine’s colours and the 42 year old Raikonnen ready for a new season.

The Sakhir track hosted the third and second last rounds of the 20202 season. Therefore, we will quickly have an interesting comparison.

Let us hope that the pandemic will slow down and give the opportunity to experience a full calendar, even if it will not be easy. After Bahrain F1 will come to Europe, in Imola for the second round. However, Liberty Media has also been called to deal with another major problem, tied to the sporting and technical programmes tied to the 2025. Formula 1 must open itself to the new realities by intervening heavily on the registration fee which is absolutely too high.

Gian Carlo Minardi