Minardi is probably one of the most favourite teams that was on the grid in the Formula One. They were for many drivers the first step for Formula One. Think about Giancarlo Fisichella, Mark Webber and let’s not forget about Fernando Alonso. However, Minardi was also one of the teams that let a lot of drivers race for them if they had the money for it. Even if it was for just two or three races. Then there is also the amount of drivers that tested for the team. One of the well known drivers is Israelian driver Chanoch Nissany who had too much grip with the Minardi he tested. So here is the ultimate Minardi drivers list!
The list on alphabetic order of name, I was thinking to do it by year but it meant that several drivers would return on the list. Like Pierluigi Martini, Alessandro Nannini and so on. A little legenda;
(D) = Driver
(T) = Test driver
(X2) = Minardi 2 seater
The ultimate Minardi drivers list A-F
The ultimate Minardi drivers list G-L
The ultimate Minardi drivers list M-S
Tarso Marques(BR)-(T)(D)(X2)
Active years : 1995 – 1997 / 2001
Tarso is one of the few drivers that returned to Minardi after he left the team in 1997. At the age of 16 Marques made his debut in the Brazilian Formula Chevrolet where he managed to win four races and finished overall third in the championship. For 1994 he moved to the Sudamericana Formula 3 championship and the Brazilian Formula 3, while he didn’t had much success in the Brazilian Formula 3 he did have in the Sudamericana. Winning one race an scoring a handful of podium finishes. In 1994 Tarques moved to Europe where he entered the International Formula 3000 Championship with Vortex with less success.
He would stay in the International Formula 3000 championship in 1995 racing now for Dams. Slightly more success with a win he finished fifth overall in the championship. It seemed enough to have the interest from the Minardi team. The team was looking for drivers and held in December a young drivers test at Fiorano. Besides Marques also Biagi, Fisichella and Rossi were at the track. In 1996 he would eventually make his debut in the Formula One with Minardi. He would appear with the Minardi M195B at the start of the Brazilian and Argentinian Grand Prix. While he had an off-day during the qualifying session for the Brazilian Grand Prix he would qualify as 14th for the Argentinian Grand Prix. Sadly, he would retire during both races.
For 1996, he would also test for Bridgestone who were working on their entry in the Formula One per 1997. For 1997 Tarques Managed to negotiate a contract with Minardi. At that time Flavio Briatore was involved as well. He returned at the wheel of the Minardi M197 during the French Grand Prix, and would complete the season with some good results. However, as Minardi was struggling financially he was not able to sign a contract for 1998. Racing only every now and then in 1998, he made his debut in 1999 in the CART series where he would stay two season before he returned to the Formula one. Again with Minardi. Showing some decent results such as the ninth place during the Canadian and Brazilian Grand Prix. He was replaced after the German Grand Prix by Malaysian Alex Yoong.
He also drive around with the Minardi 2-seater, his first taste with the car was during Thunder at the Park at Donington Park the 21nd of August 2001. It was the famous race where Mansell collided. His passenger was Shane Lynch, though did not finish. His second time, while he was replaced by Alex Yoong, was the 1st of November 2001 at Misano. Interesting is that he was rumoured to be one of the drivers for the Phoenix Grand Prix Team in 2002.
After his Formula One career he returned to the states where he Races in the Champcars he would also stay in Europe to race in the FIA GT. With a brief flirt with MRT F1 for a seat in 2006, he returned to Brazil where he would race in the stockcars. Eventually he retired to make his return in Nascar.
Thomas Biagi(IT)-(T)
Active year: 1995
The Italian was in the race for a seat in 1996 with the Minardi team. After a couple of years in Karting where he was very successful he made his debut in the Autosport in 1993 in the Formula Boxer. In 2994 he moved to the Italian Formula 3 Championship with little success, he also appeared at the start of the Marlboro Masters and the race at Macau. In 1995 he stayed in the Italian Formula 3 Championship. This time with more success, winning a bunch of races for RC Motorsport he finished sixth overall. Like Marques he was invited by the Minardi team for the youngsters test at Fiorano.
After his test with Minardi, where he showed his his talent he moved for 1996 to International Formula 3000 Championship. Like many drivers who appeared in the championship his first season was far from good. Scoring only a handful of points. He would stay in the championship until the end of 1999 with little results. That year he also returned to the Italian Formula 3 Championship where he managed to score some podium finishes. In 2000 it would go even better winning the Formula 3000 race at Assen and scoring some good results in the Italian Formula 3. In 2001 and 2002 he moved to the Euro 3000 again winning races. However, in 2003 he moved to the FIA GT winning six races and winning the championship.
