MARCH 27, 1995

Rinland joins Forti

Argentine Formula 1 designer Sergio Rinland has quit Dan Gurney's Eagle Toyota Indycar project and has joined the new Forti Corse Grand Prix team. Rinland has been named Technical Director of Forti and will spend this year overseeing all the team's research & development programs, leaving Italian designer Giorgio Stirano to look after the current chassis. Rinland, however, will help to race engineer the cars.

This year Rinland is to work at Forti's factory in Alessandria, Italy, but his family will remain in England and ultimately the team plans to establish its own design office in England. After leaving Brabham Rinland started his own design company - called Astauto - and several of those involved in Astauto's Fondmetal chassis in 1992 are now at Forti, notably designer Chris Radage and aerodynamicist Hans Fouche.

Although the new team has been struggling a little, Forti does have a strong team, which includes race engineer Paulo Guerci. Guerci was formerly Guido Forti's partner in the team, but sold out to wealthy Italian/Brazilian Carlo Gancia.

On the driving front Roberto Moreno will definitely drive in the Argentine Grand Prix but there is no decision yet as to whether he will continue. Officially he is looking for money, although the team has declared itself to have a budget of $17 million this year, which should be more than enough to guarantee the seat for the experienced Brazilian racer. The team's budget comes mainly from the business connections of the Diniz family which owns a vast distribution company called CBD and the Pao de Acucar supermarket chain. Pedro Diniz's father, Umelio, controls both these companies which together sell something to 30 million people every day.