Scuderia Coloni

The Scuderia Coloni is an Italian motor racing team from the Umbrian community Passignano sul Trasimeno, near Perugia, which was founded in 1982 by Enzo Coloni under the name Enzo Coloni Racing Car Systems. In later years it operated under the name Coloni Motorsport.

The team has been involved since 1983 in a variety of classes of motorsport, including Formula 3, Formula 3000, GP2 and, temporarily, the Formula 1 from 2006 to 2009, the team went to the GP2 Series with the support of the former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella under the name Fisichella motor Sport International at the start.

4.1 1986
4.2 1997
4.3 1998
4.4 1999
4.5 2000
4.6 2001
4.7 2002
4.8 2003
4.9 2004

5.1 2005
5.2 2006
5.3 2007
5.4 2008
5.5 2009
5.6 2010
5.7 2011
5.8 2012

History

The driving force of the racing team was born in 1946 Enzo Coloni, who was from 1973 for ten years as a racing driver in smaller Motorsport classes active. In 1976 Enzo Coloni, to race in the Italian Formula 3 series. In 1981, he won his first Formula 3 race in a March 813 and finished the season in fourth place, and in 1982, at the age of 36, he won the Italian Formula 3 Championship. In higher classes to Coloni Motorsport committed only rarely as a driver; only 1980 and 1983, he played one race apiece in the Formula 2 European Championship. However, the results achieved there was not enough to take from 1983, even in the formula 2 feet. Therefore, he decided to continue to build its own team for racing and use his experience in team management.

The Formula 1

Internationally known Coloni was mainly through his Formula 1 activities in the years 1987 to 1991. The team was after a few years in Formula 3 and a single year very quickly ascended in Formula 3000 in Grand Prix racing, where it However, should reach its financial and logistical limitations. The sporting success, Enzo Coloni had in the smaller classes have registered, you should stay here unattainable. Indeed, the results were sobering. Between autumn 1987 and autumn 1991 Coloni went to 82 races. During this time, the team could only qualify for 14 races, and in total there were only five stage finishes, all of which were recorded in 1988. The last race participation took place in autumn 1989 in Portugal; in the next two years should Coloni create the qualification to a race not once. With these statistics Coloni fit into the series of the most unsuccessful teams in Formula 1 history.

The main reason for this was a permanent blatant lack of money. As a small Italian team, it was difficult if not impossible to find international sponsors. On the other hand, drove in the late 1980s with Ferrari, BMS / Dallara, Coloni, EuroBrun Racing, Minardi and Osella not less than six Italian teams in Formula 1, which all strove for national sponsors. Coloni was at this time the smallest team with the weakest infrastructure. There was soon to material and personnel; time and again there have been periods in which the team consisted of only half a dozen people - a fraction of employees working in a top team people. Again and again had to be improvised; technical solutions could no longer develop or even implement. Enzo Coloni later explained that his years in Formula 1 was the only time in which it financially, the water had stood up to his neck.

The Italian Formula 3

While Formula 1 is an ambitious project of the team 's founder and was shortly made for international recognition of the racing team, was the formula 3 - especially the Italian racing series - for decades a major pillar of Coloni. Here Coloni was a fixed size, which was good for success again and again. Enzo Coloni used his relations with this race series which personally meant a lot to him. Even if Coloni temporarily took in higher racing classes, the formula 3 was mostly operated in parallel, even if other operations under considerable lack of funds suffered and the company's existence was in danger. This was true for example for the year 1991, the Colonis Formula 1 project was on very shaky legs. After the collapse of the Formula 1 teams end of 1991, the formula was 3 an almost self-evident retreat area for the company and enabled Enzo Coloni and his son Paolo to establish himself again in motorsport.

1983

In his first season, the young team went on alone in the Italian Formula 3. Back in 1983, dominated Colonis driver Ivan Capelli with a Ralt RT3 Alfa Romeo the national championship, which he won in nine out of 13 races.

1984

A year later Coloni already drove two tracks: in the Italian Formula 3 Championship, the team used a car for Alessandro Santin a, who won four races and the national championship import. At the same time Ivan Capelli moved for the Coloni team a Martini Mk45 in European Formula 3 series, in which he also achieved several victories.

1985

1985 Alex Caffi drove for Colonis Formula 3 team in the Italian championship; the young Italian narrowly missed the championship.

