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A plea to Paul Stoddart!

Paul, for God's sake, please hire a proper F1 designer (at least as a consultant) with a track record of being able to put a decent chassis together on a budget. Think Gary Andrson or even the turncoat Brunner.

While you're at it, an aerodynamics consultant is clearly an investment that needs to be made. And of course some wind tunnel time with our technical friends Fondmetal.

It's time to suck it up Paul. The fans that Minardi have are getting disillusioned with the alarming lack of performance and the attitude that you seem to have that surviving is simply enough.

Stop relying on hoped-for new rules and finances in 2008 being our saviour. The Group of 9 has become the Group of 7. What are you to do when it's a Group of One?

Bugger the future, stop putting your pennies away, it's time to put your eggs into the one basket and see where the day takes you. It's time to spend. If you go down, go down in fighting style rather than a kneeling whimper. If you have to sell, sell.

We, the undersigned Minardi fans, who long for the days when we would fight. :(



[Edited on 26/4/2005 by MinardiP1]
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Comments

  • Yep we need a new designer with good ideas. even if its prost's old designer. Remember Mike Gasgoine was crap at Tyrrel but brill at Jordan, Renault and Toyota.
  • and that from an ozzie....

    nah guys give it a couple more races the problem is not the chassis (i think) but the gearbox working together with engine as well as the brakes. the cars shifted way to early and that cost them at least a second per lap. they'll test next week to sort that out if there is still no improvement by Montreal or Indy it's time to start asking questions.
  • Is the poor finishing at San Marino really the fault of the car or rather upon the instructions of trying out the cars in the first place? If the car last the race, then fine. If not, it is a good way to save money to have the race as well as a real test itself otherwise why waste money in extra testing??

    Having said all that and I do hope I am wrong, it means that Minardi is trying to survive in the present bleak financial situation and to do it it can only rely on sponsorships. There's no other income. Afterall with its present car, it cannot hope to harbour any hopes to score points. Therefore, it have to cut costs at all areas to prolong its run in F1 for as long as possible and in the meantime, it would try to land its catch in China or MiddleEast and of course the Eastern bloc. But in reality, who would want to put his sponsorship money on a back marker that last maybe 10 laps?

    IMHO Minardi would be better off with an alliance with some engineering outfit to sort out its shortcomings to at least be a consistent finisher at the chequered flag if it can't cope up with the yellows. There's no point in trying to hold on with whatever it have. There's a limit to what the wonderful guys at Faenza can do. Can do and Make do type of engineering does not apply here at this high level.

    Finally, I am back here at the forum. ;)
  • The 10 lap race is a temporary issue. It's only because the car was hurried into the race with no spares or testing to resolve integration and teething issues.
  • I Agree, pity the performance did not meet our high expectations. But honestly with only about 40 laps of testing in shake down mode on the trak before getting to Imola I don't think we could have asked for more.

    Ferrari arrived in Barhain with a car that although was fast could not compete. This coming from a team that has a whopping budget.

    I think that it should be viewed as the following, on free practice on friday the minardi was able to have enough straight line speed to pass through the speed trap 2nd fastest.

    Think that we are a little to eager to critisize: think of the complexity of getting the car set up properly. They have no idea of the tyre compound and the new vehicle, no idea of the reliability of the gear box, electrics, or even getting our drivers to make it around the track in qualifing.

    So lets hang in there for a race or two and then see.

    FORZA MINARDI
  • Jesus, give em a break.
    They haven't even found out how to setup the PS05 up yet.
  • For Stoddart to throw his own personal money at the problem would be rather reckless, don't you think? When you look at what Toyota and others are spending? What difference would even another $25m a year make? It's very easy to ask others to fritter away their fortunes.

    It's a business for Stoddart, not a Quixotic hobby, whatever it looks like sometimes.

    My beef is with the way basics don't seem to get done - like keeping hold of sponsors, building your team image and fan base, merchandising, the website - cheap stuff, a lot of it.
  • Hey KLMan!

    How's the world of Catalytic Converters? (just love that term)
  • I read Adrian Newey will be available next season. ;)

    Can't a guy dream?
  • Lease,

    Cat cons are the hot stuffs. :D
    Great to see and hello to all of you around. Hopefully no more brickbats thrown at me.

    :hehe:
  • bring back brunner
  • What's Terzi doing now that she's no longer with Williams ???

