Archive for category: The Point by Gian Carlo Minardi

The Chinese Grand Prix, the second round of the world championship, confirmed the values in the field with McLaren bringing home the team’s first one-two ahead of an excellent Russell, once again on the podium, Max Verstappen and the pair of Ferraris.

Compared to what we saw a week ago in Melbourne, some positive signs certainly came from Ferrari, but I am convinced that even without the problem with his right front wing, Leclerc would not have been able to fight for the win. A win that, however, came in the sprint with Hamilton, who also took the pole position.

I believe it is precisely in this difference of performance, between the Sprint and the GP, that the real problem lies with the SF-25 which must race very low to be competitive. Qualifying, the Sprint and the race, are fertile ground, dictated by the limited mileage (100km), and less fuel on board. This situation changes drastically in the run up to the GP. To avoid wearing the skid pad, they are forced to raise the car, thus sacrificing performance. This, however, did not allow them to avoid the disqualification of both cars (even if for different reasons between Leclerc and Hamilton) that came when the race was already over, thus cancelling the fifth and sixth places.

Red Bull has quite a different problem, if we can call it that, in the sense that it finds itself once again racing with only one driver, Max Verstappen. However, it is not possible that whoever comes alongside him has such enormous difficulties. It is probably a very difficult car to drive and manage, having been built entirely around the Dutchman who has a particular style of driving, putting his teammates in difficulty. I find it hard to imagine a different explanation, since the same “cousins” let themselves be faster and better performing than Lawson.

Racing Bulls managed to wipe out an excellent job by the team and its drivers with a totally wrong strategy that kept them outside the top 10 despite Ferrari’s double disqualification. They threw away important points, to the advantage of their direct rivals.

Once again, I would like to congratulate the rookies. Particularly Isack Hadjar who redeemed the bad impression in Australia, while I found the Jack Doohan’s penalty excessive. Well done “Kimi” Antonelli, once again in the points with the Mercedes and without making any mistakes, he occupies fifth place in the overall ladder.

Now we move to Japan, to Suzuka, another demanding “old style” track characterized by sandy escape routes.

Gian Carlo Minardi

In this chaos of penalties, the only certainty is called Max Verstappen who took his latest win, demonstrating once again that he is a champion with a great vision of the race: from the mirrors he noticed the irregularity committed by Lando Norris.

Honestly, although probably necessary, I do not share these changes within the Federation a few races left in the world championship. The FIA must take another step forward in the professional management of its structure. In recent weeks we seen several changes, the fruit of palpable internal nervousness. Despite some penalties being dictated by the guidelines (we are still waiting for the decision on Piastri), other decisions have left me perplexed: Verstappen’s penalty in post-qualifying, both due to the motivation and the type of  penalty, or not “calling” the Virtual Safety-Car for the removal of the mirror lost by Albon, subsequently hit by Bottas that led to the punctures of Sainz and Hamilton.

On the race front, both Norris and Piastri were the protagonists of some ingenuities which are part of professional growth, but that they should try to avoid, above all for the sake of the team. In any case, I do not think McLaren will have problems taking the world constructors’ championship back to Woking, having, as of today, a twenty-one-point lead over Ferrari.

Ferrari said goodbye to Quatar with second place, as positive as it was unhoped-for. For once the wheel turned in their favour, especially for Leclerc who took himself within eight points from Norris.

Also, among the surprises were Gasly’s fifth place with Alpine and the first points for Sauber, thanks to Zhou’s eight place.  Gasly made himself the protagonist of a positive weekend, once again demonstrating his qualities in a team that found its stimulus again and the way to emerge by consolidating itself as the sixth force in the world championship.

We are heading towards the last round in Abu Dhabi, already the scene for unforeseen upsets in the past, with the open battle between Ferrari-McLaren,  Norris-Leclerc for second place and Alpine-Haas for sixth place.

As long as the Brazil Grand Prix continues to be scheduled in this part of the year, we will have races strongly affected by the rain and the weather.

We witnessed a Sprint Race won by Norris, ahead of Piastri with Max Verstappen the protagonist of some mistakes that took him to a penalty, something that he did not do during the grand prix managing to outclass the direct rivals. From the 46^th lap he made himself the protagonist consistently setting fast laps, outpacing his adversaries by more than five tenths of a second. The second fastest lap of the race is found a more than second slower (Verstappen: 1:20.472  – Norris: 1:21.517).

He gave an important signal, making it clear that his three titles were not won by chance, and that the fourth is coming. Let us not forget he started from sixteenth place on the grid. It will certainly not be easy for Norris to make up the 62-point gap, not only because there are only three rounds, but above all because he is up against a great driver who, once again, cancelled his teammate: absolutely irrelevant for the whole weekend, the protagonist of various mistakes and also ridiculed by Lawson.

