Minardi PS04B

Minardi PS04B

Bas Leinders driving the Minardi PS04B during free practice for the 2004 United States Grand Prix.
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Minardi
Designer(s)	Gabriele Tredozi (Technical Director) Sandro Parini (Chief Designer) Loïc Bigois (Chief Aerodynamicist)
Predecessor	PS03
Successor	PS05
Technical specifications [1] [2]
Chassis	Carbon-fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque
Suspension (front)	Upper/lower carbon-wrapped steel wishbones, pushrod-activated torsion springs/rockers front/rear, mechanical anti-roll bars + Sachs dampers (to Minardi specification)
Suspension (rear)	As front
Length	4,548 mm (179 in)
Width	1,800 mm (71 in)
Height	950 mm (37 in)
Axle track	Front: 1,480  mm (58  in) Rear: 1,410  mm (56  in)
Wheelbase	3,097  mm (122  in)
Engine	Cosworth CR-3L (updated 2002 specifications) 2,998 cc (183 cu in) 72° V10 naturally-aspirated rear mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted, steel crankshafts, aluminum engine block and heads and aluminum alloy pistons
Transmission	Minardi 6-speed + 1 reverse longitudinally-mounted semi-automatic gearbox with titanium casing, hydraulic activation (Magneti Marelli ECU, Minardi software) with Minardi hydraulic/programmable differential units
Power	800 hp @ 18,000 rpm [3]
Weight	600 kg (1,323 lb) including driver and camera
Fuel	Elf
Lubricants	Elf/CPC
Tyres	Bridgestone Potenza 4-line grooved dry slicks, treaded intermediate and full-wets O.Z. Racing forged magnesium (13.0  in × 12.0 in (330  mm × 305 mm) on front and 13.0  in × 13.7 in (330  mm × 348 mm) on rear)
Competition history
Notable entrants	Wilux Minardi Cosworth Minardi Cosworth Minardi F1 Team (2005)
Notable drivers	20. Gianmaria Bruni 20. Patrick Friesacher 21. Zsolt Baumgartner 21. Christijan Albers
Debut	2004 Australian Grand Prix
Races Wins Poles F/Laps 21 0 0 0
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

The Minardi PS04B was a Formula One race car used by Minardi Cosworth in the 2004 Formula One season and the first 3 rounds of the 2005 Formula One season.

Background

In 2003 all of the Arrows A23 chassis and the full Arrows Grand Prix International intellectual property rights were bought by Minardi. The Arrows A23 was renamed the Minardi PS04 ^[4] and in back-to-back tests it was found superior to the Minardi's PS03. Minardi however decided that they could not run a "pure-Arrows" and hence used the Arrows intellectual property, which included the new designs for a proposed Arrows A24 ^[5] and the best elements from the PS03 and the Arrows A23/PS04 to develop the Minardi PS04B for the 2004 season. ^{[6] [7]}

Period reports even hinted that the PS04B was possibly based more closely on the Arrows A23 than Minardi might have been prepared to publicly admit. ^{[5] [8]}

Racing history

The PS04B was driven by rookie Gianmaria Bruni, and Zsolt Baumgartner who had moved from Jordan. The team managed to earn their first point in two years, after Baumgartner finished 8th at the United States Grand Prix.

For 2005, Minardi used a PS04B chassis for the first three races of the season before they made a new PS05 chassis due to assembly problems. The engine name changed from CR-3L to CK2004, but it was basically the same engine.

Sponsorship and livery

Bruni during the British Grand Prix

The team's black and white livery saw the addition of Superfund's deep green to the engine covers. The following season, it was removed.

During the British Grand Prix, the team ran with no sponsors, replacing them with the words "John Boy" in honor to Sporting Director John Walton, who died from a heart attack. At the 2005 Australian Grand Prix, the team celebrated 10 years of Melbourne holding a race at Albert Park; the logo was presented on the engine cover.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	Points	WCC
2004	Minardi Cosworth	Cosworth V10	B		AUS	MAL	BHR	SMR	ESP	MON	EUR	CAN	USA	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	CHN	JPN	BRA		1	10th
				Gianmaria Bruni	NC	14	17	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	Ret	Ret	18†	16	17	14	Ret	Ret	Ret	16	17
				Zsolt Baumgartner	Ret	16	Ret	15	Ret	9	15	10	8	Ret	Ret	16	15	Ret	15	16	Ret	16
2005	Minardi F1 Team	Cosworth V10	B		AUS	MAL	BHR	SMR	ESP	MON	EUR	CAN	USA	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	TUR	ITA	BEL	BRA	JPN	CHN	7*	10th
				Patrick Friesacher	17	Ret	12
				Christijan Albers	Ret	13	13

* All points scored with the PS05.

References

1. "Minardi PS04B car specifications". Minardi . February 2004. Archived from the original on June 29, 2004.
2. "Minardi PS04B Cosworth engine specifications". Minardi. February 2004. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004.
3. "Engine Ford Cosworth • STATS F1".
4. "Unveiled the Minardi PS04A". unracedf1.com (in Dutch). 2020-04-03. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
5. "Minardi en de Arrows A24". formule1nieuws.nl. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
6. "Baumgartner signs for Minardi". motorsport.com. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
7. "Minardi will not use the Arrows A23". www.auto123.com. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
8. "Minardi PS03, A23 of A24?". frontpage.fok.nl. 12 November 2003. Retrieved 31 October 2018.

External links

• Minardi PS04B Technical Specs