    Newey want to spend "quality time" with his family.
    No more F1 for him in 2006 !!!

    Ryton ????
  • Rinland?
  • I actually read in the latest F1 Racing last night that Brunner is still a project manager at Toyota. It's in the Gascoyne interview (and what a twat he comes across as btw).

    I was surprised to say the least.
  • As a forum virgin i'm going to stick my neck on the line here.

    Surely it would've been a better idea to have used the ps04b at Imola. The race was suppose to have been a wet race and as a team who rely on the reliability of our car, and mis fortune of others to get points. Then surely Stoddard should've waited until Barcelona to debut the cars. I'm sure he was eager to debut the car and I know some miles were put on the clocks. But how gutted would we have been if there had only have been 6 or 7 finish the race the time and both our cars retired. Waiting for Barcelona would've been the right thing to do.

    I wonder if Dave Richards fancies doing some Charity work.

    No longer a virgin. I don't feel dirty at all.
  • Welcome Willie :)

    An interesting point about running the PS04 but your argument falls a bit flat because it didn't rain !!
  • I wasn't to know that and nor was Stoddard. Plus it didn't rain in the US last year. No one knows what's going to happen in a Grand Prix. That could've been our chance.
  • KLMan!!! Good to have you back!

    Welcome Willie12masters
  • KL Man, you big girl! Back for more, eh?

    willie - you should feel dirty. If you're doing it properly.
  • Say what you really want to Simon, don't hold back.
  • Hi Willy :D !!
    As a forum virgin i'm going to stick my neck on the line here
    You lost your virginity via your neck? :o :o
  • Welcome to the forum
  • Let me start by saying that I agree with Klman.

    The problem is cash. Without money the team is stifled. These guys work their butts off and the problem might be the lack of a strategic marketing plan.

    Perhaps a re-evaluation of how Minardi goes to market is necessary:

    In my humble viewpoint,

    1. Find proper sponsers who are related to the machine tool industry who might be willing to supply capitol equipment in exchange for advertising.
    2. Retain quality drivers for longer term contracts. Alonso, Weber, sheesh. More fans, more PR more airplay. I am a fan of Zsolt. Red Bull has been searching for an American driver for some time. I suspect that the FIA would love to have an American Driver to get some more open wheel coverage in the US and tap in to the sponsership opportunities from some big US companies.
    3. the complete lack of continuing stock of marketing materials, shirts, etc is abhorent. I spoke to several several venders at the last USGP in the last couple of years and they all told me that Minardi shirts, etc. are THE MOST REQUESTED items they get but that they cannot find any suppliers. One vendor told me he was considering getting pirated stuff!
    4. Short term: CBS is covering only 4 races. Perhaps targeted marketing of some specific companies who could provide some much needed short term cash and or could get some local news coverage would be beneficial. Market to the next three races for the north american market and get some coverage with SPEED TV and CBS. Emmet has done a great job as a fan in generating interest but that is really the job of a professional. full time.
    5. It's damn hard to compete in the top end of motorsports using equipment that is no better than a hammer and anvil. You can't rapid prototype, test, and mod in an anitquated shop.

    So here is the idea:
    1. Quit operating in survival mode and work a long term plan.
    2. Devlelop a short term financing plan for some quick sponserships with some large potential North American folks (as this is an untapped and targeted market for FIA and Red Bull. Get the cash for survival but rifle shot market to large potential investors who may be able to help on several different levels. Not jsut cash but equiptment and technical expertise.
    3. Find, lock down long term contracts for promising drivers. It's hard to retain a long term fan base with the constant cahnge in drivers and just chasing short term sponsership (Jos) is not a viable longer term solution.
    4. spend the money for the marketing materials and develop a plan to promote Minardi as THE F1
    5. target sponsers who can upgrade equipment and testing. No matter how talented the aero engineer it's damn hard to build a hydrofoil on a desert island with bamboo shoots and and some machete's.
    6. Hit up the exisiting very loyal fan base to see who they know based upon the target market. I suspect that the people on this site know people who know people. Take advantage of the existing network with a defined plan that we can help wth.

    it's all well and good to talk about who we need to design but we've gotta be able to build, modify and change. It's about money. With the right amount of money we can buy who we want...Like Alonso got bought. Step 1 in long term sponsers.

    I blame this on a sales and marketing department that sucks. Start there.
  • Yeah yeah....first post and i got support!!!

