06 March: Australian Grand Prix - Race Report - Minardi
It was a mixture of pleasure and disappointment in the Minardi F1 Team garage at Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit this
afternoon. The pleasure derived from Patrick Friesacher’s 17th-place finish in the 2005 Foster’s Australian Grand Prix, the
young Austrian driver completing his first Formula One race in determined style. The disappointment resulted from Christijan Albers’
retirement on lap 17, when he was unable to pull away from the Minardi garage after the first of his scheduled pit stops. In fact,
Albers had been struggling with a gearbox problem from the formation lap of the race, and although he was able to carry on without
second gear during his opening stint, when he then lost first gear shortly before the pit stop, it was clear to the team’s
technical staff that the hard-charging Dutch driver was not going to be able to finish the race.
Patrick Friesacher Best
lap: 1 min 32.852 secs Position: 17th “It was a difficult race, but I’m happy to have finished my first Grand Prix,
particularly since we never tested the car in this specification before. I found I was getting more confident with the car each lap,
though, even though the handling was not quite to my liking. I particularly want to thank the guys, who did a great job changing the
car to 2005 specification, and helped me to finish my first Formula One race.”
Christijan Albers Best lap: 1 min
33.144 secs Position: DNF “I lost second gear on the formation lap, and that caused me a bit of a problem at the start, as I
had to shift from first to third. As a result, the race was difficult, since there are several corners here that require second
gear. I was losing time in each of these. I was happy I could stay with Patrick, though, even with the problem, but then I also lost
first gear. I knew when I came in for my pit stop that there was little likelihood I would be leaving again. Anyway, we will just
hope for better luck in Malaysia.”
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Minardi Cosworth “It was good to leave the
politics at the starting line today and get on with the racing, especially as this marks the 10th Australian Grand Prix in
Melbourne. The event remains undoubtedly the most popular race on the Formula One schedule. Driving cars they had never driven in
the dry, and which had been modified in a way that was never intended, one should not underestimate the performances of either
Christijan or Patrick, who on their debut in Formula One, clearly proved they have a future in this great sport. Today, we saw
former Minardi drivers finish in first, third and fifth places in the race, again demonstrating one of the contributions the small,
independent teams make to F1. Sadly, Christijan’s race was curtailed by a gearbox problem; however, Patrick soldiered on for a
well-deserved race finish in a car that, without question, was the most difficult in the field to drive. Finally, my sincere thanks
to all members of the team, for the total professionalism they have demonstrated throughout a difficult week, and to the Australian
people, for their overwhelming support of Minardi during this Grand Prix.”
It was a case of varying fortunes for Minardi F1 Team drivers, Christijan Albers and Patrick
Friesacher in this morning’s final qualifying session for the 2005 Foster’s Australian Grand Prix. Friesacher recorded a lap of
1 min 37.499 secs, and the aggregate of this time plus that posted in the first qualifying session, on Saturday afternoon, sees the
Austrian driver line up in 16th position on the grid. Albers experienced a gear selection problem while leaving the team’s garage
for his final qualifying run, and unfortunately, by the time the problem had been rectified and the engine restarted, his qualifying
“window” had closed. Albers therefore has to start this afternoon’s race behind those drivers who posted times in both
qualifying sessions, but even so, his Saturday lap time will see him launch into his first Formula One race from 17th position.
Minardi personnel also derived a certain amount of satisfaction this morning from the fact that the first three positions in the
starting line-up for the 2005 Foster’s Australian Grand Prix are occupied by former drivers of the Faenza team.
Patrick
Friesacher Q2 lap time: 1 min 37.499 secs Q1+Q2: 3 min 28.363 secs Position: 16th “The car was oversteering in this
morning’s qualifying run, possibly because the weather and track conditions had changed from yesterday, and it was not so easy to
drive. Even so, we have a reasonable grid position, and I will be hoping for a good result in the race”
Christijan Albers Q2
lap time: No time Q1 lap: 1 min 49.230 secs Position: 17th “Unfortunately, I just couldn’t select first gear when I tried to
drive out of the garage. The guys pulled the car back in, did a re-set and restarted the engine, but by then it was too late, as the
pit lane had closed. We dropped two grid positions as a result, but even so, I think there is the possibility to have a good race
this afternoon. We’ll do our best.”
