Minardi M185

**Minardi M185**
	Minardi M185
Constructor:	Minardi
Designer:	Giacomo Caliri
Successor:	Minardi M186
Technical specifications
Chassis:	Monocoque made of CFRP and aluminum sheets
Wheelbase:	2607 mm
Tires:	Pirelli
Petrol:	Agip
statistics
Driver:	Pierluigi Martini
First start:	1985 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last start:	1986 Australian Grand Prix
World Cup points:	-
Podiums:	-
Leadership laps:	-

The Minardi M185 is a Formula 1 racing car from the former Italian motorsport team Minardi . With him, the racing team made their debut in 1985 in the Formula 1 World Championship . The car, which was designed in 1984, was originally called the M184 , but was not used in this form in any races. In its debut season, the M185 was initially equipped with a naturally aspirated engine and later with a turbo engine. In 1986 the team launched the construction in a slightly modified form as the Minardi M185B . In neither version did the car score a world championship point.

History of origin

Minardi

Minardi logo

Located in the northeastern Italian Faenza based team Minardi, his successor since 2020 as Scuderia AlphaTauri competes in Formula 1 was in 1969, first under the name Scuderia del Passatore and, after the takeover by Giancarlo Minardi in 1972 when Scuderia Everest active in smaller racing classes. In 1974 the team switched to the Formula 2 European Championship , in which it initially fielded customer cars from different manufacturers. From 1980 Minardi had its own design department, in which Formula 2 racing cars were developed and built for its own use under the direction of Giacomo Caliri . With them, Minardi's drivers achieved a victory and several second and third places until 1984. The FIA's decision to discontinue Formula 2 at the end of the 1984 season gave Giancarlo Minardi an opportunity not to start the team in the successor series Formula 3000 from 1985 , but to align it with Formula 1. Individual other Formula 2 teams such as AGS also went this way or at least considered it.

The Minardi M283 , the Formula 2 car for the 1983 season, was designed in such a way that it could have been used in the Formula 1 World Championship with a Cosworth DFV engine. Because of the increasing importance of turbo engines in Grand Prix sport, Minardi decided against a Formula 1 commitment with naturally aspirated engines. The idea of advancing into Formula 1 was revived when Minardi gained access to Alfa Romeo turbo engines in early 1984 . After Gianpiero Mancini joined the project as an investor, Giacomo Caliri designed Minardi's first Formula 1 car based on the Minardi 283 in the spring of 1984.

Minardi M184

In the summer of 1984 the prototype, which was designated as the Minardi M184, was ready for use. It was designed so that it could accommodate different engines. Initially, the M184 appeared with the eight-cylinder Alfa Romeo Tipo 890T turbo engine , which Carlo Chiti had designed and which at that time also ran in Alfa Romeo works cars and in Osella Corse cars . According to some sources, Giancarlo Minardi temporarily considered taking over the entire engine range from Alfa Romeo from 1985. Allegedly, a corresponding agreement with Alfa Romeo had existed since the end of 1983. In the summer of 1984 Minardi built an 890T into the M184. In July 1984 Alessandro Nannini carried out the first test drives with the M184-Alfa in Misano and covered more than 2000 kilometers. In October 1984, however, Alfa Romeo withdrew its commitment; Minardi lost the eight-cylinder engines. Most sources attribute this to an intervention by Enzo Osella , who feared direct competition with his financially weak team.

Motori Moderni

Minardi and Gianpiero Mancini then commissioned Carlo Chiti, who had since parted with Alfa Romeo, to develop their own engine. Chiti and Mancini founded the company Motori Moderni in Novara , which began developing the engine in November 1984 and completed the first engine in February 1985. The engine was first used at the beginning of May 1985 at the Grand Prix of San Marino , the third race of the 1985 season. Minardi bridged the time with a Cosworth naturally aspirated DFV engine . Besides Tyrrell , Minardi was the last team to use naturally aspirated engines this year. During the entire 1985 season and in the first half of the 1986 season, Minardi used the Motori-Moderni engine exclusively. Planned assignments at Osella and Ekström Racing did not materialize. It was not until the end of 1986 that the French team AGS joined as a Motori-Moderni customer for two races.

construction

Last naturally aspirated engine of the three-liter era: Cosworth DFV

The Minardi M185 is technically based on the team’s last Formula 2 racing car, the 283. A number of components in both cars were interchangeable. The Formula 2 origins of the M185 can be seen, among other things, in its dimensions: with a wheelbase of just 2607 mm, the M185 was the most compact car in the starting field in both 1985 and 1986.

With the outer shape and the basic layout of the M185, Caliri was based on the McLaren MP4 / 1 designed by John Barnard . Unlike the MP4 / 1, however, the Minardi does not have a monocoque made entirely of carbon fiber reinforced plastic . In the M185, the monocoque consists of a combination of plastics and aluminum sheets. In detail, it is structurally identical to the monocoque of the Formula 2 car M283. The front wheels on all versions of the car have internal springs and shock absorbers that are operated by push rods . The Alfa Romeo version M184 was also equipped with push rods at the rear in 1984; for 1985 Minardi converted the rear suspension to tie rods. This design was retained until 1986. The shock absorbers are from Koni . For the 1986 model M185B, Minardi revised the front suspension, the side pods and the position of the radiators.

