N E W S P A G E
N E W S P A G E
Brazilian GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
Practice for the final round of the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship got under way today at the Autodromo José Carlos Pace in dry, sunny conditions, Minardi Cosworth drivers, Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, plus test driver, Peter Manning, all coping with the demands of the Brazilian circuit in a Formula One car for the first time.
Bruni and Manning lost some time during the opening morning session while minor technical problems were resolved with their respective cars, but by the conclusion of the afternoon session, the Friday technical programme had been completed. Although the Interlagos circuit has long been known for its bumpy nature, grip levels improved during the day, and this was reflected in a steady reduction in lap times.
Peter Manning:
"Unfortunately, I was only able to do a total of twelve flying laps today, as my
car had a hydraulic problem this morning. That was subsequently fixed and I was
then able to do two useful tyre comparison runs. Considering the limited number
of laps available, it was a little difficult to set a competitive lap time, but
I was nonetheless pleased with my performance. I'm also pleased with the effort
of the team, and would like to thank everyone at Minardi for their support
throughout the season. I have experienced very few technical problems all year,
and this has provided me with an excellent opportunity to prove myself in
Formula One."
Paul Stoddart, Team principal:
"It has been a positive start for Minardi to the
final Grand Prix weekend of the season, and it was particularly pleasing that
Gimmi's quickest lap saw him ahead of a Jordan and two Jaguars. Just to put
things in perspective, it is worth noting that his best lap, of 1 min 13.391
secs, was almost four-tenths of a second quicker than last year's pole position
time. Zsolt also ran solidly in both sessions and, in the end, was only a couple
of tenths slower than his team mate. Special mention today, however, must go to
our test driver, Peter Manning, who had his last run in that role with the team
today. Despite a small hydraulic problem in the first session that cost him some
running time, he did his usual exemplary job for us. It has been a pleasure to
have Peter with us, and we would like to thank him for his fantastic efforts
this year. He has made a really significant contribution to the Minardi
programme in 2004, and we wish him every success in his quest to become a
full-time F1 driver next season."
Japanese GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
The first day of practice for the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix, penultimate round of the 2004 Formula One World Championship, turned out to be a decidedly soggy affair, courtesy of a typhoon moving in from the south of the country. Heavy rain set in prior to the opening morning session, thoroughly soaking the Suzuka area and causing many teams to keep their running time to a minimum. Minardi Cosworth drivers, Gianmaria Bruni, Zsolt Baumgartner and regular Friday tester, Peter Manning, all went out in the morning, however, in order both to gain experience of the challenging Japanese circuit and to assess the slippery conditions.
The rain continued to fall heavily during the afternoon session, with grip and visibility remaining at a premium. In common with other teams, Minardi personnel will be hoping for an improvement in the weather tomorrow so they can progress with their normal technical preparations, but with the typhoon forecast to swing close to the Suzuka area, Formula One is in the hands of Mother Nature.
Peter Manning:
"This was my very first experience of driving in the wet with an F1 car as
well as my first time driving on the Suzuka Circuit, and I am very pleased with
what I discovered. The car seems to have quite a lot of grip in the wet, and I
really enjoy driving in the rain anyway. I'm not at the limit of the car yet --
I would need more mileage to arrive at that point but it has been a good start
to building my knowledge of driving in the wet in Formula One. Later when the
track was dry I was pleased with my performance and my lap times which where
comparable to Gimmy and Zsolt."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal:
"In what can only be described as extreme
weather conditions, all three Minardi drivers did a very creditable job today,
Gimmy got to grips relatively quickly with the conditions and set the fastest
time of the three, while Zsolt had a minor 'off' at the point when the rain was
falling at its heaviest and the level of standing water had increased
tremendously. In fact, several cars spun off at turn six, which brought a
premature end to the afternoon session. With the forecast calling for more heavy
weather tomorrow, we could be in for a very interesting race on Sunday."
Italian GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
Preparations for the final European round of the Formula One World Championship, the Italian Grand Prix, got under way today at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. Minardi Cosworth race drivers, Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, and regular Friday tester, Peter Manning, were all on track from the start of today's first official practice session which was contested in wet conditions, aiming to build on the productive work carried out by the team during last week's Monza test.
The ultra-fast circuit, near Milan, rewards those teams that are able to run the lowest of possible downforce configurations on their cars while still retaining good cornering and braking stability. In the morning session, it was Manning who made the most demonstrable progress when it came to dealing with this balancing act involving straight-line speed versus grip, the Australian recording the 14th fastest lap time (1 min 22.994 secs).
