Earlier this week some rumours appeared to me that a Hong Kong based Billionaire is looking to enter the Formula One. His name is Calvin Lo and, according to Wikipedia, R.E. Lee International, the world’s largest and considered as the most successful life insurance broker company. So far the background. I was triggered today as website has started to publish articles regarding his plans, or wish, to enter the Formula
Barbara Behlau made it happen that Roland Ratzenberger made his debut in the Formula One in 1994 with Simtek. After Ratzenberger’s horrific dead in Imola, Barbara was impressed how the team kept the spirit for Ratzenberger alive within the team. This was one of the reasons she purchased 30% of the stakes in the team. Only a year later during the Monaco Grand Prix she became the true saviour of
It is February 2004 when suddenly in the Dutch media the news appears that Tom Coronel is close to sign a deal with the Minardi Team to be their third driver in 2004. Besides that, Tom would test for the team in the summer probably a Vallelunga or Misano with the Minardi PS04A. As well, he would be one of the drivers for the Minardi two-seaters program and do demonstration
It’s the summer of 2002, the Orange Arrows team from Tom Walkinshaw is on the edge of bankruptcy. It’s the summer Paul Stoddart loves to see Walkinshaw burning and will have the ultimate payback in 2003 when purchasing most of the team’s assets in favour of his Minardi team. Moreover, it is the summer of many rumours in and outside the paddock. Arrows is sold to an American, Arrows is
History books are telling us that the first race for motorised vehicles was held on the 22nd of July 1894. The race known as Paris-Rouen, a trip of 126 Kilometre won by Jules Albert, Count de Dion in a De Dion Bouton. Of course, I disagree with this idea as previously competitive races were held like in Manchester. However, the first time the Netherlands had their first taste with autosport
Stand-in drivers, the drivers we mostly forget about though play sometimes a huge roll for teams. They are often at short notice in the car for most various reasons. During the covid pandemic, we have seen several stand-in drivers, well not really stand-in like Russell taking place in the Mercedes because of Hamilton or Kubica instead of Kimi. However, do you remember Anthony Davidson who stand-in at Minardi in 2002
Allard Kalff is misschien wel de meeste geliefde persoon momenteel op de televisie en in de paddocks. Mijn eerste kennismaking met Allard Kalff als pitreporter moet ergens in 1995 of 1996 zijn geweest toen ik voor de buis zat als klein jongetje. Want Formule 1 was een heel ding hier in de huiskamer. Zeker omdat een Limburger in de F1 reed. En Allard, die maakte de beleving compleet! Ik ben
In the spring of 2014, the first news appeared of two teams interested to join the grid. One of them was the Haas F1 Team the other one? This was the Forza Rossa Romania F1 Team (FRR) under the lead of Ion Bazac. Perhaps Forza Rossa is the most infamous f1 entrant from the last ten years. A story full of politics, spies, a chap named Kolin Colles and the
2005 was the last year that privateers, the small teams, appeared on the grid. Minardi was the last team of an era were many tried their luck in the Formula One. Due the coming ban on turbo engines in 1989 and the restrictions, it was financially attractive for teams to try their luck. Most of them failed to even complete two season, some only did a few races before they
The last race of the 2005 season is held, the end of an era, the end of one of the most social and iconic teams in the Formula One. After 20 years the small Italian Scuderia Minardi team disappeared from the grid. Sold to Red Bull, which would re-name the team to Toro Rosso and would be Red Bull Racing’s B-Team. Though in 2006 Super Aguri would it’s debut as