1986

1986 served Coloni Motorsport, the Italian Formula 3 and European Formula 3,000. Colonis fourth season in the Italian Formula 3 Championship was a successful year. The team used two current Dallara car with an engine of Alfa Romeo. Nicola Larini won Colonis driver five times and won the championship with 69 points clear. Also, the runner-up came from Colonis team: Marco Apicella achieved with three wins and ten podium finishes 62 points.

1987

Sat Coloni Racing Reynard two with Volkswagen engine for Antonio Tamburini and Rinaldo Capello. Overall, the team was unable to build on the successes of the previous year. There were no wins and only occasional podium positions. Capello was the better driver. He reached ten championship points and ended the year with an eighth place. Tamburini received eight points and finished tenth. The league title this year went to Enrico Bertaggia, who drove for Forti Corse and scored 53 championship points. At the end of this year Coloni temporarily ended its activities in the Formula 3; the team was fully occupied with its Formula 1 involvement.

1991

After three years of interruption Coloni Motorsport appeared in 1991 in the Italian Formula 3 The team used two Ralt RT35 with Alfa Romeo and later with a Volkswagen engine. First driver was the 21 -year-old Paolo Coloni, the son of Enzo Colonis, who celebrated his debut in the Formula 3 here. Paolo Coloni reached 15 championship points and was in the financial statements eighth. Beside him rode Gianmaria Leonetti, who reached no championship points. It is noteworthy that Paolo Coloni was named in the same year as the official test driver for Colonis Formula 1 team. Whether he actually moved the Coloni C4 once, is not occupied.

1992

In 1992, Enzo Colonis team focused solely on the Italian Formula 3 Coloni Motorsport approached with a vehicle that had been developed and built. The car was named after a sponsor " FTS 392 ". Coloni Motorsport was the only team that started this car, and it was also the only team that ever took with a self-built cars. Thus, they found themselves in tough competition to Dallara, whose cars dominated the Italian Formula 3. 16 of 24 teams were one from the beginning Dallara car while seven teams were on cars of Ralt. Of these seven alternated five more during the season also to Dallara. Colonis drivers were again Paolo Coloni and Giancarlo Grieco. Paolo Coloni moved during the season only the FTS, which was changed after initial operations with engines from Alfa Romeo later on Mugen engines. He scored by car from one point and finished the season as an equal 23. His teammate Grieco changed during the season from the FTS also a Dallara. However, he did not reach a single point.

1993

For the coming year Coloni Motorsport was the AGVs, now called 923, to the Italian team from Apex. There they were moved by Sandro Corsini, Paolo de Cristofaro and Cesare Manfredino, could not that one of the drivers reach a championship point.

Coloni Motorsport, however, established a single Dallara 393 for Paolo Coloni, which was initially driven by a Opel, later by a Fiat engine. Paolo Coloni, reaching 23 championship points from finished the season as the seventh. It was the last year in which Paolo Coloni participated as an active driver in a race for the team Coloni Motorsport. Paolo Coloni took over in the subsequent period, assisted by his father, the management of the family racing team.

1994

In 1994, Coloni Motorsport again two cars one, in both cases Dallara 394 with Fiat engines. Drivers were Gianluca Paglicci, which was finally fifth of the season with 150 points, and Alberto Pedemonte, who scored 38 points and finished the season in eleventh place.

This year, turn surfaced three racing cars of the brand FTS; reported they were 933 as FTS from the team GPSR drivers were Davide Amaduzzi, Enea Carta, Paolo de Cristofaro and Gianluca di Lorenzi. None of them could achieve a single championship point.

1995

For next season Gianluca Paglicci remained on the team, as a partner, he received Danilo Tomassini. The cars were current cars from Dallara ( 395) as engine Fiat engines were used, were later replaced by the Alfa Romeo engines in Paglicci. Paglicci was with 131 points, fourth in the Championship, Tomassini reached 13 points and finished the season as a starting 18.

1996

1996 should be the first of last year in which Coloni Motorsport was involved in the Italian Formula 3. The team used Dallara 396 cars with engines of Alfa Romeo. The most successful rider of the team was the Argentine Esteban Tuero, who finished the season in 13th place with 16 points. Tuero should deny a 1998 Formula 1 season for the Minardi team. His team-mate Marco Barindelli scored no championship points. Many looked after that Coloni was already employed in the course of the season with the preparation for the intended use in the 1997 Formula 3000 and Formula 3 devoted no great attention more.

