Minardi

Interesting facts

Giancarlo Minardi founded the Faenza-based outfit in 1979 as a Formula Two constructor, entering Formula One in 1985. Across 21 seasons and 346 race starts, Minardi scored only 38 championship points, its best finish being seventh in the constructors' standings in 1991, the team was limited far more by budget than by poor design. Fernando Alonso made his Formula One debut with Minardi in 2001 at age 19, before going on to become a two-time world champion. Mark Webber also began his Formula One career at Minardi in 2002, later going on to win multiple Grands Prix. Australian businessman Paul Stoddart bought the near-bankrupt team in 2001 to save it from folding. In September 2005, Red Bull GmbH acquired Minardi and relaunched it from 2006 as Scuderia Toro Rosso, keeping the Faenza base. Minardi raced in Formula 1 from 1985 to 2005, across 21 seasons as an Italian team. The team scored a total of 38 constructors' championship points.