Both Bruni and Baumgartner struggled initially to find a suitable chassis balance for the track conditions, but made solid progress during the course of the day. By the afternoon, they had closed the gap to their team mate.
Peter Manning, Test driver:
"Today, we had a very good day and it was quite
tricky with the wet whether conditions. I went out early on when the track was
at it's wettest and than with just a few minutes to go ventured out again and
produced a very competitive lap time under the conditions. We completed the morning in
14th place, which was good. We had a productive day, the team worked very well,
and we had no major problems and it great racing in those conditions."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal:
"It was an interesting day for the Minardi team in that we completed our
entire test programme with all three cars. It's also always pleasing to end the
day between the Jordan's. It shows the testing we did here last week paid
dividends, with Peter today almost equalling the team's best time set in
testing. The drivers, and the whole team, did a great job as Minardi prepares
for one of its 'home' races."
Update on 2005
Jonathon Palmer remains confident that Peter Manning will be on the grid in some capacity in 2005. Manning whom has impressed the Minardi team in the role of Official Test and Reserve driver for the Faenza based team. Palmer has confirmed that dialogue between his young charge and prospective teams has already begun and communication with his primary backer Penfolds was moving in the right direction. "It is a matter of everything coming together at the right time. Peter is doing a very good job on the race track in his current capacity and off the track discussions are moving in the right direction. We are scheduled to meet with the AGP Board later in the year and the Penfolds discussions are encouraging. We have made approaches to several teams and whilst it is early days we remain confident of securing Peter a birth in F1 in a race seat in 2005. That is our goal, although obviously it is very competitive and we are also looking into other avenues as back-up. As we move into the business end of the season we hope to announce some positive news before the end of the season." stated Jonathon Palmer.
Belgian GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
Today's opening practice sessions for the Belgian Grand Prix saw Minardi Cosworth drivers, Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, plus Friday test driver, Peter Manning, all having their first experience of F1 performance around this legendary 6.973-km circuit, located deep in the Ardennes forests.
Initially reporting that the track surface was lacking in grip and dirty off the racing line, all three drivers concentrated on adjusting the chassis balance of their cars to cope with Spa's high-speed swoops and dips. At the conclusion of the second of Friday's two one-hour sessions, it was Baumgartner who had set the fastest time of the Minardi drivers, recording an impressive lap of 1 min ** secs.
Peter Manning:
"What an amazing circuit. This track oozes character and it the place is
almost daunting. I am pleased with the day's work, we managed to get through our
schedule and learnt a few things along the way. In summary, I am very pleased it
was an amazing feeling going through Eau Rouge flat out."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal:
"This has to be one of the best Friday performances for
Minardi in many a Grand Prix weekend. I was particularly pleased for Zsolt
perming so well. All three drivers produced commendably consistent lap times
today, and we'd like to extend our thanks to Cosworth, for the fantastic
engines, and to Bridgestone, for some great tyres."
Hungarian GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
Minardi Cosworth launched into the first official day of the Hungarian Grand Prix -- home race for driver, Zsolt Baumgartner -- and made steady progress during Friday's two one-hour sessions. There was a minor hiccough for the Budapest-based driver, when his car coasted into the pits 20 minutes into the morning session, the result of a sensor problem. This was rectified, however, and he was soon back on track.
By comparison, team mate, Gianmaria Bruni, had an uninterrupted opening session at the Hungaroring, although in common with Baumgartner and Minardi test driver, Peter Manning, he found himself grappling with a strongly oversteering chassis, possibly the result of a relatively dirty track surface.
Unfortunately, the afternoon session was less successful for him, as his car spun at turn 11 on the fourth lap out of the pits, and became stuck in the gravel. The team took the opportunity of the "maximum-downforce" nature of the Hungaroring to try several new components on the Minardi Cosworth PS04B today, all of which showed promise. The team looks forward to making further progress tomorrow.