2003

After six year break appeared Coloni 2003 - parallel to its involvement in Formula 3000 - again in the Italian Formula 3 Championship. The team has been reported under the name Coloni F3. Coloni sat as a single team a Lola -Dome - racing car, which was powered by a Mugen- Honda engine. All other teams used cars from Dallara. The drivers were from San Marino Dating Christian Montanari and the Italian Marco Bonanomi. Montanari was extremely successful: He missed this year's championship by only four points to close the year with 98 points from second place. Bonanomi reached 77 championship points and finished fourth.

2004

The following season, Coloni kept - still the only team - the Lola racing car in, but switched to engines from Opel. Driver was the Finn Toni Vilander. He was the dominant male of the season: From eleven races he won six. The years end he had reached as many championship points as Matteo Cressoni, who drove for the team Ombra; however the league title was Cressoni, who unlike Vilander denied all races of the season, granted. Colonis second man was Alex Ciompi; He closed the season as third overall.

2005

2005 Coloni F3 fell significantly. The core three year old Lola's had over the current Dallara 304 no chance. Best Coloni driver was Riccardo Mari, who scored a total of ten championship points and finished the season in 12th. By comparison, the champion of the year, Luigi Ferrara, who was driving a Dallara for the Corbetta team had reached 180 championship points. Colonis second driver, Giaccomi Piccini, drove a four championship points. After this year Coloni ended his Formula 3 involvement again.

The Formula 3000 (1986; 1997-2004)

Colonis F3000 - commitment is divided into two phases. A short-term use in 1986 should first be a preparation for the upcoming Formula 1 involvement. As of 1997, the company then took part regularly and with a serious commitment to Formula 3000. The commitment was not easy. The team, which has now led by Paolo Coloni, had to fight through some tough years. As of 2002, but the team was able to ride to victory, and it became a fixture in the Formula 3000 circus, the temporary two racing teams operating simultaneously.

1986

In 1986, after three years in Formula 3, Enzo Coloni took the plunge into a higher class of international motorsport: Parallel to the initial further powered Formula 3 team Coloni entered now in Formula 3000, which in this year its second season went. The team in each race a a used 1985 March 85B for Gabriele Tarquini, who drove it at the race in Imola in fourth and Austria on the ring even in third place. Mostly, a second car was (also a March 85B ) used on which tried various Italian rider, namely the Ticino Franco Forini at Vallelunga, Guido Daccò at the races at Imola and Mugello, Nicola Larini in Enna, Alessandro Santin on the Austria and ring in Birmingham and Nicola Tesini at Le Mans and Jarama. However, they all did not reach the results Tarquinis. Your missions are likely to have rather served to develop additional financial resources for the team.

1987 Coloni no longer engaged in F3000 (but in Formula 3 ). The main focus of the company was clearly in the preparation of the upcoming Formula 1 use.

1997

After ten years of interruption Coloni came back in 1997 in the Formula 3000 back. Behind the company of the collapse of its Formula 1 involvement and a slow resurgence in the Italian Formula 3 was for the Formula 3000 Markus Friesacher and Emiliano Spataro were committed as a driver. The pilots could not qualify for every race and managed in the race never to make it into the top ten. One success celebrated Coloni Motorsport at the last race of the season at Jerez. Oliver Tichy, who replaced for this race Spataro, was second and took both the first points, and the first podium placement for Coloni Motorsport Motorsport in this class.

1998

1998 went by Giorgio Vinella, Thomas Biagi, Rui Águas and Oliver Tichy four different drivers for Coloni. Except Biagi, who finished fourth in the opening race in Oschersleben, neither driver was able to enter points for Coloni Motorsport.

1999

The 1999 season began Coloni Motorsport with drivers Polo Villaamil and Norman Simon, both of which failed often in qualifying. Simon was replaced after seven races by Marcello Battistuzzi and Dino Morelli, both always qualified for the race. Throughout the season, no driver could score points.

2000

For the fourth season, which denied Coloni Motorsport in Formula 3000, Soheil Ayari and Fabrizio Gollin were committed. Both drivers were able to score points and Gollin gave the team at the Nurburgring in second the second podium finish of the championship. Three races to go Ayari left the team and was replaced by his compatriot Fabrice Walfisch. In the team standings Coloni Motorsport finished tenth overall.

2001

In the 2001 season, Coloni Motorsport continued his Formula 3000 continued commitment. In addition to Gollin, who remained on the team as a driver, Rodrigo Sperafico was committed. For the last three races Sperafico was replaced by Marc Goossens, who was able to achieve in contrast to his predecessor points. In the overall standings Coloni Motorsport finished the season ranked twelfth.