From there on he would keep on racing in the FIA GT championship as well in the LeMans series and many other GT series with decent results. Interesting is that in late 2005 he tested for the Midland team, the team purchased Jordan Grand Prix. He was in negotiation for a contract in 2006. A year later, while commenting the GP2 Collin Coles offered him a race-by-race contract to replace Christijan Albers for the Spyker F1 team. He was unable to gain the needed financial backing.
Tiago Monteiro(PT)-(T)
Active year: 2004
Tiago Monteiro was the first Portuguese driver to finish on the podium in the Formula One, before he did that his first taste with a Formula One car was with Minardi. Monteiro made his debut in 1997 in the French Porsche Supercup where he finished fifth overall. In 1998 he debuted in the French Formula 3 Championship with some good results. Interestingly is that he debuted that year as well in the French GT championship, in the two races he appeared he had one Pole position. For 1999 he stayed in the French Formula 3 Championship scoring several podium finishes and winning a race he finished sixth overall. That year he would also appear at the start for a British Formula 3 race and would debut in the 24hours of LeMans for Paul Belmondo Racing in the LMGTS series.
For 2000 he focused purely on single seater racing. He stayed in the French Formula 3 and finished 2nd overall. Again appearing at one race in the British Formula 3 which he won he also drove in the Formula 3 European Cup and appeared at the start of the Marlboro Masters. In 2001 he would appear again at the start of the French Formula 3 Championship where he would finish again 2nd overall in the championship, and he raced in the French GT Championship as well.
Like many drivers at that time he tried his luck in the International Formula 3000 championship with little result. Though, in 2002 he would test for the Renault F1 Team that purchased Benetton at the end of 2001. In 2003 he would fulfil that role for Renault in the Formula One while combining his role with a seat in the Champcar Worldseries for Fittipaldi-Dingman racing. Moving in 2004 to the World Series by Nissan he managed to win several races and finish 2nd overall, again, in the championship. It was enough to get a call from the Minardi team.
Tiago would appear behind the wheel of the Minardi PS04B at Vallelunga the 3rd of September 2004. That weekend he was by far the quickest with a 1:03,750. His next test for the team would be during the Minardi days at Misano. On the 22nd of November 2004 he tested again with the PS04B. That same day also Patrick Friesacher and Chanoch Nissany appeared on the track with the car. Tiago managed to complete 20 laps with a best time of 1:13,240. For 2005 he signed the deal with Jordan Grand Prix. Where he finished third during the disastrous Grand Prix at Indianapolis where only six cars would appear at the start of the Grand Prix eventually. He finished that race as third.
For 2006 he would stay at the team, though now named Midland F1 and later that year Spyker F1. After his Formula One career he moved to the competitive WTCC where he would stay for several seasons.
Tom Kristensen(DK)-(T)
Active year : 1997
Kristensen is known for his many victories during the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Audi, though he tested in 1997 Minardi. Already in 1987 Kristensen made his debut in the Formula Ford. For 1989 he moved to the German Formula 3 Championship. In 1991 he managed to win the championship with three victories and several podium finishes. For 1992 he moved to Japan where he raced in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship and in several other series where he was very competitive in the Japanese Touring Car Championship where he finished 3rd overall. In 1993 he would stay in both series, winning the Japanese Formula 3 Championship and again competitive in the Japanese Touring Car Championship with several wins.
In 1994 he made his move to the Japanese F3000 championship with no success, though his season in the JTTC was really good. With five wins he finished 2nd overall. In 1995 he stayed in the Japanese F3000 this time with more success finishing the season as second. In 1996 he combined his Japanese adventure in the JTCC, Japanese GT and International Formula 3000 championship. 1997 would be his first year he would win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He kept on racing in the International F3000 with some success. However, it all seemed enough to get a phone call from Minardi to test with their M197 at Catalunya.
In 1998 he appeared at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans again with BMW and made his debut in the German Super Touring Championship. That year he would also test for the Tyrrell team. It seemed that his focus moved to the Endurance and Touring championships. He would finish third overall in the GSTT and in the American Le Mans series. That year he also tested for Williams when BMW was working on their entry in 2000 with Williams. Testing in 2000 for Williams and Jaguar a couple of time he focused on Endurance racing. We all know how that went in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He became Mister Audi winning the race many times in the LMP1 class.
Tommy Rustad(NO)-(T)
Active year: 1994
Tommy Rustad is probably one of the drivers you would not expect to have tested for Minardi. Tommy made his debut in the FIA European Rally Cross Championship and several other rallies before he tried single seater racing. This was in 1992 when he made his debut in the Scandinavian Formula Opel Lotus Championship. He would win that championship a year later in 1993. In 1994 he would stay, though the focus was more on the Formula Opel Lotus euroseries where he managed to win two race and finished fifth overall. In 1994, due to his results, he was invited by Minardi to test for the team. This test happened the 3rd of December 1994 at Fiorano. He tested with the Minardi M194.