Peter Manning:
"Today was very important for me to
demonstrate that I have some genuine pace, the fact underlined that I was able
to record faster lap-times than both Gimmi and Zsolt. I am still on a huge
learning curve and I learn more about the characteristics of the car as I drive
it and of course in the process learning new tracks. I like the circuit, it is
very demanding and you can push very hard and I think working with my engineer
that we had a good compromise on set-up. I believe I could have been quicker,
but being such a slow car in comparison to some of the front runners I was
having to make room and probably compromised my best lap time. Thanks for the
team we covered a lot more laps than we did at the Hockenheim and I am already
looking forward to the challenge of Spa."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Minardi
Cosworth:
"It has
been a case of mixed fortunes during the first day of the Hungarian Grand
Prix, which is an important event for the team, as it is Zsolt's 'home'
race. While the morning session went smoothly enough, Gimmi failed to return
to the garage on his first run of the afternoon, and Zsolt, sadly, lost time
on what should have been his fastest run of the day due to traffic. Peter,
on the other hand, had an excellent day, completing his full technical
programme and setting the fastest time of the Minardi drivers. We now look
forward to making further progress tomorrow."
Press release - Peter Manning
Jonathon Palmer has been formally appointed as Peter Manning's F1 Manager effective immediately. The ex F1 racer and commentator has agreed to a two year contract and has already made formal discussions in reference to securing a drive in F1 for Peter Manning for the 2005 season. "Peter is the sort of driver that you want to get behind. He is driven and very intent on making a success of F1 and his performances throughout the course of the season has improved every time he steps behind the wheel of the car. This is a unique experience for me and one that I am determined to give 100%. I look forward to this new challenge wand will hopefully have some good news regarding Peter's situation before the end of this season."
German GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
With track temperatures over 50 deg C and the air temperature hovering around 34 deg C at the Hockenheimring, preparations for this Sunday's German Grand Prix posed even more of a challenge today than normal. Nonetheless, Wilux Minardi Cosworth race drivers, Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, plus test driver, Peter Manning, worked steadily through their assigned technical tasks for the opening day of the 12th round of the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship. As usual, the primary focus was on achieving a satisfactory chassis balance around Hockenheim's twists and turns, and evaluating the tyre choices available from technical partner, Bridgestone, this weekend. Progress was made in all areas, and the team looks forward to another productive day tomorrow.
Peter Manning:
"We tested a few small things today to improve the balance of the car. We
lost a little time in the morning while an electronics matter was dealt with,
but we were able to make the time up by the end of the session. In the
afternoon, we started out with an oversteer problem, which we solved, but then
we created another problem that couldn't be adjusted out before the end of the
session. We were also losing some time on the straight in the afternoon.
Generally, though, I'm pleased with the lap time we achieved at the end, as it
shows I can be on the pace of Gimmi and Zsolt."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux Minardi
Cosworth:
"Today saw all three Minardi drivers compete
their full technical programme in preparation for Sunday's German GP. The times
were very respectable and it's always pleasing to see us in among the Jordans."
British GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
As was the case at the French Grand Prix last weekend, Wilux Minardi Cosworth had a very productive initial day of preparations for Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The Faenza squad's regular race drivers, Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, plus official test driver, Peter Manning, were all out on track early, and progressed steadily through the normal Friday technical programme. Manning chose to go in a slightly different "direction" with chassis set-up from his team mates, and it obviously paid off, as his best lap clearly demonstrated. Even though Minardi team members were fully focussed on their work today, there was no doubt that their private thoughts were very much with Minardi Sporting Director, John Walton.
Peter Manning:
"I'm very pleased with the work we've done today, as we were able to
improve the car so it was to my liking. We suffered a little with understeer
throughout the day, but improved the balance as the sessions went on. I had
a potentially good lap under way this afternoon, but Glock went off and I
slowed, losing a good three-tenths of a second. If that hadn't happened, I
would have been 21st behind Heidfeld. We're definitely going in the right
direction."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux Minardi
Cosworth:
"As many
people are aware, Minardi has had a tough week with the news that its much-loved
Sporting Director, John Walton, suffered a serious heart attack in the early
hours of last Tuesday morning. It goes without saying that all the team's
thoughts throughout this weekend are with John's family and friends. The team
has pulled together and is determined to put up a strong showing at Silverstone,
and today's efforts by all three drivers showed we are doing exactly that."
French GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/03
Like all other Formula One teams, Wilux Minardi Cosworth personnel today found themselves preparing for Sunday's French Grand Prix. All three drivers Gianmaria Bruni, Zsolt Baumgartner and Peter Manning recorded competitive lap times compared to their nearest rivals which make the team cautiously optimistic about the possibility of a positive result this weekend.