2002

Coloni Motorsport 2002, again with two teams in Formula 3000 in part. For Coloni Enrico Toccacelo and Giorgio Pantano went to the start. The driver combination proved for the team as a stroke of luck: After Pantano in Barcelona scored the first victory for Coloni Motorsport, followed in the rest of the season three more wins, two of Pantano and one of Toccacelo. In the team standings Coloni won the runner-up title behind the Arden Team Russia. When the drivers Pantano won the runner-up title behind Sébastien Bourdais.

In spring 2002, Coloni took over the competing European Minardi F3000 team, which was an offshoot of the Formula 1 teams Minardi. Paul Stoddart, the owner of Minardi had, in 1999 the established F3000 team Edenbridge Racing adopted and brought him from 2001 under the name of its Formula 1 team in Formula 3000 at the start. After a little more than a year Minardi was junior team in financial difficulties, so that Stoddart had to end his Formula 3000 commitment. After initially selling to Astro Mega had been considered a collaboration with Coloni was announced on the occasion of the race at the Nürburgring, which was an assumption in economic terms. For the last race of the 2002 Coloni operation then two racing stables; until the end of 2002 kept the second team in the name of European Minardi F3000. The season was but after the takeover by Coloni no more successful than in the first race: The team finished with no points at end of season tenth overall.

2003

2003, the second team of Coloni, the former European Minardi F3000 team team was the Red Bull junior F3000. For Colonis own team Zsolt Baumgartner and Ricardo Sperafico went to the start. With Sperafico had again a rider on the team who could ride to victory and won the race in Zeltweg and Hockenheim. Baumgartner left the team, although he had retracted a few points to his home race in Budapest in the direction of Formula 1 to the Jordan team. At the season finale he was replaced by Christian Montanari. In the team standings you had to admit defeat of their own competition again. The Red Bull Junior team was a victory by Patrick Friesacher second in the team standings. Coloni took fourth place and won with Ricardo Sperafico again the runner-up title of the drivers.

2004

For Coloni Motorsport Jeffrey Van Hooydonk and drove Can Artam. As the season progresses, both pilots were replaced by Patrick Friesacher or Chanoch Nissany. Friesacher, who won a year earlier for the second Coloni team a race, scored the only victory for Coloni in this season. The second team, after Red Bull had retired in 2004 as a sponsor, renamed Performance in CMS. In the team standings was CMS performance that went with José María López and Mathias Lauda at the start, fourth from Coloni, were the fifth.

The GP2 series (since 2005)

2005

After the formula was dissolved 3000, changed Coloni Motorsport in 2005 the succession series GP2. Mathias Lauda survived the team, and the team has been strengthened with the former Formula 1 driver Gianmaria Bruni. Three races left in the season left Bruni, who won the feature race in Barcelona and Monaco was second in the team and was replaced by Toni Vilander and Ferdinando Monfardini. In the team standings, the team finished ninth overall.

In addition, Coloni supervised 2005, the team of Giancarlo Fisichella, Fisichella Motor Sport, which took in the Italian Formula 3000 and with Luca Filippi won the championship.

2006

2006, Coloni Motorsport and Fisichella Motorsport connected to Fisichella Motor Sport International, FSMI briefly together. Paolo Coloni had an agreement with the Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella concluded that began in parallel with its involvement in Formula 1 cars with their own name in smaller racing classes. Use in the GP2 was organized by Coloni Motorsport. Fisichella gave the money and his name, Coloni, however, completed the daily business. In addition to the GP2 Series the team took part in the Italian Formula 3000 series.

Was sponsored in the GP2 series in which FSMI of Petrol Ofisi, Giorgio Pantano was able to achieve a respectable fifth place in the overall standings. He won one of the two races at Magny Cours and both races on his home course at Monza. Pantano replaced the somewhat disappointing Luca Filippi, whose best result with the team was a fifth place in Imola. Filippi moved to the first three race weekends to BCN Competición, where he replaced Timo Glock, which in turn was changed to iSport International. The second driver, the Turk Jason Tahincioglu, had a weak year, his best finish was an eleventh place in Monza. In the team standings ranked FSMI fifth overall.

2007

At the start of the 2007 season in the GP2 Series, the team expected after last year's fifth place upward trend, especially as a driver had been committed with Formula 1 experience with Antonio Pizzonia. However, Pizzonia proved to be a disappointment because he could only a single point at the race in Monaco reach. He was replaced in the fourth race weekend by Adam Carroll. Carroll won the home race at Silverstone and at the Hungaroring. Three more podiums followed and he was seventh in the overall standings. Jason Tahincioglu reached in any race a Top 10 ranking and disappointed again. In the overall standings, the team took ninth place.

