======Telefónica S.A.======
>>**Minardi link:** Main sponsor in 1999 and 2000
**Original article:** Neil Spiteri<<
Telefónica is the leading telecommunications operator in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world. Its logos appeared on our Minardis between 1999 and 2000 when the Spanish multinational giant was the main sponsor (in 1999 together with [[Doimo]] and [[Fondmetal]]).

Telefónica has more than 160,000 employees and some 78 million customers! It operates in 17 countries but is present in 50. Its main markets are Spain and Latin America where the company's most important markets are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. Telefónica SA, a 100% private company, has over one million direct shareholders. Its shares trade on the continuous market on the Spanish Stock Exchanges (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, New York, Lima, Buenos Aires, São Paulo and SEAQ International Exchange in London. Its subsidiaries Telefónica Móviles, TPI-Yellow Pages and Terra Lycos are also listed.

The Spanish company is global operator in the telecommunications, internet and media sectors, and provides a wide range of services for fixed telephony; mobile telephony; business services; the creation and distribution of internet content and services; the creation and distribution of audiovisual media content; sale and marketing of directories and guides; CRM services and e-commerce, submarine broadband communications, etc.[[http://www.clothlands.com/ forzaminardi Halloween Costumes]]

Back to Minardi. In 1999, with Telefonica's backing, we had [[GeneMarc Marc Gene]] at the helm together with the Italian [[BadoerLuca Luca Badoer]] and [[SarrazinStephane Stephane Sarrazin ]]for three GPs. The car was powered by the old (but very reliable) Ford V10 engine, and [[GeneMark Marc Gene]] managed to snatch up a point at the Nürburgring. It was on the 16th February 2000 in Bilboa that the "yellow" Telefonica Minardi was presented to the press and the general public. In the official press release for that special day, Telefonica announced that for the Spanish company, Formula 1 was considered the place where technology is at its peak.

In 2000, [[BrunnerGustav Gustav Brunner]] designed the [[M02]]. But in 12 qualifying sessions, the Minardi qualified last. The drivers were [[GeneMarc Marc Gene]] and [[MazzacaneGaston Gastón Mazzacane]]. It was obvious that the engine was the main problem, not the car, which was considered very up to standard. The engine was the Ford engine now baptised as [[Fondmetal]]. Minardi's "marriage" with Telefónica was not to be long lived as at the end of the season, Telefónica announced their withdrawal from Minardi and F1. That meant even [[GeneMarc Marc Gene]] finished without an F1 seat. Gaston had to leave also - [[RumiGabriele Gabriele Rumi]] tried to sell shares to PSN but, even though in the mid-season he claimed to have sold the team to PSN, this deal with the South American TV company never materialised - and finally the team was sold to [[StoddartPaul Paul Stoddart]].

It must be said that in the year 2000, the Minardi team did not make any concrete improvements from the years before. No points were won even though we managed to beat Alain Prost's team and avoided last place in the championship. Telefónica's lack of interest after a strong beginning came through lack of results and the company now wished to search for new pastures through the sponsoring of other sporting activities.
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//This page belongs to the [[CategorySponsors sponsors]] category.//