In 1995 he moved to the European Formula Renault championship where he managed to win five races. In 1996 he tried his luck in the Italian Formula 3 championship with little results. That same year he debuted in the European Renault Spider Championship, finishing second overall with four wins was a good result. In 1997 he would eventually win the championship. From 1998 onwards he started to race in the Touring Cars, debuting in the BTCC he moved to the STCC in 1999 which he won in 2000. Also winning the Norwegian Touring Car Championship. The years to follow he returned every now and then also in the Rally Cross again. In 2009 he won the STCC again.
Toni Vilander(FI)-(X2)
Active year: 2004
Toni Vilander is one of the few drivers that only appeared on the track with the Minardi 2-seater. After several years of karting he made his debut in the 2002 Italian Formula Renault 2.0 which he finished fifth overall. He had more luck in the Winter series where he managed to win several races and finished second overall. In 2003 he would stay in the Italian Formula Renault 2.0 Championship and made his debut in the Italian Formula 3 Championship with some decent results. In 2004 would race for Coloni in the Italian Formula 3 Championship winning six races finishing second overall. He would also debut in the Formula3 Euroseries with Coloni.
That same year he was asked by Minardi to drive around in one of their 2-seaters. This happened during the charity event at Kyalami. In 2005 he would stay with Coloni in Italian Formula 3000 Championship and made his debut, also with Coloni, in the GP2. However, he had more luck in GT racing. In 2005 he won the Italian GT2 Championship and in 2006 the Italian GT1 Championship. From there on he managed to win the FIA GT2 Cup in 2006 and 2007 and became very competitive in several GT and Endurance championships.
Ukyo Katayama(JP)-(T)(D)
Active year:1997
Ukyo was the first Japanese drivers that raced for Minardi. Ukyo made his debut in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship in 1985 where he showed enough results to find a seat in the French Formula 3 Championship in 1986 where he would race for Autolook Racing, he also appear at the start of the Renault Turbo championship. In 1987 he appeared again in the French Formula 3 championship without success. It seems that this was the trigger to return to Japan where he raced, again without result, in the Japanese F3000 championship.
It seems his career was over before it even started. Though in 1989 he appeared in the International Formula 3000 Championship and the Japanese Formula 3000 with Footwork, again without results. In 1990 it went slightly better scoring three podiums he stayed for 1991 in the Japanese Formula 3000 which he won. It was enough to secure a drive, with the needed sponsors, with the Larrousse F1 Team for 1992. In 1993, with the help of Yamaha, he moved to the Tyrrell team. In 1994, with Tyrrell, he had his best season in the Formula One. The Tyrrell 022 with the Yamaha engine was a decent package. Scoring five points he would race in 1995 and 1996 for Tyrrell as well. With some decent results, though due to the underperforming Yamaha engine he retired most of the races.
In 1997 Ukyo Katayama, with the help of Mild Seven, secured a seat with Minardi. His best result with the Minardi M197 was a tenth place during the Hungarian and Monaco Grand Prix. Without the support from Mild Seven his Formula One adventure was over. He would return to Japan to race in several Touring Car series to eventually retire as race driver in 2009.
Vitantonio Liuzzi(IT)-(X2)
Active year: 2004
One of the first Red Bull Juniors that was so hyped up he probably failed in the Formula One. He debuted in the 2001 German Formula Renault 2.0 Championship while still karting. He finished the second overall with one victory and several podium finishes. In 2002 he had a busy season. Appearing in the German, French and Italian Formula 3 Championship while he also appeared at Formula 3 European Cup and the Marlboro Masters and the race at Macau. In between, he tested also for the Williams team.
In 2003 his career went skyrocket when he joined the Red Bull Junior Team to race in the International Formula 3000 Championship. He would also have his first taste with a Formula One car. Minardi had asked him if he was interested to race in one of the Minardi 2-seaters during the Thunder at the Rock at Rockingham. The 31nd of August 2003 he drove around, his passenger was Matthew Upson.
In 2004 everything went really fast. Winning the International Formula 3000 Championship with Arden it was rumoured in late 2004 that Ferrari was looking to hire him as test driver or to place him as a driver at Sauber. In September that year he tested for Sauber, only to join Red Bull. In 2005 he became test driver for Red Bull Racing. He would also race a couple of races for the team scoring a point at San Marino. In 2006, when Red Bull purchased Minardi, he moved to Toro Rosso Red Bull junior team. He would stay there for two seasons with some results. In 2008 he signed the deal with Force India to become their test driver.
In 2009, when the hype was gone, Luizzi started racing in other series, while still Force India’s test driver. He appeared at the start of the A1GP Championship for team Italy and appeared at the start of the Speedcar Series. During the 2009 season he would replace Giancarlo Fisichella after he finished second during the Belgian Grand Prix and got the opportunity to race for Ferrari where he replaced Luca Badoer. In 2010 he raced the full season for Force India scoring regularly points. In 2011 raced for HRT, a new team that lacked since their start the proper financial base to be a serious team. While having a contract for 2012, Narian Kartikeyan was hired. After the F1 he did some racing in V8 series and the GT.