The vehicle was initially powered by a Cosworth DFV , a naturally aspirated engine with 3.0 liter displacement, and later by a six-cylinder turbo engine from Motori Moderni with 1.5 liter displacement. Both engines delivered their power to the rear axle via a manual five-speed gearbox. The gear housing was Minardi's own design, the gears were sourced from Hewland . The tires came from Pirelli in 1985 and 1986, and Agip supplied the fuel .

The weight of the cars was in each case well above the minimum value of 540 kg required by the regulations. The first model from 1985 weighed 585 kg, in the B version from 1986 the weight was still 575 kg.

Painting

In 1985 and 1986 the M185 was painted in a combination of black and yellow. Numerous smaller, mostly Italian sponsors advertised on the cars, among them the sportswear brand Simod and the fashion group Gilmar.

production

Place of manufacture of all M185: Minardi's factory in Faenza

From 1984 to 1986 Minardi produced five chassis of the M184 / 185 / 185B series in Faenza:

M185 / 001 was the prototype completed in 1984, which was initially called M184. He took over the 1983 monocoque of an M283. After a few test drives with the Alfa Romeo engine, it was used in the first two races of the 1985 season with the naturally aspirated Cosworth engine and served as a replacement vehicle until the end of 1986.
M185 / 003 was the first chassis to be rebuilt in 1985. It appeared in Imola with the supercharged Motori-Moderni six-cylinder. In its second use in Monaco , it was irreparably destroyed during training. Minardi used the chassis number 003 again in the spring of 1986 for a newly built fifth chassis, which was one of the two M185B emergency vehicles until the end of 1986.
M185 / 002 appeared in Belgium in 1985 , was damaged in Canada and, after reconstruction, continued to be used until the 1985 Dutch Grand Prix , where Martini irreparably damaged it in an accident.
M185 / 004 made its debut at the 1985 British Grand Prix . It remained in service until 1986 as the M185B.

Racing history

1985

Pierluigi Martini in a Minardi M185 at the 1985 European Grand Prix

Minardi's Formula 1 team made its debut in the first race of the 1985 season in Brazil . The only driver was Pierluigi Martini , who had driven an F2 race for Minardi in 1983 and had made his Formula 1 debut in Italy for Toleman the previous year , but failed to qualify. Martini started his first full Formula 1 season this year. In Jacarepaguá and at the subsequent World Championship run in Portugal , the M185 was temporarily powered by the Cosworth DFV naturally aspirated engine. In Brazil, Martini qualified for last place on the grid. In his fastest training lap, he was 15 seconds slower than Michele Alboreto in the Ferrari , who took pole position . In Portugal he was ahead of Piercarlo Ghinzanis Osella FA1F with the Alfa Romeo turbo engine in qualifying . Martini retired in both races due to an engine failure.

At the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola , the M185 made its debut with the Motori-Moderni six-cylinder. In the qualification, Martini came 19th. For reasons of caution, Minardi drove with a boost pressure of "less than 3.0 bar" in the race, which meant that the engine's performance hardly surpassed that of a 3.0 liter naturally aspirated engine . In the subsequent race in Monaco , the team missed the qualification; Martini was unable to complete a timed lap after an accident. There were technical failures in the following three races. At the Grand Prix of Germany Martini was first in the standings, although he also turned out this time before the end of the race. The laps covered were enough to be classified as eleventh despite the failure. Something similar happened at the end of the season in Australia . Martini's only finish of the year was the Belgian Grand Prix , which he finished twelfth five laps behind.

1986

In 1986 Minardi started with two drivers. Pierluigi Martini was not signed again, but went back to Formula 3000 for the time being . In his place, Minardi reported the experienced Andrea de Cesaris and the debutant Alessandro Nannini . Both initially had a B version of the M185, which was now three years old in its basic concept, and which in turn was equipped with the Motori-Moderni six-cylinder. Nannini drove the M185B almost continuously this season, while de Cesaris received the only copy of the newly designed M186 from Hungary . Only in Austria did Nannini start with the M186, while de Cesaris drove the M185B again.

With the exception of the Monaco Grand Prix , the two Minardi drivers qualified with their M185B for every World Championship run of the 1986 season. As a rule, they were limited to the last three rows on the grid. Their competitors were mostly the cars from Osella and Zakspeed . De Cesaris never crossed the finish line in the M185B and was not classified. Nannini achieved his only finish with the M185B at the Mexican Grand Prix in October 1986.

