Durango (racing team)

Durango is an Italian motor racing team currently going on in the GP2 Series and GP2 Asia Series, the Euro Series 3000, of the Italian GT series and for karting belonging formula Azzura at the start. The team was founded in 1980 by Ivone Pinton and Enrico Magro and has its headquarters in Mellaredo.

Since its existence, the team has competed in a number of racing series. From 1987 to 1992 Durango was active in the Italian Formula 3. In 1991, the team went for the first time in the 24- hour race at Le Mans and also drove in the International Formula 3000 and the British Formula 2 From 1994, followed by launches in the Renault Formula 2000 (until 2006) and the Euro Series. 2003 Durango was a second time in the 24- hour race at Le Mans this.

GP2 Series

In 2005, the team decided was also represented to the end to participate in the newly formed Formula 1 junior series GP2 Series as a successor for the 2004 set formula 3000, in Durango. Already in the 2005 season was scored a victory by Clivio Piccione. Depending another victory was inserted into the 2007 season, Karun Chandhok and through the 2008 season by Davide Valsecchi.

In the season 2008/2009 GP2 Asia Series Valsecchi was another victory for Durango on the first weekend in Shanghai. The second car, sat in the cockpit during the last season of the GP2 Series Alberto Valerio was controlled in the Asia Series by Carlos Iaconelli.

In the 2009 Formula GP2 season Valsecchi remained for the first six races of the year in Durango, then he was replaced by Stefano Coletti; Durango's second car was consistently driven by Nelson Panciatici 2009. The best result of the year reached Valsecchi with third place in the feature race in Turkey. Coletti was only when the main race in Belgium to the finish; for sprint races he entered not. On the last two races of the year in Italy and Portugal Durango did not start due to financial problems. For the omission of these runs a fine of 70,000 euros was imposed on the team. At the 2010 Durango did not participate.

Promotion to Formula 1?

Durango competed in April 2010 alongside Stefan Grand Prix and Epsilon Euskadi at the 13th place in the Formula 1 2011 season, which was not awarded after a decision by the FIA. In summer 2010, the former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve was a partner Durango in conversation. The project, however, could not be realized.