1999 car: M01 Engine: Ford Nationality: Italian Team Owners: Gian Carlo Minardi                           Gabriele Rumi Sporting Director:    Cesare Fiorio Technical Director:  Gustav Brunner   Year formed: 1974 Formula 1 debut: 1985

Address:  Minardi Team SpA  Via Spallanzani 21  I-48018 Faenza  Ravenna  Italy

Based on the experience accumulated in motor racing with the 'Scuderia del Passatore' in 1972 and "Scuderia Everest' in 1974 Gian Carlo Minardi felt capable of constructing his own cars and in 1979 he founded the Minardi team in association with Piero Mancini and Giacomo Caliri. The first Minardi F2 cars, equipped with BMW engines, got good results such as Alboreto's win at Misano. In 1985 Minardi entered F1 with a car driven by Pierluigi Martini and powered by a Motori Moderni turbo engine. In 1986 a big jump was foreseen and the signing of qualified drivers such as Andrea de Cesaris and Alessandro Nannini testified to that. Unfortunately the sophisticated technology of the turbo engines and reliability problems didn't allow the achievement of significant results. In 1988 Minardi switched to Ford Cosworth engines and signed Spanish drivers Luis Sala and Adrian Campos. After the Canadian GP, Campos retired and was replaced by Martini who scored Minardi's first championship point with 6th place in Detroit.

In 1989 Martini and Sala scored top six finishes and Martini started third on the grid twice. In 1990 Sala was replaced by Paolo Barilla. The high point of the season, during which Minardi did not score any points, was Martini's front row start at the U.S. GP. In 1991 Minardi adopted the V12 Ferrari engine and after struggling with it at the beginning of the season finished 7th in the constructor's championship. In 92 they switched drivers and engines going with the Lamborghini V12 and Gianni Morbidelli and Christian Fittipaldi but scored only one point. 93 was a slightly better year with Fittipaldi and Fabrizio Barbazza both scoring points to give Minardi 8th place in the constructor's championship.

In 1994 Minardi merged with the Scuderia Italia to form - Minardi Scuderia Italia. Powered by a Ford HB engine and driven by Martini and Michele Alboreto the team scored 5 points finishing 10th. 1995 represented another step backwards with the driver combination of Martini, Badoer and Lamy scoring just one point. 1996 was no better and they were forced to take on rent-a-driver Giovanni Lavaggi for several races.

For 1997 Fondmetal Group acquired the major shareholding in the team. Drivers, Ukyo Katayama and rookie Tarso Marques failed to make a significant impression and left at the end of that year. In 1998 the popular Argentine rookie, Esteban Tuero joined Japanese Shinji Nakano, but due to lack of funds and power the team failed to accumalate any points. Gabriele Rumi (of Fondmetal) thought it was time for a restructuring of the organisation and the team has high hopes for 1999. Having recently signed a major sponsorship deal with "Telefonica" and with Spainish driver Marc Gene behind the wheel, Minardi plan to get results this year.