After the last two grands prix won, Ferrari partially disappointed with Leclerc only fifth. Who disappointed in particular was Carlos Sainz, who made mistakes in both qualifying and the race.

It was a decidedly favourable weekend for Alpine that, thanks to the double podium, took sixth place on the constructors’ ladder. An unhoped-for result only a week ago, which certainly came thanks to the weather conditions that mitigated the problems of the power-unit, but also to excellent work by the team and its two drivers. In these difficult conditions they were competitive.

Instead, it was decidedly underwhelming grand prix for McLaren that ended the long Sunday with only sixth and seventh places, and a number of mistakes by the poleman Norris.

It was a weekend decidedly conditioned by the bad weather that put a strain on the drivers – who made various mistakes – but also the race management that was first forced to delay qualifying until Sunday morning, and then to abort the start following Stroll’s  mistake in the formation lap, until the red flag was shown due to the difficult track conditions  and Colapinto’s  going off the track.

Precisely Williams was the “victim” of a number of incidents which had a major impact on costs. I believe that Colapinto could come into the financial operation aimed at balancing the finances considering that the team from Grove already has two drivers under contract for 2025 (Albon and Sainz) and that Red Bull is racing with only one driver…

So far, the race marshals have not commented on the investigation begun due to the departure of some drivers, despite the display of the flashing lights for an aborted start. In fact, at different times, all the drivers left the starting grid (with the sole exception of Sainz who started from pit-lane). I am of the opinion that any penalties should be assigned quickly, but, in any case, the track has already given its verdict.

In addition to the bad weather, the race was also strongly conditioned by the red flag, which was shown too quickly because they then restarted with the same conditions and tyres (intermediates). Among other things, it was shown in a time that strongly affected in a negative way the Racing Bulls that had guessed the strategy and the best moment for passing onto the full-wets. I find that the team was deprived of a very important result. It could have found itself in Alpine’s place.

It was certainly not easy for the race marshals and the Federation to manage this type of race, but I believe it would take a uniform work group throughout the season, especially for minimizing possible non-uniformity of views.

We leave this demanding weekend behind and prepare to experience the final three rounds in which rain should not be a problem.

Gian Carlo Minardi

The three races in America started with an extraordinary double by Ferrari. Charles Leclerc was the protagonist of a perfect start. That type of attack by Verstappen on Norris was probably expected.

The driver from Monte Carlo was just as skilled at the start after the safety-cay caused by Lewis Hamilton (protagonist of a mistake not worthy of a seven times world champion), maintaining a high pace for all the grand prix. Just as infallible was the strategy regarding Carlos Sainz that allowed the double taking them to only eight points from second place on the constructors’ ladder with five races still to be run.

This was a prestigious result for Ferrari and a good omen that confirms the important step forward, especially in the long run configuration. They must still improve something in qualifying, but we are talking about tenths of a second. Leclerc and Sainz can only recriminate for having blocked each other excessively during the sprint. Otherwise, they would have made it harder for Verstappen to return to success.

Third place for Red Bull with Verstappen, who found his smile once again, the fruit of a tussle with the poleman Norris and the subsequent penalty. Unfortunately, we do not know the guidelines dictated during the briefing between the race director and the drivers. It certainly seems to me that there was more permissiveness during the first lap compared to the rest of the race, because the two episodes – always with Norris and Verstappen as protagonists – are very similar.

George Russell and Lian Lawson also stood out. Both, starting from pitlane, were the protagonists of important comebacks with both finishing in the points zone. Sixth place for the Mercedes driver, with the mistake in qualifying that probably wiped out a result that could have been more important, and eighth place for the Racing Bulls flagbearer in his first race of the season. An important result for the direct challenge with Haas in view of sixth place, currently to the hands of the American team with a two-point lead, the result of both Hulkenberg’s eighth place and, above all, the better result in the Sprint.

Just as important, tenth place by Colapinto who put an unjudgeable Albon in serious difficulty. In just a few races the young man has shown that he deserves to stay in the world championship. We hope that correct choices are made in his regard. Until a few laps from the finish, he had also set the fastest lap of the race, taken away only in the final lap by Ocon with an action that has little to do with sport or technique.

Precisely for this reason I am absolutely in favour of eliminating this regulation. It would be fair to reward if it is done during the race. Used in this way it has so sense.

