Even though years have passed since Minardi competed in F1, the team’s legacy of producing some of the finest drivers in the sport’s history will never be forgotten. Some of the famous names that drove for the team include double world champion Fernando Alonso, Jos Verstappen, and Mark Webber.
While Minardi never clinched a victory in F1 because of their lack of finances, the team’s management yet did an outstanding job in doing the best with the resources they had. However, when they found it extremely difficult to compete in the sport, Minardi boss Paul Stoddart eventually decided to sell the team.
Stoddart sold the team to Red Bull, who began operating the side under the name Torro Rosso from 2006 onwards. And just three years after the 67-year-old sold his team, Sebastian Vettel helped Torro Rosso clinch an outstanding victory at the Italian Grand Prix.
Stoddart revealed that he had ‘tears’ in his eyes when he saw his former side accomplish this stunning feat. Vettel’s victory in 2008 remains the side’s only victory under the name Torro Rosso. While Pierre Gasly did win for the same side in Monza in 2020, he was driving for the rebranded AlphaTauri (previously Torro Rosso).
Sebastian Vettel’s maiden F1 win made Stoddart shed tears
In a Beyond The Grid Podcast episode, Paul Stoddart explained how emotional he got when Sebastian Vettel clinched his first F1 victory with Torro Rosso. The 67-year-old explained, “I cried. I don’t mind admitting it”.
Stoddart hilariously added that he did a lot of press interviews on the same day. Instead of crediting Torro Rosso for the win, he mistakenly credited Minardi for it before correcting himself. He concluded his remarks by stating that he saw the emotions on television and that they were ‘unbelievable’.
The Old Minardi team is currently running as Torro Rosso
Even though a huge brand such as Red Bull took over the Minardi team way back in November 2005, they do not seem to have overcome their struggles. The Italian side has undergone various transitions, from being renamed Torro Rosso in 2006 to AlphaTauri in 2020.
When making this transition, the management had said that AlphaTauri would no longer be a junior team to Red Bull but that now it would be a sister team. Even though the team delivered such promising statements, AlphaTauri has not been able to make the kind of impact they would have liked.
After having decent seventh and sixth-place finishes in the championships in 2020 and 2021, respectively, AlphaTauri struggled massively in the 2022 season. From clinching more than 100 points in both 2020 and 2021, the Italian outfit only managed to score 35 points in 2022 and finished a disappointing ninth in the championship.
Since AlphaTauri’s results have not improved much, several reports recently have claimed that the management is considering selling the team. Even though the senior officials of the side have denied these speculations, it has yet resulted in extreme uncertainty.
