Fondmetal
Fondmetal was an Italian Formula 1 racing team, which had emerged from the Turin team Osella and took in the seasons 1991 and 1992. The team scored no championship points.
- 4.1 Statistics in Formula 1
- 4.2 All drivers of Fondmetal in Formula 1
- 4.3 Results in Formula 1
History
Fondmetal is an Italian wheel manufacturer, supplier of wheels for the teams Williams, Ligier and Tyrrell in Formula 1 until 1984. Since 1983 Fondmetal was a personal sponsor of Piercarlo Ghinzani. First, the small team Osella came to enjoy the support. In the aftermath Fondmetal sponsored all teams in which Ghinzani drove - including Zakspeed - but remained at the same continues to be one of the sponsors Osellas. 1989, returned as Ghinzani for one last season to the Turin team, Fondmetal took first Osella Squadra Corse shares of. This step was essential for the survival Osella at this time. With the funds Metals Fund, the team succeeded, for the first time since 1983, again to develop a completely new car. 1990 Fondmetal majority owner Osellas, and in 1991 it finally acquired all shares of Enzo Osella. In the Formula 1 season 1991 joined the team as Fondmetal Corse in the Formula 1 World Championship. The new team factory was built in Palosco at Bergamo; simultaneously opened Fondmetal a design office in the UK, in the future, the Formula 1 cars of the team should be developed. Team principal and owner was Gabriele Rumi, founder of Fondmetal. The Formula 1 involvement lasted only one and a half years. In late summer 1992 Rumi ended because of persistent failure to use his team.
In the 1990s, Fondmetal was ( as of 1996 ) primarily as a sponsor of Tyrrell (1995) and Minardi present; In addition the company in Italy maintained a wind tunnel, were repeatedly do research in the teams like Tyrrell.
In 1997, the Fondmetal founder Gabriele Rumi was involved in the rescue of financially troubled teams Minardi. Together with Flavio Briatore, Alessandro Nannini and several other businessmen, he took over the majority of shares in the team from Faenza. A year later, Rumi took over the shares of his former business partner and led the team along with Giancarlo Minardi until the end of 2001, initially had been thought to rename the Minardi team in Fond Metal.; ultimately Rumi held but firmly on the established and esteemed name Minardi. In Rumi's leadership, consolidated the position Minardi until Rumi withdrew as a result of cancer in late 2001 from motorsport. Its shares took over Australian Paul Stoddart.
Fondmetal is still considered active rim manufacturer.
Fondmetal Corse in Formula 1
1991
Fondmetal Corse denied the first year in Formula 1 with only one vehicle. As a driver Olivier Grouillard was obliged who had worked in the previous year at Osella. Initially Gabriele Rumi had wanted to provide a second car for Paul Belmondo, these considerations failed, however, early on the limited capacity of the tire supplier.
Gabriele Rumi gave for the 1991 season, an entirely new car in order. This vehicle should be developed at Fomet in English Bicester, a subsidiary Metals Fund, which had Rumi founded in November 1990 and at the Robin Herd - should work and Tino Belli with about 30 British and Italian engineers - one of the founders of March Engineering. The development of the new car, however, retreated to the length, so Fondmetal Corse had to deny having a slightly revised race car Osella the first two races of the season overseas. This emergency vehicle was Fondmetal FA1ME and corresponded to the Osella FA1ME who had already been in use in 1990. Grouillard succeeded in neither starts the pre-qualification; he was here last and always was even slower than Pedro Chaves Coloni C4, which was generally regarded as the weakest car of the field.
On the occasion of the Grand Prix of San Marino debuted in the UK were Fomet 1 The car was completely redesigned; Aerodynamics, transmission and suspension had nothing in common with Osellas construction. Was powered by a Cosworth DFR engine that was tuned by Brian Hart. However, the engines were not new; they corresponded to 1990 employed by Tyrrell engines. Only at the end of 1991 Fondmetal received an updated version.
Grouillard failed to continue the pre-qualification in the first three races of the European season. The only improvement over the opening race was that Grouillard could now leave Chaves Coloni behind. A surprise, the team succeeded in the Grand Prix of Mexico: here Grouillard managed easily prequalification and positioned his car in qualifying on the tenth grid position - even before the successful carriage of Jordan and also in front of the tradition of Team Lotus. In the race however Grouillard fell to 23 out lying, due to a defective oil pump. The following events Not skills and qualifications alternated; insofar as there was a race entry, but different Grouillard regularly because of technical defects. The only exception was found in the Belgian Grand Prix, where he finished in tenth place.
