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
Here we are again at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit for the opening race of the 2003 season. Verstappen made a deal with the Minardi F1 Team, Frentzen would race his last season in the Formula One with Sauber and Michael Schumacher was already dominating the season without racing one single lap. Arrows Grand Prix International was just a faded memory of the past. The team was, the Arrows A23
March 2002 the Formula One arrives at Albert Park in Australia for the first race of the season. Prost Grand Prix is missing and three other teams are struggling to stay on the grid Minardi, Jordan Grand Prix and Orange Arrows. Six months later Arrows disappeared from the grid due to mismanagement and a lack of financial backing. A messy season with one highlight the Arrows A23, a car I
Arturo Merzario debuted in 1972 in the Formula One with Scuderia Ferrari. He finished sixth in his first race! Back then, finishing sixth meant one point. After two years with Ferrari and roaming around with Frank Williams Racing Cars, Copersucar-Fittipaldi, March and Walter Wolf Racing Arturo debuted Team Merzario in 1977, his own team. He would race, expect for one race with Shadow, with March 761B the season. Team Merzario