Results

driver	No.	chassis	engine	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12th	13th	14th	15th	16	Points	rank
1985 Formula 1 season																				0	-
Italy P. Martini	29	Minardi M185	Cosworth DFV V8	DNF	DNF
Italy P. Martini	29	Minardi M185	Motori Moderni V6t			DNF	DNQ	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	11	DNF	DNF	DNF	12th	DNF	DNF	8th
1986 Formula 1 season																				0	-
Italy A. de Cesaris	23	Minardi M185B	Motori Moderni V6t	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNQ	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF		DNF
Italy A. Nannini	24	Minardi M185B	Motori Moderni V6t	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNQ	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF		DNF	NC	14th	DNF

literature

Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd), ISBN 978-0854296170
Adriano Cimarosti: The Century of Racing . Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9
David Hodges: A – Z of Grand Prix Cars 1906–2001 . 2001 (Crowood Press), ISBN 1-86126-339-2 (English)
David Hodges: Racing Cars from A – Z after 1993 . Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01477-7
Pierre Ménard: La Grande Encyclopédie de la Formule 1 . 2nd edition, St. Sulpice, 2000, ISBN 2-940125-45-7 (French)
NN: A little Italian: Minardi climbed up. Team portrait in auto motor und sport, issue 23/1989, p. 264 ff
Stefano Pasini: F1 Minardi Team . Ed. Celi Sport, Faenza, 1991

Web links

Commons : Minardi M185 - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

↑ Michele Alboreto won the Gran Premio dell'Adriatico 1981 in Misano with a Minardi Fly 201 for the factory team on September 6, 1981 .
↑ Osella had tailored the FA1H designed for the 1986 season directly to the Motori-Moderni six-cylinder. After the failure of the connection to Motori Moderni, the FA1H had to be converted to accommodate an Alfa Romeo engine. S. David Hodges: Racing cars from A – Z to 1993 , Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 206.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Pierre Ménard: La Grande Encyclopédie de la Formule 1 . 2nd edition, St. Sulpice, 2000, ISBN 2-940125-45-7 , p. 450.
^ Pierre Ménard: La Grande Encyclopédie de la Formule 1 . 2nd edition, St. Sulpice, 2000, ISBN 2-940125-45-7 , p. 102.
↑ Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd.), ISBN 978-0854296170 , p 121st
↑ ^a ^b Stefano Pasini: F1 Minardi Team . Ed. Celi Sport, Faenza, 1991, p. 61.
↑ Motorsport aktuell, issue 12/1985.
↑ History of Ekström Racing at www.unracedf1.com (accessed on September 6, 2021).
↑ David Hodges: Racing Cars from A – Z after 1993 . Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 192.
↑ Adriano Cimarosti: The century of racing . Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9 , p. 358.
↑ ^a ^b Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd.), ISBN 978-0854296170 , S. 127th
↑ David Hodges: Racing Cars from A – Z after 1993 . Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 273.
↑ Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd.), ISBN 978-0854296170 , page 126 f.
↑ Chassis 003 was completed before 002 and also debuted earlier. S. Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd), ISBN 978-0854296170 , p. 127.
↑ Adriano Cimarosti: The century of racing . Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9 , p. 352.

[1] Michele Alboreto won the Gran Premio dell'Adriatico 1981 in Misano with a Minardi Fly 201 for the factory team on September 6, 1981 .

[7] Osella had tailored the FA1H designed for the 1986 season directly to the Motori-Moderni six-cylinder. After the failure of the connection to Motori Moderni, the FA1H had to be converted to accommodate an Alfa Romeo engine. S. David Hodges: Racing cars from A – Z to 1993 , Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 206.

[Ménard-S450-2] A ^b Pierre Ménard: La Grande Encyclopédie de la Formule 1 . 2nd edition, St. Sulpice, 2000, ISBN 2-940125-45-7 , p. 450.

[3] Pierre Ménard: La Grande Encyclopédie de la Formule 1 . 2nd edition, St. Sulpice, 2000, ISBN 2-940125-45-7 , p. 102.

[Bamsey_121-4] Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd.), ISBN 978-0854296170 , p 121st

[Pasini-S61-5] Stefano Pasini: F1 Minardi Team . Ed. Celi Sport, Faenza, 1991, p. 61.

[6] Motorsport aktuell, issue 12/1985.

[8] History of Ekström Racing at www.unracedf1.com (accessed on September 6, 2021).

[9] David Hodges: Racing Cars from A – Z after 1993 . Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 192.

[10] Adriano Cimarosti: The century of racing . Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9 , p. 358.

[Bamsey_127-11] Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd.), ISBN 978-0854296170 , S. 127th

[12] David Hodges: Racing Cars from A – Z after 1993 . Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 273.

[13] Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd.), ISBN 978-0854296170 , page 126 f.

[14] Chassis 003 was completed before 002 and also debuted earlier. S. Ian Bamsey: The 1000 bhp Grand Prix Cars , 1988 (GT Foulis & Co. Ltd), ISBN 978-0854296170 , p. 127.

[15] Adriano Cimarosti: The century of racing . Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9 , p. 352.