Confirmed: Bruni to Minardi

x_dt · 13 Dec 2003, 14:07 (Ref:810942)

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030722/65/e4q6o.html

Bruni signs for European Minardi

Quote:

European Minardi Cosworth is pleased to announce that it has today signed Gianmaria “Gimmi” Bruni as one of its 2004 race drivers. The 22-year-old Roman established a very positive relationship with the Faenza squad in 2003, driving a third European Minardi chassis in Friday test sessions during the second half of the F1 season.

Not exactly a surprise move...

**Adam43** · 13 Dec 2003, 15:14 (Ref:810968)

Good stuff. An obvious choice. He has been involved with Minardi for some time.

How many of the tracks did he test at last year? A good few, hopefully this will help him a little.

FWIW the report is on Autosport too now http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=25528&s=5
I liked this quote

Quote:

Bruni
I'm just so happy. From when I was a small boy, I wanted only to be a Formula 1 driver.

NiceGuyEddie · 13 Dec 2003, 15:17 (Ref:810971)

It's a good choice. Fridaytesting definatly showed promise. The Verstappen-people happily point out that Bruni was under way with new tyres and a light fuelload, but if that's the only thing you need to challenge the laptimes of the regular drivers, than you must have some potential. Him landing the seat also means he raised the budget, so everyone involved can be happy. This could be one to watch.

**Adam43** · 13 Dec 2003, 15:21 (Ref:810977)

Quote:

Originally posted by NiceGuyEddie
Him landing the seat also means he raised the budget,

and (in Minardi terms) relatively early too.

GP Racer · 13 Dec 2003, 17:03 (Ref:811026)

Is the second driver seat at Minardi still open?

I may have missed it with all this driver shuffling going on.

alonso11 · 13 Dec 2003, 17:35 (Ref:811052)

Quote:

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
How many of the tracks did he test at last year? A good few, hopefully this will help him a little.

Fiorano shakedown = 50 km
Donington Park shakedown = 50 km
Vallelunga 130 laps of testing = 416 km

Hockenheimring 31 laps friday testing = 141.8 km
Hungaroring 30 laps friday testing = 131.5 km
Monza 27 laps friday testing = 155.8 km
Indianapolis unknown laps friday testing = aprox. 150 km
Suzuka 27 laps friday testing = 156.8 km

That's aprox. 1252 km in an F1 car so far (distance of one and a half grand prix weekend) and knowledge of 5 F1 tracks,but virtually he knows all the European tracks from his previous career.

ralf fan · 13 Dec 2003, 17:36 (Ref:811053)

so then the 2nd seat either Wilson or JOS! probably Jos with all that cash in flow he'll bring....
i hope Bruni is reasonably better than the previous pay drivers bought by minardi. showed some promise in the testing though...

alonso11 · 13 Dec 2003, 18:06 (Ref:811069)

Quote:

Originally posted by alonso11
Indianapolis unknown laps friday testing = aprox. 150 km

I've just found the friday testing results of the USA GP too and he did 33 laps there it means 138.5 km.

So for order's sake altogether he came 1240.4 km in a F1 car so far

**Adam43** · 13 Dec 2003, 18:34 (Ref:811089)

Cheers for the info alonso11.

crozier74 · 13 Dec 2003, 18:46 (Ref:811100)

YES!

Bruni really deserves this seat, and it's good to see that Minardi are still signing drivers based on talent. I think he can prove to be the next big Minardi protege like Fisichella, Alonso, Webber and Wilson were.

The race for the second seat is gonna be interesting and tense. I think it'll go to either Vertsappen or Wilson.

Jos has got the cash, but has supposedly bashed the team in the press. Whether the media took something he said totally out of context like he said they did I don't know, but it won't help his cause anyway. Besides, he's more likely to be looking at fending off Firman to get the 2nd Jordan seat, anyone know if that has been confirmed yet?

Wilson on the other hand doesn't have the cash, but Paul Stoddart has said he is willing to take him back if he lost out on the Jag seat. But if they do take him back then a lack of major cash from the pairing won't help.

BTW, nice stats alonso11

Mekola · 14 Dec 2003, 00:42 (Ref:811305)

Quote:

Originally posted by ralf fan
so then the 2nd seat either Wilson or JOS! probably Jos with all that cash in flow he'll bring....

Don't forget to add Renault youngsters José Mar�*a López and Heikki Kovalainen. On last Thursday both impressed the team and made times in the order of the 1m02 - like Bruni on Friday. There are probabilities that Renault could back for one of them a Minardi seat next year. Adding to that, some Argentinian enterprises consider to support López if he enters F1 (perhaps Arcor, the biggest Argentinian sweets company, could join the boat)...

**GTRMagic** · 14 Dec 2003, 00:55 (Ref:811315)

I dont think Minardi could afford to lose Verstappen actually, the Trust dollars are a lot higher than the US$5m Bruni seems to have scraped together....

I would still doubt that a hybrid PS03/A23 into a PS05 design will do too much for them....

DriverT · 14 Dec 2003, 13:29 (Ref:811595)

Yep, they need Jos now.

kdr · 14 Dec 2003, 13:46 (Ref:811610)

heres a good one from the bbc...

Minardi have filled one of their diver vacancies for next season with the signing of 22-year-old Gianmaria Bruni

BootsOntheSide · 15 Dec 2003, 13:37 (Ref:812175)

LOL!

Bruni is a great signing. His form int esting last eyar really showed him to have some potential, adn his recor din junior championships is more than credible. As long as they can sign either Jos or Wilson to join him and bring some experience, he should be able to show quite well.

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