Minardi: "Sainz Jr, Ocon, Marciello, Evans for third car"

Since the beginning of his career, the DNA of the constructor from Faenza, Gian Carlo MInardi, has been characterized by working with young drivers.

“If third car must be, it has at least to be entrusted to young people, to keep growing the future”. With these words, Gian Carlo Minardi analyzed the difficult economic situation that Formula 1 is going through, with Caterham and Marussia in trouble and the spectre of a third car per team.

Since the beginning of his career, the DNA of the constructor from Faenza has been characterized by working with young drivers.

Therefore, we could not shirk from asking him which names he would like to see in the third cars.

Promising young drivers

“Right now, promising young people are many and Italy is second to none. Keeping within our bounds, Ferrari has asked to point to one of its young people, between Antonio Fuoco and Raffaele Marciello, without forgetting Antonio Giovinazzi”, Minardi says.

“Coming out of our zone, I would certainly give an opportunity to the winner of FIA F3, Esteban Ocon, who got behind the brand-new Toro Rosso driver, Max Verstappen. Moreover, it’s also said that he did very well in Valencia with Lotus and he will soon test the Ferrari at Fiorano, as a reward for winning the title.

As I’ve underlined many times, I would see working the winner of WSR 3.5, Carlos Sainz Jr, paired with Verstappen in TR. The team is growing also structurally. So, I’d rely on a very young pair, aiming for continuing developing together, reaping the benefits within 2-3 years. With Ricciardo and Kvyat, Red Bull Racing’s doors seem to be locked in the short term”.

From GP2

Going on the pyramid, we arrive to GP2, which consecrated Jolyon Palmer. “Personally, I like Mitch Evans and Felipe Nasr very much. In view of third car, also Stoffel Vandoorne have to be included, being part of McLaren’s young drivers program”.

The question marks around the use of third car are still numerous. “It’s necessary to understand how it will be used for television rights and for scoring”, the manager from Faenza says. “Since we arrived at the third to last appointment, I hope that third car will be subject of meetings, facing with seriousness and coldness the topic”.

Minardi