    Did you have a mba in marketing???:hehe:

    Seriously, I think someone got lost in the survival jungle.
  • Don't get comfy, boyo.
  • KL, sorry dude, Iwas on vacation and unable to respond, although i was able obtain TV rights in the sports bar I was at to watch F1 instead of Nascar and explain the concept of F1 to several self avowed redneck beerdrinkers in Savannah Georgia, USA.

    that being said.

    yea, I did the MBA thing...but the real basis of the outline was inspired by Clausewitz, Moltke, and Frederick the Great. Not in that order I might add.
  • Bernie, wise men thinks alike.;) but in the real world, like what Lease said, men with hand in pocket feel cocky everytime. It is the deep pockets that counts. Theories may not work at all. But the thought process is good.

    Old guys like myself had let the study world long ago and is more of a direct upfront businessman. Money and performance talks.
  • KLman, I'ld like to think that the business I started five years ago based upon a solid plan which has grown to be one of the biggest companies of it's type in all of North America is a testament to why long term planning works. Without getting into a pissing contest over who's got a longer one I think we would all agree that the bottom line problem is $$$$. Which I stated back at the begining middle and end of my main post. The first thing we need as a team is a good sales and marketing department who can deliver the sponsers. I don't care to hear about all the reasons why we can't get sponsers and how difficlut it is. I think someone has not been doing their job in this area and perhaps it needs to be a coordinated plan to find sponsers who may be able to provide not only cash but tech support.

    You don't build a car without a blueprint
    You don't build a sponser base without a plan
  • Let's hope someone is watching from above.
  • Let me start by saying that I agree with Klman.

    The problem is cash. Without money the team is stifled. These guys work their butts off and the problem might be the lack of a strategic marketing plan.

    Perhaps a re-evaluation of how Minardi goes to market is necessary:

    In my humble viewpoint,

    1. Find proper sponsers who are related to the machine tool industry who might be willing to supply capitol equipment in exchange for advertising.
    2. Retain quality drivers for longer term contracts. Alonso, Weber, sheesh. More fans, more PR more airplay. I am a fan of Zsolt. Red Bull has been searching for an American driver for some time. I suspect that the FIA would love to have an American Driver to get some more open wheel coverage in the US and tap in to the sponsership opportunities from some big US companies.
    3. the complete lack of continuing stock of marketing materials, shirts, etc is abhorent. I spoke to several several venders at the last USGP in the last couple of years and they all told me that Minardi shirts, etc. are THE MOST REQUESTED items they get but that they cannot find any suppliers. One vendor told me he was considering getting pirated stuff!
    4. Short term: CBS is covering only 4 races. Perhaps targeted marketing of some specific companies who could provide some much needed short term cash and or could get some local news coverage would be beneficial. Market to the next three races for the north american market and get some coverage with SPEED TV and CBS. Emmet has done a great job as a fan in generating interest but that is really the job of a professional. full time.
    5. It's damn hard to compete in the top end of motorsports using equipment that is no better than a hammer and anvil. You can't rapid prototype, test, and mod in an anitquated shop.

    So here is the idea:
    1. Quit operating in survival mode and work a long term plan.
    2. Devlelop a short term financing plan for some quick sponserships with some large potential North American folks (as this is an untapped and targeted market for FIA and Red Bull. Get the cash for survival but rifle shot market to large potential investors who may be able to help on several different levels. Not jsut cash but equiptment and technical expertise.
    3. Find, lock down long term contracts for promising drivers. It's hard to retain a long term fan base with the constant cahnge in drivers and just chasing short term sponsership (Jos) is not a viable longer term solution.
    4. spend the money for the marketing materials and develop a plan to promote Minardi as THE F1
    5. target sponsers who can upgrade equipment and testing. No matter how talented the aero engineer it's damn hard to build a hydrofoil on a desert island with bamboo shoots and and some machete's.
    6. Hit up the exisiting very loyal fan base to see who they know based upon the target market. I suspect that the people on this site know people who know people. Take advantage of the existing network with a defined plan that we can help wth.

    it's all well and good to talk about who we need to design but we've gotta be able to build, modify and change. It's about money. With the right amount of money we can buy who we want...Like Alonso got bought. Step 1 in long term sponsers.

    I blame this on a sales and marketing department that sucks. Start there.
    That has to be the best post on this forum that i've ever read. :D
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