Gian Carlo Minardi

It was a weekend full of excitement, that began with the debut of Andrea Kimi Antonelli in F1 at the wheel of the Mercedes during the first free practice, followed with the confirmation as an official driver for the 2025 World Championship alongside Geroge Russella and ended with the incredible win by Charles Leclerc and Ferrari in the GP. In between, the F3 World Championship win by Leonardo Fornaroli with an incredible move on Mansell in the last bend of the last lap.

As far as “Kimi” is concerned, it is an honour for Italy finding its flag bearer again in the F1 World Championship. In this case, the pride is double because the debut came with a top team with eight world constructors’ title to its credit and goes to the GP to win. Of course, as ACI and ACI Team Italia, we are proud of this achievement and we will continue to support and help him even in the eventual difficult moments, should they come, because we must not forget that we are talking about a team that starts the season to win the constructors’ title.

As the Federal School, Leonardo’s win makes us just as proud since it opens the doors for him into Formula 2. I wish that Gabriele Mini can quickly forget this disappointment and that those who follow him closely will help him in continuing his adventure in racing cars. He has shown on a few occasions that he has the right qualifications to do well in this world.

Coming to the Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari put together an incredible strategy, solidified by excellent work by Charles Leclerc, assisted by Carlos Sainz. Unlike the direct rivals, they opted for a single stop managing to overtake the excellent McLarens, by managing to protect the tyres. The constancy of the driver from Monte Carlo was incredible, from the 37^th lap to the 52^nd he consistently lapped between 1’23.5-1’23.7.

This weekend everything went well for Ferrari, putting the work into practice. It was a breath of fresh air, and we hope it can bring some peace of mind within the team.

To be applauded was Oscar Piastri’s overtaking Lando Norris. Done like a true champion. As I have always maintained, we are talking about one the most promising drivers who, as the grands prix pass by, gains the serenity to impose his choices on the team. So, we are talking about two young, very promising drivers. For some time, I have been saying for a long time that McLaren has the best pair of drivers,

It was a defensive race for Mercedes.  A result that did not live up to their expectations, also considering the fantastic engine that it has, as shown by the same McLaren. Russell’s initial mistake made a big impact on the result.

It was another defensive race by Red Bull that said goodbye to Monza at the head of the constructors’ ladder, but with the lead reduced to only eight points.

Now we wait for Baku, that will not see Kevin Magnussen amongst the protagonists, disqualified for having accumulated 12 penalty points this season. Decisive was the collision wit Gasly (a 10” second penalty and 10 points on the license).  We will see who will be entrusted with his Haas.

Gian Carlo Minardi

The Hungarian weekend and grand prix were certainly interesting, and it was entertaining right from the start. At the start Piastri-Norris-Verstappen got to the first bend side-by-side, with the Australian taking the lead of the race by overtaking his teammate and poleman Norris. Verstappen having gone long, ceded the position he gained to the British driver-to avoid a possible punishment – and McLaren returned to the top two positions.

With a “questionable” undercut, but at the time, he was protecting the team from any attacks by Red Bull and Mercedes. Norris overtook his teammate and leader.  From that moment on there were severable discussions between the teams and drivers, but in my opinion the correct decision was made. Norris returned the lead to his teammate who went onto his first career win in F1. McLaren is mainly fighting for the constructors’ rather than the drivers’ title. We are talking about a team growing strongly that at this time has the best chassis in this configuration, as shown by the results in free practice, qualifying and the race, together with the best engine – Mercedes – of the lot.

We are seeing a marked change in the forces on the field compared to the start of the season with Red Bull encountering a few too many difficulties.  If, on the one hand, one driver is missing, Perez, on the other hand, there is a highly nervous Verstappen who made a very dangerous manoeuvre that deserved an exemplary punishment. Compared to Hamilton (who took his 200th podium) he committed an infraction that is not worthy of a three-times world champion (and not even the first this year).

It is especially shameful to hear that team-radio against his own team that, in the last three seasons, delivered an unbeatable car into his hands. Instead, today he must put his own spin into it. He has an important lead – he has a 76-point lead over Norris – which he must preserve on the track. He cannot and must not allow himself to swear in that way.

A positive fourth position, 19 seconds behind, for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc. Carlos Sainz sixth behind Verstappen. It is a result to be read in a positive light, even if their performance is quite inexplicable. From lap 29 to lap 36 the driver from Monte Carlo was one of the fastest on the track. At that time, he had the hard compounds. Let us hope that Maranello will be able to identify the problems encountered.

The Sunday started with the wonderful win by Andrea Kimi Antonelli in Formula 2, the second of the season that launched the Prima driver into sixth place on the ladder, on his debut in the championship.

I await with trepidation the Spa-Francorchamps weekend in a week’s time.

Gian Carlo Minardi