Peter Manning:
"I am really making some genuine progress
and we enjoyed a positive programme. I had a few technical problems to
contend with including a bizarre electrical misfire which was present but we
soon managed to find a set-up that produced good chassis stability in the
corners, and as a result, the lap times were quite good, all things
considered. I make it no secret that I am aspiring to be on the grid as a
full time driver in 2005 and hopefully these kind of results will be
beneficial to my cause."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux Minardi
Cosworth:
"A good positive session and the progress of the team in the last
few races has been very impressive and I am very happy with the direction we are
headed. We now seem to be a genuine match for our nearest rivals Jordan Ford and
indeed, all three drivers were holding their own."
US GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Wilux Minardi Cosworth today commenced preparations for the United States Grand Prix -- the second half of a North American Formula One double-header that saw the World Championship teams in Montréal last weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix. Competitors face a very different set of technical challenges at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course compared with the Canadian circuit, however, as it is necessary to find a chassis set-up that works both on the flat-out Speedway section of the track and on the tight "infield". As is the normal Friday procedure on race weekends, Minardi drivers, Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, plus official tester, Peter Manning, spent today's two one-hour practice sessions working on chassis set-up and tyre evaluation, concentrating particularly on finding a consistent chassis balance over longer runs. Bruni lost some time in the opening session after his car spun harmlessly and stopped on the circuit, and later was unable to make his final run of the day as the result of a hydraulic problem. Nonetheless, the team collected a useful amount of data, and looks forward to making further progress tomorrow.
Peter Manning:
"I'm very happy today, both with the car and
with my own performance. I had a very nice test programme today and was able to
set some good times in both practice sessions. I would like to thank everyone on
the team for a great job today."
PAUL STODDART , Team Principal, Wilux Minardi
Cosworth
"I was pleased with the performance of all three drivers, who did a solid job
today, and was particularly impressed by Zsolt's fastest lap in his final run.
This is traditionally a circuit where Minardi has gone well, so we look forward
to tomorrow and what it will bring."
Canadian GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
In near-ideal motor racing conditions, Wilux Minardi Cosworth enjoyed its best Friday practice session so far this season as preparations got under way today at Montréal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix. There was a slightly shaky start to proceedings, when what turned out to be a minor gearbox software problem caused the car of Minardi's official test driver, Peter Manning, to roll to a halt on the first lap out of the pits. Unfortunately, it cost the Australian valuable running time on a demanding circuit that neither he nor regular race drivers, Gianmaria Bruni or Zsolt Baumgartner, had experienced previously.
Nonetheless, the team made a rapid recovery, and by the conclusion of the afternoon session, Bruni had set an excellent fastest lap of 1 min 14.102 secs, just over two seconds slower than the best Friday time. Team mate, Baumgartner, was not far behind, with a lap of 1 min 14.649 secs, while Manning's' time 1 min 14.815 secs after just 23 laps was also highly praiseworthy.
Peter Manning:
"Unfortunately, I was not able to run this morning as a small software
problem stopped my car on the circuit. It was easily repaired once the car
was back in the garage, and I was then able to take part in the second
session, which I was happy to complete without any problems. I got into a
rhythm quite quickly once I got going and was still able to carry out some
useful test work for the team. I like the track very much. It has its own
special character, and it's always nice to experience something out of the
ordinary. All things considered, I'm happy with our performance today."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux Minardi
Cosworth:
"I'm very pleased with today's outcome,
especially as Gimmi's best lap time would have seen him in sixth position on the
grid for last year's race. All three drivers did a great job, especially
considering that none of them had seen this track before, except on television,
and Peter suffered the added disadvantage of losing the entire morning session
due to a car stoppage on his out lap. It was particularly pleasing to see all
three drivers mixing it with the Jordans and Jaguars in what turned out to be
Minardi's best Friday performance this season."
European GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Peter Manning:
"Our job today was to try some different set-ups in an effort to find
additional chassis stability. Gimmi and Zsolt went in a slightly different
direction, and it's clear from the lap times that they found a good solution. As
a result, it has been a good day for the team."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux
Minardi Cosworth:
"All three drivers performed well today and it's good to see the times
reflecting their strong performances. It's also very pleasing that we're
beginning to see the benefit of some of the new components developed from our
wind tunnel programme as they start to come through the system. This is down to
the hard work of the guys back at the factory, and I'd particularly like to
thank them for their efforts. Hopefully, we can build on today and carry this
performance through the weekend."
