BMS Scuderia Italia did it all different for 1993. They waved goodbye to Dallara as their chassis supplier and welcomed Lola. They also hired two new drivers, both Italian, ace Michele Alboreto and Luca Badoer who won in 1992 the International Formula 3000 championship. Minardi did also some changes for the season. They ditched the thirsty Lamborghini engine and replaced it with the much more reliable Ford V8 engine. Their chassis was a real improvement and with Christian Fittipaldi still behind the wheel, they had a good package. However, during the season BMS was struggling badly on the track. Their new package didn’t work out at all. The reason that in mid-season the first talks happened about the Italian superteam for next season.
It might been the wrong decision from Beppe Lucchini’s team to collaborate with Lola for 1993. Since their debut in 1988, Dallara delivered some decent chassis. Scoring podiums in 1989 and 1991. Only in 1990, besides their debut season, the team failed due to several reasons to score points. The F190 was in base a good car. The fact the team managed to score a podium in 1991 with the F191 and many top 10 results showed the liability. 1992 was even better, while the team scored only 2 points with two six places. With the use of today’s point system, this would have been 49 points.
In 1992, this didn’t mean anything therefore the team found in Lola their new supplier. While Lola was working on the T93/30 Lucchini managed to sign a contract with Chesterfield cigarettes. Who doesn’t remember that amazing livery? Sadly, the package did not mean success guaranteed. On the contrary, besides the Ferrari V12 engine, both Alboreto and Badoer were struggling to qualify the Lola T93/30. The seventh place by Badoer at San Marino was the only “positive” result for the team in the first few races. It might be a few of the reasons there were questions by Lucchini to continue in the Formula One.
On the other hand, Minardi was doing a much better job. Besides their small budget in 1993, the team appeared with the elegant Minardi M193 on the track. Powered by the Ford V8 and driver by Christian Fittipaldi and Fabrizio Barbazza the team already finished in the points at Kyalami. At Donington Park and San Marino were two six places from Barbazza enough for two more points. The season would even be better than 1991 when Ferrari also powered the team. However, as seen normal at Minardi the lack of funding meant the lack of proper developing of their cars.
It isn’t that strange to conclude that in mid-season the first talks happened between Giancarlo Minardi and Beppe Lucchini to form an Italian superteam for 1994 and onwards. The first talks happened in late July. These happened only weeks before Paul Stewart was rumoured to race for Minardi in 1994 which he would bring the same engines as Benetton was powered by.
The foundation of the Italian superteam would only become more realistic after the talks took a serious turn. During the Belgian Grand Prix at SPA former Fondmetal F1 team boss Gabriele Rumi appeared in Minardi team clothing on the paddock. It was said that Rumi was there to start investigating the Italian superteam between Minardi, BMS Scuderia Italia and his own Fondmetal. This all to form one new big team to rival Ferrari on the grid from 1994 and onwards. While Giancarlo insisted, Rumi was “just” a friend visiting the team there was more going on the background.
A unknown Minardi spokesman stated in the second week of September 1993 that it was for 90% sure that Minardi and BMS Scuderia Italia would merge into one team to so create the Italian superteam. The team “newly” formed team would be branded then Scuderia Italia Minardi.
Not long after the announcement came that both teams would merge. BMS went ever this far that the outfit would only appear at the Portuguese Grand Prix and leave the sport afterwards. In the new company both Giancarlo and Beppe would own 50% of the share. Where Giancarlo would oversee the day-to-day running of the team. Aldo Costa and Gustav Brunner would stay as designers. While many of the Scuderia Italia staff were offered new position within the Minardi team. While the team would appear in 1994 on the grid with a red chassis with as team name Minardi Scuderia Italia. They were even dreaming to look over seas to run a competitive Indycar development programme for their driver Fabriazio Barbazza. Barbazza on his term went back to the states during the season.
As soon Lucchini announced the merge, Lola vowed to start on their own 1994 program. This would eventually not happen due to several reasons. Besides Lola also Gabriele Rumi made an interesting turn. In late September 1993, Tyrrell announced their three-year deal with Fondmetal Technologies, which is part of Rumi’s Fondmetal Company. Which would be established with aerodynamicist Jean-Claude Migeot who already worked for Tyrrell before.
While it seemed a good move to establish an Italian superteam the truth is there was not really a Italian superteam in 1994 on the grid. Both teams did merge and in 1994 they appeared as Minardi Scuderia Italia on the grid with two ace drivers Michele Alboreto and Pierluigi Martini. However, the Minardi M193B and later the M194 were far from red. The cars were white, blue and orange with several sponsors on it. They had a good season with scoring a couple of points and a bunch of top ten finishes. However, it was not the believed results. At the end of 1994, Lucchini left the Minardi and focused with his BMS Scuderia Italia on touring cars. While Minardi stayed in the Formula One and went back to just Minardi in 1995.
