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2022 Season

Hey hey, who is still around? ;)

Nice to see how the new rules have shaken things up, though I would have never expected Red Bull to do so well without Honda. The cars look very cool but appear to be unstable compared to the previous versions. I remember seeing an onboard by Rosberg a few years ago, the thing looks like it was on rails, we're far away from that this year. But I guess that's a good thing :)

Comments

  • I'm still around. From the races I was able to watch, I agree that the racing for the most part is much better in comparision with recent years. Mercedes teams seem to struggle the most. Alfa Romeo and Haas back in the midfield. Kinda disappointend from the Faenza results, happy that Sainz got his first ever pole and win considering his season until now.

    BTW Red Bull did a demo run with "our" F1X2 chassis in RB and AlphaTauri livery at Spielberg. So MinardiF1X2 was back if you wanna see it that way.

    Unfortunately there are just few races in german public tv so it's harder for me to watch most of the season.
  • I'm still "around", but not really following current F1 - Cars just too ugly? Drivers just too young? Teams just too confused? rules just too artificial? Rivalries just too manufactured?

    Anyway, been watching 1978 to 1996 on YouTube. Picture quality is a bit iffy, but races are usually great. Remembering summers past...

    Might make it to Historic Minardi Day at Imola this year...
  • Maybe we should chase up a "where are they now" project for Minardi drivers?

    We know where good old Fernando is. I was a bit shocked to hear about Adrian Campos, particularly after we met him in Valencia back in '07. Too young!

    Alboreto too was a shock, as was Justin Wilson. Nannini had his helicopter accident, but at least made it through in decent shape. Zanardi also got devastating injuries, but came out the other side. Amazing fortitude.

    What is de Cesaris doing now? Piero seems to be as happy as ever, going by the photos. And apparently Robert "Doorknobs" now runs a sex toy company...

    So what of the others? Is Jean Marc Gounon now a fighter in Ukraine? Is Luis Sala a kitchen designer in Almeria? Is Giovanni Lavaggi running a hand car wash in Faenza? Is Roberto Moreno now an "off grid" agent for the CIA? Is Gianni Morbidelli now the father of two little Morbidellis (who are now in their 20's, given how time passes..)? Is Tarso Marques now head of a major drug cartel/biker group? Christian Fittipaldi was superb - what happened for him after CART imploded?

    Paolo Barilla? Mark Webber? Alex Yoong? Fisichella and Trulli? Katayama? Nakano? Tuero? Gene? Badoer? Lamy?Mazzzzzzzzacane? Davidson?

    I refuse to mention Bruni and Jos Verstappen, but Zsolt Baumgartner? Albers and Friesacher?


    So many characters, only one Minardi.
  • a "where are they now" seems interesting and I've been thinking about this too. De Cesaris unfortunately also passed away following an accident in 2014. Baumgartner and Friesacher drove the remaining twoseaters for Stoddy in the last year as part of "F1 Experience" (I believe I made a thread in the forum). For the others I guess wikipedia or social media would be the best source...Webber released a book which I bought not too long ago.
  • Tarso Marques currently appears to be designing very special motorbikes and cars :)

  • Marques... Whaddaguy!

    I was a bit shocked to find out about de Cesaris... Guess he died doing what he loved and lived for.

    Robert Doorknobs runs a sex toy business now, and Fabrizio Barbazza has an artist colony in Cuba. Not making this up, by the way.

    I also found out that Tuca Rocha, who won for Minardi in Euro F3000 in 2006, died in a plane crash in 2019. With Alboreto, who won for Minardi in F2, also gone, it seems that we have no remaining Minardi race winners, unless I've forgotten someone.

    Time and good times pass quick, it seems.


  • @silverghost: thankfully the other drivers winning in a Minardi are still alive. For example Robert Doornbos who you just mentioned (he won twice in Champcar with Minardi Team USA). In 2007 both Minardi by GP Racing won four events, those beeing Davide Rigon and Diego Nunes.
  • I don't count Minardi USA, but well done to old Doorknobs, Rigon and Nunes. Rigon in particular always looked a classy fast driver.

    I recently found out about the Frits van Eerde Minardi collection, which looked absolutely beautiful.... Then I found out he was involved in some massive tax issues linked to his time at CEO of Jumbo supermarkets in the Netherlands. Maybe some old Minardi cars up for sale soon?

    Sadly beyond my budget.
  • Anyone else in Alonso-mania? :)
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