Given the few successes lost Gabriele Rumi increasing confidence in Olivier Grouillard. For the last three races of the year he replaced him then by Gabriele Tarquini, who had previously run for AGS. Grouillard took for one last race Tarquinis place in the French team a. Tarquini came in the last three races of the year twice in the target - in Spain in twelfth - but each remained significantly outside the points.
1992
For 1992, Fomet should develop a vehicle for the Fondmetal team in Bicester again. By the end of 1991, there was, however, been tension between Gabriele Rumi and Fomet, when it was announced that Robin Herd to accept an order from the French competition teams Larrousse was ready. The end of 1991 Rumi thereupon broke off relations with Fomet. With the development of the new car then Sergio Rinland was commissioned, a former Brabham engineer who had made an operating name of Astauto recently independently.
Until the completion of the new vehicle Fondmetal Corse had to dispute with the car known from the previous year, the race of the 1992 season. The vehicle was given the designation GR 01, but was hardly changed technically. The main modification was to install a new engine. Rumi had received from Ford eight-cylinder HB- generation that had been used in the previous year at Benetton. In practice Auto did not blend together. The engine needed more cooling than the Fomet / GR 01 could provide. This resulted in numerous motor defects in the race.
Fondmetal Corse reported two drivers for the 1992 season. Gabriele Tarquini remained in the team; beside him drove the Swiss Andrea Chiesa, who made his debut here in Formula 1.
Tarquini qualified regularly with the GR01 and reached the 14th place in the Grand Prix of Mexico the best qualifying result of the team this year. In the race he set the third fastest lap (even before Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna ), but ultimately fell out due to engine damage. Church, however, had difficulties with the qualification. In seven experiments, he qualified with the GR01 only twice - in Mexico and Spain - fell in both races but, after spinning out.
At the Grand Prix of Spain, who was influenced by changing weather conditions and partly heavy rain, Tarquini was able to fight long in a promising position. In the second half of the race, he finished up his retirement ten laps to positions 7 and 8 by the failure of the team escaped very likely the first World Championship points since just before the end with Senna and Capelli two cars ahead Tarquini failed yet. Place 6 thus went to the Dallara of Pierluigi Martini, was able to hold until then Taquini long time confidently behind.
On the occasion of the Grand Prix Canada debuted developed by Sergio Rinland Fondmetal GR02. The car was broadly Rinlands draft - never realized - Brabham BT 61 It was made simple and had no electronic driving aids. Tarquini took the view that had the potential GR02, but he lacked the required reliability. The car was barely tested and was therefore difficult to control at the races.
The first use of the GR02 Tarquini qualified the car in Canada for the 18th starting position. In the race he fell after six rounds because of a broken throttle cable. Tarquini reached some more positive qualification results, including a 11th place start in Belgium, where he was able to start the race before Ivan Capelli's Ferrari. However, none of these successes could be translated into results; in the runs themselves different Tarquini regularly with technical defects. The only exception was the Grand Prix of Great Britain, where Tarquini who finished 14th.
Andrea Chiesa received the GR02 for the first time at the Grand Prix of France. When you start the accident his car was badly damaged, however, so it result in races again had to use the GR01. The Grand Prix of Hungary Church was replaced by Eric van de Poele, who had previously driven at Brabham. The Belgian was at his home race in tenth, which was the best result of the season of the team. Before the Grand Prix of Portugal, the team had to withdraw because of financial difficulties. Gabriele Rumi had first considered a new beginning in the 1993 Formula 1 season, gave these plans but in December 1992.
The Fondmetal 3.0 formula 1 engine
In the 2000 season, the name Fondmetal returned to Formula 1 as the Italian team Minardi reported a designated as Fondmetal 3.0 ten-cylinder engine for the Minardi M02. The engine had been developed yet established fact neither Fondmetal. It was rather a constructed in the UK motor type Ford Zetec, had taken over the Minardi in the absence of alternative and responsibly revised. The engine was on the level of development of 1998 was used by Minardi again the following year.; but here it was designated European V10.
Facts and Figures
Statistics in Formula 1
1With this race car qualified you for not starting. 2An race was held with the GR1 and GR2 said.
All drivers of Fondmetal in Formula 1
1 Chiesa finished a race this season and is therefore not included in the overall standings.