DECEMBER 4, 1995

Minardi tries youngsters

MINARDI has been testing a series of young drivers in recent days at the Ferrari test track at Fiorano.

MINARDI has been testing a series of young drivers in recent days at the Ferrari test track at Fiorano. The team is looking for young talent for next season in the hope that this will attract more sponsorship money.

We hear that the team has been very impressed with the performances of its test driver Giancarlo Fisichella. He is expected to be named Ferrari's test driver for 1996, but may also race for Minardi - with backing from Marlboro Italy, which is looking for youngsters to promote to replace the now faded generation of stars from the late 1980s.

The team also tested F3 racers Thomas Biagi and Danilo Rossi - one or both are expected to appear for the team at this weekend's Bologna Motor Show sprint events.

Giancarlo Minardi surprised everyone when he announced that the team has signed up 17-year-old Argentine Esteban Tuero as its 1996 test driver. The youngster is expected to race in Italian F3 and test the F1 car.