2008

At the beginning of the year FSMI participated in the first season of the GP2 Asia Series with Adrián Vallés and Michael Herck. After Herck had hurt, he was replaced by Roldán Rodríguez at the last race of the season. In the overall standings, the team took seventh place.

The team planned in the GP2 series originally with the Spanish riders Andy and Adrián Vallés Souček, but at the first race weekend in Barcelona around both were replaced. Roldán Rodríguez took over the cockpit of Souček before the start of the first race. A short time later Vallés joined the team BCN Competición and was replaced by Adam Carroll. After the race in Monaco, separated the team from Carroll and awarded the second place in the cockpit Estonian Marko Asmer. In the overall ranking of the 2008 season, there was only enough for tenth place.

2009

Before the start of the 2009 season they again took part in the GP2 Asia Series. As a driver Andreas Zuber and Kevin Nai Chia Chen were committed. Once it became clear that making should also go in the regular GP2 Series for FSMI, he was replaced by Rodolfo Gonzalez. Throughout the season, none of the drivers made it into the points and so finished in twelfth place in the team standings.

In the European GP2 series, the team went with Zuber and Luiz Razia at the start. While Razia still could get no points, Zuber has already achieved three podium finishes. In the course of the 2009 season separated Giancarlo Fisichella of Coloni Motorsport. Paolo Coloni took over Fisichella's shares and led the GP2 team from the race in Valencia again completely alone. The team was - renamed Scuderia Coloni Racing Party Poker - with regard to the new main sponsor. The agreement of all racing activities of FSMI were affected.

At the race in Spa -Francorchamps, the team got back into the headlines. Due to a legal dispute with Andy Souček, who was sacked a season previously equipped with a contract and since then by Coloni calls for the repayment of its payments already made, the cars of the Scuderia Coloni were confiscated .. Coloni occupied after the last race of the season with 29 Championship points in turn, the tenth in the team classification.

2010

In the 2010 season the alliance was not continued with the previous main sponsor. The team entered under the name Scuderia Coloni. The vehicles were painted silver and wore black and red accents. Drivers were the Brazilian Alberto Valerio and Bulgarian Vladimir Arabadzhiev. For the last two races of the year in Monza and Abu Dhabi Arabadzhiev was replaced by the New Zealander Brendon Hartley. Coloni in 2010 drove a total of 18 points and was ranked ten of the team standings.

2011

In the seventh season of GP2 Coloni went first with drivers Michael Herck and Davide Rigon at the start. In the sprint race in Istanbul, the first run of the year, Rigon clashed with his rival Julian Leal. In the accident, Rigon moved to multiple fractures of the fibula, in view of which he is not racing can continue for several months. Rigon was replaced for the following race through the 17-year- old Kevin Ceccon. The first race of the year were unsuccessful. For half of the season Coloni was only one championship point (retracted by Herck the sprint race in Spain ) recorded. It was thus in the team ranking second to last place.

The situation improved when Coloni replaced for the race at the Nürburgring in July Ceccon by the Italian veteran Luca Filippi. Filippi won in his first race for Coloni the main race and finished third in the sprint from. Filippi won again at the final race at Monza; He also won the sprint race in Belgium. Overall, Filippi was runner-up with 44 points behind Romain Grosjean; Herck was with two points 21 Coloni finished the European season 2011 in seventh place team score.

2012

2012 comes with Stefano Coletti and Fabio Coloni Onidi in the GP2 series. The best result the team achieved so far Coletti, who finished the race in third place. In July 2012, Enzo Coloni said without giving reasons that his team will not take part in the 2013 GP2 season. The Scuderia Coloni were disallowed then all Championship points of the season in 2012.

Other activities

Enzo and Paolo Coloni were active in addition to the operation of a team owner in the organizational field of racing and also, sometimes posting chassis for regional racing series here.

For the Formula Nissan, a precursor to the World Series by Renault, Coloni developed the unit chassis used from 1998. Coloni at this time was the exclusive manufacturer of the vehicles.

Since 2006, Coloni also organizes the race series Auto GP, a regional motorsport class that emerged from the European Formula 3000 Championship. There are press reports that the FIA Colonis viewing activities in this area as problematic; not least because it held some observers questioned whether the FIA Colonis would extend commitment in the GP2 series about the year 2010. In September 2010, however, the FIA confirmed Colonis nomination for the GP2 2011 season.

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