Will Davison(AU)-(T)
Active year: 2004
Davison together with Power were in the scope at Minardi to become one of their drivers in 2005. In 2000 he made his debut in the Australian Formula Ford Championship finishing fifth overall while winning the Formula Ford Victoria title that year. In 2001 he stayed in the Australian Formula Ford which he managed to win with nine victories. Knowing he wouldn’t go much further staying in Australia he moved for 2002 to Europe where he debuted in the British Formula Renault 2.0 Championship. In 2003 moved to Alan Docking Racing in the British Formula 3 Championship with One race he finished fifth overall.
In 2004 he stayed in the British Formula 3 Championship though with less success. The same year he made his debut also in the V8 Supercar Championship for Team Dynamik. He also tested for Minardi the 23th of November 2004 at Misano. Minardi was looking for a new driver in 2005 and he was one of the drivers they wanted to test. He would test he same day as Will Power. Completing 22 laps his best time was a 1:11,900.
After his test with Minardi he moved back to Australia to keep on racing in the V8 Supercar Championship. Though, he returned to the single seaters in 2006 when he debuted in the A1GP for team Australia.
Will Power(AU)-(T)
Active year: 2004
Power together with Davison were in the scope at Minardi to become one of their drivers in 2005. Will Power debuted in 1998 in the Australian Formula Ford Championship where he would stay until 2001. He managed to with the Championship in 2000 with five wins, he finished in 2001 second overall. In 2002 he made his debut in the Australian Drivers Championship. This was a championship with Formula Holden cars. He managed to win this championship. That year he also debuted in the Australian Formula 3 Championship winning six races he finished second overall he also appeared at several races at the V8 Supercar Championship. In 2003 he moved to England where he made his debut in the British Formula 3 Championship with some good results.
In 2004 he stayed in the British Formula 3 Championship for Alan Docking Racing with five podiums and 111 points he finished fifth overall. Like Will Davidson Will Power was asked by Minardi to test for the team. He tested the 23rd of November 2004 for Minardi at Misano. He completed 22 laps with the Minardi PS04B his best time was 1:11,790. In 2005 he made his debut in the Formula Renault 3.5 series and in the Champ Car world series. In 2006 besides racing in the Champ Car World Series he competed also in the A1GP for team Australia for a couple of races. Finishing second overall in the 2007 Champ Car World Series he moved in 2008 to the IndyCar series. In 2011 and 2012 he finished second overall in the Indycar. In 2014 he won the Championship which he repeated in 2022.
Zsolt Baumgartner(HU)-(T)(D)
Active year: 2004
The very first Hungarian driver that scored a point in the Formula One. Zsolt has an interesting career, and one that is one of the shortest from all the drivers that drove for Minardi. In 1997 Zsolt made his debut in the German Formula Ford and the German Formula Renault Cup championships. Having some decent results debuted in the winter of 1998 in the Formula Renault Great Britian Championship in preparation for his debut in the French Formula Renault series. In 1999 he debuted in the European Formula Renault Championship with success he finished as third overall. He also appeared in the German Formula Renault winning several races.
For 2000 he moved to the German Formula 3 Championship with GM Motorsport he managed to score one podium that season. In 2001 would race again in the German Formula 3 Championship and debuted in the International Formula 3000 Championship. For 2002 he stayed in the International Formula 3000 Championship with no success. In 2003 it went slightly better. However, in 2003 he was in negotiations with Jordan Grand Prix to replace the injured Ralph Firman. Zsolt already became the teams Test and reserve test driver for the German Grand Prix. To make it an publicity stunt Zsolt Baumgartner would debut in the Formula One during his home Grand Prix at the Hungaroring. He sadly retired at his home Grand Prix. He also appeared at the Italian Grand Prix where he finished eleventh.
While negotiations were ongoing for a contract with Jordan Grand Prix in 2004 with the help of Oil company Mol Rt. the contract would be signed with the Minardi team. However, his sponsor decreased their amount of sponsorship there for Zsolt’s management came up with Zsolt Baumgartner Supporters Club to gain extra money, enough for him to complete the full season in the Formula One. Finishing ninth in Monaco he managed to score a point with his Minardi PS04B at the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis. It was Minardi’s first point since Mark Webber in 2002.
After his Formula One career it went silence for Zsolt. However, in 2007, as Paul Stoddart debuted Minardi in the Champcar Championship he was announced as test and reserve driver for the team. He only tested a couple of times with the car. In 2008 he tested with the Superleague Formula for Tottenham Hotspur.
