page_title: Minardi
section_title: European Minardi (2001–2005)
hierarchical_section_title: Minardi / Racing History / European Minardi (2001–2005)
caption_attribution_description: English: Zsolt Baumgartner] in 2004 Formula 1 US GP, Indianapolis Italiano: Zsolt Baumgartner durante il Gran Premio di Formula 1 degli USA, Indianapolis, 2004
context_page_description: Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor. It was founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005. The team was headquartered in Faenza, Italy. They had little success, but acquiring a loyal group of fans. In 2001 the team was nearly out of money, and was about to shut down. To save the team Mr. Minardi sold it to Australian businessman Paul Stoddart. Stoddart ran the team for five years. Then Stoddart sold the team to the energy drink company Red Bull in 2005. Red Bull renamed the team Scuderia Toro Rosso.
  During its time in F1, the team scored a total of 38 championship points. 16 earned by the team's first driver, Pierluigi Martini. Martini also recorded the team's only front row start, 2nd at the 1990 United States Grand Prix. Martini led a lap in the 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix. The team never achieved a podium finish. The best finishing position they managed was 4th place. Martini finished 4th twice in 1991 and Christian Fittipaldi in 1993.
  Before Minardi's demise, it was a well-liked team within Formula One circles.
context_section_description: The team, near financial collapse, was purchased by Australian businessman Paul Stoddart in early 2001. Stoddaart merged the team with his European Racing Formula 3000 team. During its final years, the Minardi team was almost as famous for its politics as its racing. Stoddart was described as the Formula One teams' unofficial representative. Stoddart tried to get the costs for the teams reduced. He asked to the other car manufacturers for help. He wanted an agreement where the independent teams in Formula One would get cheaper engine deals. In return, the teams that benefited from this deal would support the factory teams with the FIA. This would help the factory teams oppose new rule changes, such as the proposed ban on traction control.
  Before the start of the 2004 season, Stoddart threatened to support the ban on traction control. Later he withdrew this threat. Before the 2005 Australian Grand Prix Stoddart threatened to withdraw his cars. There were new regulation in place for 2005. He claimed that Minardi could not afford to modify their cars. Once again Stoddart ended up withdrawing his threat. Several times, Stoddart called for the resignation of Max Mosley, the FIA's President.
  One of Minardi's most famous performances came at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. It was Australian driver Mark Webber's first Formula One race. At his and Stoddart's home grand prix, Webber brought the car home in fifth place finish. He scored two World Championship points, a rare occurrence for Minardi.
  Minardi was represented in 2004 by two rookies, Italian Gianmaria "Gimmi" Bruni and Hungarian Zsolt Baumgartner. During the year, they celebrated their 20th season in F1. Baumgartner scored Minardi's first point in more than two years at the United States Grand Prix. Only eight cars finished the USGP, and Baumgartner finished 8th. Baumgartner was also the first Hungarian to score a point in a World Championship F1 race.
  In 2005, Minardi's drivers were Christijan Albers and Patrick Friesacher. They scored a total of 7 points, the most since the 1993 season. All of the points came from the debacle of the United States Grand Prix. They finished fifth and sixth. Only six cars started the race. None of the cars running Michelins started the race because of tyre problems. After Friesacher sponsors stopped paying him before the German Grand Prix, he was replaced by the Jordan test driver, Robert Doornbos. This created the first ever all-Dutch driver line-up in Formula One history.
caption: Zsolt Baumgartner driving at the 2004 United States Grand Prix.
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