FEBRUARY 11, 2004

Minardi Team Asia announced

Minardi has formed a racing team in Asia, in league with Eurasia Motorport. The team will enter cars in the Asian Formula 3 and Formula BMW Asia series. The team, headquartered in Hong Kong, will run as many as four cars in Minardi cars in Formula BMW and one car in F3.

Minardi has formed a racing team in Asia, in league with Eurasia Motorport. The team will enter cars in the Asian Formula 3 and Formula BMW Asia series. The team, headquartered in Hong Kong, will run as many as four cars in Minardi cars in Formula BMW and one car in F3. The team is managed by former racers Piers Hunnisett, Mark Goddard and Martin Quick.

Hunnisett helped Nicholas Kiesa to get his Minardi drive last year and towards the end of the year began talking to Minardi boss Paul Stoddart about a deal.

"Interest in motor sport in Asia has been growing very strongly over recent years, undoubtedly assisted by the presence of the Malaysian Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calendar," says Hunnisett. "Now, with the inclusion of the Chinese and Bahrain races in the World Championship schedule for the first time, the floodgates have been opened for Asian motorsport. Audiences in this part of the world are clamouring for local heroes, and there is no doubt this link with the Minardi F1 Team will assist the career development of young drivers, while also having the benefit of encouraging new sponsors into the sport."

The team has yet to announce its drivers for 2004.