European Minardi Team SpA
Address(s)	Via Spallanzani 21(ZI), 48018 Faenza, Italy
Web	Official Site in Italian
E-Mail	team@minardi.it
Team Principals	Paul Stoddart AUS (2001-2005) Giancarlo Minardi ITA (1979-2000) Gabriele Rumi ITA (1997-2000) Flavio Briatore ITA (1996-1997) Giuseppe Lucchini ITA (1993-1996) Giacomo Caliri ITA (1980-1989)
Designers	Gabriele Tredozi ITA (1994-1997; 2004-2005) Mariona Alperin ITA (1996) Gustav Brunner GER (1993-1994; 1998-2001) Aldo Costa ITA (1989-1996) Rene Hilhorst NEL (1989-1992, 1994-95) Tommaso Carletti ITA (1989-1990) Nigel Copperthwaite GBR (1989) Giacomo Caliri ITA (1985-1988)

The most Italian of all F1 teams was founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi after running customer Formula 2 cars under the banner "Scuderia Everest" since 1972. He commissioned his own car, designed by Giacomo Caliri and powered by a BMW engine, and had some success with young drivers like Michele Alboreto, Alessandro Nannini, Pierluigi Martini and Johnny Cecotto.

During 1984 the team began work on a F1 car to be powered by an Alfa Romeo V8 turbo but when engine designer Carlo Chiti departed to set u hs own company, Motori Moderni, the fledgling F1 team became their sole customer for the new V6 turbo. Unfortunately the engine was not ready for the beginning of the 1985 season and they hurriedly converted the M185 chassis to use the venerable Ford Cosworth DFV for the first two Grand Prix, neither of which they finished. The turbo engine made its debut at round three in Imola and lasted 14 laps followed by a failure to qualify at Monaco. Pilot Pierluigi Martini also had several accidents and the team finished just three races, all several laps down.

Minardi was undeterred and in 1986 expanded the operation to two cars, led by veteran Andrea de Cesaris and paired with his former F2 driver Alessandro Nannini.

- to be continued -

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