In the 1980s and 1990s, Formula 1s raced in a car park in Bologna (Italy) in a curious “Grand Prix”. Discover the archives.
Monza, Imola… But also Bologna. In the 1980s and 1990s, a curious Formula 1 race was held every year in December in the parking lot of the motor show of the Italian metropolis. Strangely baptized Trofeo Indoor (although it takes place outside), this more or less serious gymkhana opposed the small teams then engaged in the queen discipline.
The route? One 1,300 meter turnstile delimited by piles of tires and nasty vibrators. The format ? Duels over two rounds. Quarter-finals, semi-finals, final …
To figure it out for you, here is the retransmission of the Rai of the 1992 edition, disputed in the pouring rain.
Here is a semi-final between Christian Fittipaldi (Minardi-Lamborghini) and JJ Lehto (Dallara-Ferrari), unearthed by the Twitter account “F1 in the 1990s” …
JJ Lehto (Dallara-Ferrari V12, F192) v Christian Fittipaldi (Minardi-Lamborghini V12, M192). Bologna Motor Show, Italy, December 1992. # F1pic.twitter.com/DVqwfX29ki
— F1 in the 1990s 🚦🏎🏁🏆🍾 (@1990sF1) December 22, 2021
The event was an opportunity to test some pilots like Vittorio Zoboli, present in 1995 at the wheel of a Forti FG-01 …
Vittorio Zoboli (Forti-Ford V8, FG01-95). Bologna Motor Show, Italy, December 1995. # F1 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/xU1wFneJQb
— F1 in the 1990s 🚦🏎🏁🏆🍾 (@1990sF1) December 11, 2019
Other curiosity geek, this Judd-powered First, piloted by Gabriele Tarquini end of 1988. Faced with the mediocrity of the chassis, the F3000 team decided never to officially race in F1. The single-seater will later be used by the Life team for one of the most sketchy adventures in the history of the discipline.
Bologna Motor Show # F1 Sprints 1989 pic.twitter.com/qpm7jNQzgH
– Alexey Grushko | #indicator (@AutosportLab) August 9, 2017
Small thumb in Formula 1, the Minardi team – based at 50 km – has on the other hand created a nice track record in Bologna. The list of the winners of the event is also eloquent.
1988: Luis Pérez Sala (Minardi)
1989: Luis Pérez Sala (Minardi)
1990: Gianni Morbidelli (Minardi)
1991 : Gabriele Tarquini (Fondmetal)
1992 : Johnny Herbert (Lotus)
1993 : Rubens Barrichello (Jordan)
1994: not disputed
1995: Luca Badoer (Minardi)
1996: Giancarlo Fisichella (Benetton)
The last edition was particularly spectacular. First because Giancarlo Fisichella triumphs over the Sicilian nobleman Giovanni Lavaggi in the final, driving his Benetton. But also because Olivier Panis – winner of the Monaco Grand Prix a few months earlier – suffered a big shock there …
Olivier Panis (Ligier Mugen-Honda V10, JS43). Bologna Motor Show, Italy, December 1996. # F1 pic.twitter.com/pThQBDMneY
— F1 in the 1990s 🚦🏎🏁🏆🍾 (@1990sF1) December 19, 2020
The following year, the event was reserved for a dozen Formula 3000s before disappearing at the turn of the millennium.
To read on auto-moto.com:
News from Alex Zanardi
Mohammed Ben Sulayem: who is the first non-European president of the FIA?
Will Charles Leclerc leave Ferrari at the end of 2022?
F1 – Crazy celebrations for Max Verstappen
F1 – Drivers salute Lewis Hamilton with class
F1 – An “unacceptable”, “manipulated” limit switch?
In the 1980s and 1990s, Formula 1s raced in a car park in Bologna (Italy) in a curious “Grand Prix”. Discover the archives.
Monza, Imola… But also Bologna. In the 1980s and 1990s, a curious Formula 1 race was held every year in December in the parking lot of the motor show of the Italian metropolis. Strangely baptized Trofeo Indoor (although it takes place outside), this more or less serious gymkhana opposed the small teams then engaged in the queen discipline.
The route? One 1,300 meter turnstile delimited by piles of tires and nasty vibrators. The format ? Duels over two rounds. Quarter-finals, semi-finals, final …
To figure it out for you, here is the retransmission of the Rai of the 1992 edition, disputed in the pouring rain.
Here is a semi-final between Christian Fittipaldi (Minardi-Lamborghini) and JJ Lehto (Dallara-Ferrari), unearthed by the Twitter account “F1 in the 1990s” …
JJ Lehto (Dallara-Ferrari V12, F192) v Christian Fittipaldi (Minardi-Lamborghini V12, M192). Bologna Motor Show, Italy, December 1992. # F1pic.twitter.com/DVqwfX29ki
— F1 in the 1990s 🚦🏎🏁🏆🍾 (@1990sF1) December 22, 2021
The event was an opportunity to test some pilots like Vittorio Zoboli, present in 1995 at the wheel of a Forti FG-01 …
Vittorio Zoboli (Forti-Ford V8, FG01-95). Bologna Motor Show, Italy, December 1995. # F1 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/xU1wFneJQb
— F1 in the 1990s 🚦🏎🏁🏆🍾 (@1990sF1) December 11, 2019
Other curiosity geek, this Judd-powered First, piloted by Gabriele Tarquini end of 1988. Faced with the mediocrity of the chassis, the F3000 team decided never to officially race in F1. The single-seater will later be used by the Life team for one of the most sketchy adventures in the history of the discipline.
Bologna Motor Show # F1 Sprints 1989 pic.twitter.com/qpm7jNQzgH
– Alexey Grushko | #indicator (@AutosportLab) August 9, 2017
Small thumb in Formula 1, the Minardi team – based at 50 km – has on the other hand created a nice track record in Bologna. The list of the winners of the event is also eloquent.
1988: Luis Pérez Sala (Minardi)
1989: Luis Pérez Sala (Minardi)
1990: Gianni Morbidelli (Minardi)
1991 : Gabriele Tarquini (Fondmetal)
1992 : Johnny Herbert (Lotus)
1993 : Rubens Barrichello (Jordan)
1994: not disputed
1995: Luca Badoer (Minardi)
1996: Giancarlo Fisichella (Benetton)
The last edition was particularly spectacular. First because Giancarlo Fisichella triumphs over the Sicilian nobleman Giovanni Lavaggi in the final, driving his Benetton. But also because Olivier Panis – winner of the Monaco Grand Prix a few months earlier – suffered a big shock there …
Olivier Panis (Ligier Mugen-Honda V10, JS43). Bologna Motor Show, Italy, December 1996. # F1 pic.twitter.com/pThQBDMneY
— F1 in the 1990s 🚦🏎🏁🏆🍾 (@1990sF1) December 19, 2020
The following year, the event was reserved for a dozen Formula 3000s before disappearing at the turn of the millennium.
To read on auto-moto.com:
News from Alex Zanardi
Mohammed Ben Sulayem: who is the first non-European president of the FIA?
Will Charles Leclerc leave Ferrari at the end of 2022?
F1 – Crazy celebrations for Max Verstappen
F1 – Drivers salute Lewis Hamilton with class
F1 – An “unacceptable”, “manipulated” limit switch?
