07/04/2010
NEWS STORY
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the first F1 race for the much loved, and much missed, Minardi team.
Reflecting on the historic day, when his driver Pierluigi Martini retired with an electronics problem 41 laps into the 61 lap Brazilian Grand Prix, Minardi told Vittorio Alfieri of GrandChelem.it: "It was a memorable day. On the fifth of April, at nine-o-clock, with the first practise session at the Jacarepagua circuit in Rio I started my longed-for adventure in Formula 1.
"We were just 10 people in the garage: me, the mechanics, one driver, Pierluigi and two team partners, Ing. Giacomo Caliri and Piero Mancini, with so much enthusiasm and the will to prove that even a small team, coming from Formula 2, could do well in this world.
"But those times were other ones," he continued. "At the Chinese Grand Prix, in 2005, for our last Grand Prix, we had 65 people. Today, each team on the grid has almost 20 engineers around the cars. In 1985 we only had Mr. Caliri to do everything.
"To be honest, when I started my career I did not imagine it would have lasted so long," admitted the Italian veteran. "Anyway, it still goes on, with a different name (Toro Rosso), but it goes on. I'm very proud for having built the base for the story of the Faenza-based team".
It's worth noting that in 1985, Minardi had 10 staff on duty, while at this year's Bahrain GP, newcomers Lotus had 65 people present.
Furthermore, Minardi is widely credited as being the first F1 team to provide a catering service in the paddock, serving up the typical "cucina romagnola".
Italian writer Stefano Pasini has recently published "Gian Carlo Minardi - Racconta 35 Anni di Gare" detailing the Italian veteran's 35 years in motorsport.