Monaco GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Peter Manning:
"Monaco is always a tricky place because the guardrail is very close,
and toady unfortunately I got to close. We
tried something a little different in the set-up this afternoon, and, as the
time indicates, it didn't work here at Monaco. The
data we gathered, however, will be of use later in the season. Special
thanks should go to the guys for all their efforts today. Although I crashed
heavily I am feeling fine and I just feel for the team whom have been working so
hard and now they need to rebuild this car. Hopefully I will enjoy better luck
at the Nurburgring."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux
Minardi Cosworth:
"All three Minardi drivers put in a solid performance today, working
through their full technical programme in preparation for Sunday's Monaco Grand
Prix. To have finished up less than a second from Nick Heidfeld's Jordan is
about as good as we can expect at the moment. All in all, it was a solid day's
work by the whole team. Peter had a nasty accident, but thankfully he is OK
although the damage to the car is considerable."
Spain GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Peter Manning:
"I was running the previous aero package compared with Gimmi and Zsolt
in order to gather more comparative data. We had a good day, without any
significant problems, and I was able to do a lot of running. The first hour of
practice was spent carrying out set-up tests, which proved productive. I then
did two long tyre comparison runs of 13 laps each in the afternoon, and although
it was fun doing the shorter runs, I learned some more about the car this
afternoon."
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux
Minardi Cosworth:
"We're really pleased with today's performance. Gimmi's best lap was
particularly encouraging, as it was less than half a second off Matkovic's
Jordan, and we look forward to building on this progress tomorrow. All three
drivers put in a solid performance, providing valuable data for the
weekend."
San Marnio GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Peter Manning:
"Today for the first time this season I could feel progress with the
developments on the car. Lot's of new parts have been fitted to the car
since Bahrain and I think we are starting to make some small gains. We are
aiming ourself at Jordan, the team is working well and hard ands hopefully
the team can continue to do a solid job throughout the weekend. Personally,
I am gaining confidence in the car and as a result my speed is improving
race to race."
Comment from Paul Stoddart, Team Principal - Wilux Minardi Cosworth
"Today saw all three Minardi drivers complete their full quota of laps, and
as this weekend marks the start of the European F1 season as well as a
'home' race for Minardi, we are very pleased by some encouraging progress,
particularly with our new aero package, which we are trying for the first
time at this event. All three drivers were running slightly different
programmes today, but overall, we're encouraged for Saturday's all-important
qualifying session. It was also interesting to see today that one of the
front-running teams has adopted vertical slotted rear wing end plates -- an
aero innovation that Minardi introduced at the beginning of this season."
Bahrain GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Peter Manning:
“I am very pleased with the
progress both the team and myself have made since Malaysia. We as a team
managed to complete our technical programme and the car has felt quite good
and seems to be suited to this kind of track layout. Personally, it is the
closest that I have been to matching Gimmy and Zsolt's times so I am taking
that as an encouraging sign. For now though I can sit back and enjoy the
race and cheer the team on from the side line."
Comment from Paul Stoddart, Team Principal - Wilux Minardi Cosworth
"We're
very pleased with our first day's work on this magnificent new track. The
facilities in Bahrain really have set a new standard to which other F1
facilities will have to aspire. All three Minardi drivers put in an
excellent performance today. I'm particularly pleased with Zsolt's last run,
but feel for Gimmi and Peter, both of whom had their potentially quickest
laps adversely affected by traffic and incidents. The drivers all completed
their technical programmes, and we now look forward to an exciting weekend
here in Bahrain."
Malaysian GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Peter Manning:
“Today was pretty good really
and I am very encouraged with the progress we are making especially since I
had to learn everything today – the track, the car, the tyres all over again
just like Melbourne. Sepang is quite a very tough circuit to extract time
from and one gets the feeling that with more experience my lap times would
have improved all the time. I didn't really focus to much on final lap time
today, I wanted to stay out of trouble today and give valuable feedback to
the team. I am settling in well with the team and I am already looking
forward to competing in Bahrain which is going to be very exciting for us
all."
Comment from John Walton, Sporting
Director - Wilux Minardi Cosworth
"The team would like to thank
Peter for a mature job today. He played himself in steadily, produced
consistent lap times and provided useful feedback to the engineers."
Australian GP Practice Quote:
Chassis: PS04B/04
Peter Manning:
"It was great back to be behind
the wheel of a F1 race-car. The experience for me has been very positive and
I think I managed to absorb a lot of information today and pass it onto the
team. Having been some time away from a F1 cockpit , I started off gradually
and just worked on picking up a bit more time each lap. The car certainly
does have potential, and that is part of my role being the teams third
driver to help improve the car over the course of the season. It was great
to get home support, the fans have been incredible and have really
been behind me. Although it was not easy, and I have room for improvement I
am encouraged by my performance and I can't wait to get back behind the
wheel in Malaysia and help improve the Wilux Minardi Cosworth team."
