By Andrew Cutler
January 5 2012
The squad that would eventually become Scuderia Toro Rosso began it's existence as the Minardi F1 Team, competing from 1985-2005. While Minardi rarely notched any impressive race results, it won over a legion of fans and earned the respect of it's fellow competitors with it's ability to make the most of very limited budgets and refusal to accept pay drivers. Thus Minardi became the much-loved 'underdog' of the series, and every time it qualified or placed well - which was rare - became a cause for celebration.
Minardi only once qualified on the front row for a GP - 2nd at the 1990 USGP, by Pierluigi Martini - and never scored a podium finish, settling for 4th place on three occasions; San Marino and Portugal '91, both by Martini and South Africa '93, by Christian Fittapaldi. The only time that a Minardi lead a lap (and it was only 1 lap) came during the '89 Portuguese GP: Again, it was Martini who notched the feat.
Pierluigi Martini was the driver most commonly identified with Minardi, logging five full and two partial seasons with the squad in three separate stints between 1985 and 1994. Minardi also is reconginzed as an early - often the first - stop for drivers who later went on to greater things in F1 and on the American open wheel racing scene. Notable among the Minardi alumni are:
ACTIVE F1/AOWR DRIVERS:
Fernando Alonso: two time F1 champion
Mark Webber: multiple F1 GP winner
Justin Wilson: multiple CCWS/IndyCar race winner
FORMER F1/AOWR DRIVERS:
Jarno Trulli: '04 Monaco GP winner
Giancarlo Fisichella: multiple F1 GP winner
Alessandro 'Alex' Zanardi: two time CART champion
Christian Fittapaldi: multiple CART race winner