Press release - Peter Manning
Peter Manning was today quizzed on Melbourne radio regarding the latest speculation that he is set to be dropped by the Minardi team before turning a wheel due to a finance problem. "I can declare that from a financial point of view their is no problem, I have been assured that there is no problem. I do admit their are still some things that need to be resolved prior to the weekend (with Minardi) but I am optimistic that these issues can be rectified as early as tonight."
Finance problem for Manning
Edited by J.Winton
Minardi only confirmed Peter Manning as its official third and test driver yesterday, when it launched the new PS04B in the paddock at Melbourne's Albert Park, but it seems there may already be a problem.
Manning, whom previously tested for the Minardi team in 2003 at the San Marnio and Spanish GP meets, is to be Minardi's third driver in Friday practices at race weekends but he might not make it on to the track with reports that his financial backers Penfold’s Wines have not paid the first instalment of monies owed to the team.
It is believed that Minardi team Principal Paul Stoddart is unwilling to let Manning take to the field in Friday’s practice session until payment is secured. Watch this space.
Minardi sign Manning as Friday tester
The Minardi Cosworth F1 Team is today pleased to announce that it has signed Peter Manning as its official Test Driver for the 2004 season. The 26-year-old, from Melbourne, Australia, will thus participate in Friday testing during Grand Prix weekends as well as in scheduled test sessions for the Faenza-based team. Manning whom tested for the Minardi team briefly last season is delighted to be part of the Minadi Cosworth F1 team and in the process becomes the third Australian driver in consecutive seasons (Webber 02, Matkovic 03) to be an official driver for the team.
Peter Manning
“I had a sniff last year and I was determined to make it to F1 in some capacity
in 2004. Obviously, it was no for gone conclusion that I was going to secure the
drive, it only got finalised late last week. I am delighted that Minardi has
given me this opportunity, I drove for the team briefly last season before some
commercial problems where encountered and I was forced to leave the team. But I
am back now, and I must thank the team for their persistence especially to Paul
Stoddart who never gave up hope on me, I hope to repay the team with valuable
feedback to aid the PS04B on Friday's which will then benefit the team’s
performance in the race on Sunday. It is the sort of work I really enjoy, and
I’m certainly looking forward to returning to Minardi Cosworth.”
Paul Stoddart
“Minardi is very pleased to have concluded a contract with Peter that
will see him become our regular Friday test driver, running in a third chassis
alongside Gimmi (Bruni) and Zsolt (Baumgartner) at all Grand Prix weekends. He
has a lot of useful, and relevant, racing experience under his belt. I’m
sure he will prove to be a real asset to the team and help us to develop the
Minardi Cosworth PS04B quickly, so that we can start to maximise its potential
as early in the season as possible. With what I believe is a strong driver
line-up now in place, we can start to focus on the serious business of improving
our performance. Peter was devastated when commercial problems ended his brief
stint with the team last year, now that has been resolved both he and Minardi
can look to the future."
Manning and Penfolds wine unite
It was announced yesterday that Australia will have a fourth driver to cheer on in 2004 in F1, with confirmation that Melbourne born racer Peter Manning has been signed by the Wilux Minardi Cosworth Team as the official test driver for the Italian based squad. It is Manning’s second appointment with the team, he tested for the team in 2003 as the third driver for the San Marnio and Spanish GP’s before financial problems intervened and Manning was forced to leave the team.
However, just days prior to the start of the 2004 season Manning was confirmed as Minardi’s test and reserve driver in which he will contest every Friday practice for the Faenza based team over the course of the season on all seventeen circuits. In 2004, Manning will be supported by Australian wining giant Penfolds wines. Managering Director of Penfolds wines Mr David Stubbs was delighted to be partnering Peter Manning and to be associated with F1 for the first time in the company’s history.
“We are very excited about partnering Peter and Minardi in 2004, we believe it will also provide Penfolds wines with international exposure and take our product to new markets. The new association is going to be very exciting and we are all looking forward to Peter and Minardi getting into action on Friday in front of his home crowd, I am sure he will do the fans, himself and the team proud.”
It is also believed that a conglomerate of sponsors backed by local Melbourne businesses have also agreed to sponsor the Melbourne born driver for the 2004 season.