Minardi PS04B

{{racing car

|Car_name = Minardi PS04B

|Image = 260px

|caption = Bas Leinders driving the Minardi PS04B during free practice for the 2004 United States Grand Prix.

|Constructor = Minardi

|Designer = Gabriele Tredozi {{smaller|(Technical Director)}}
Sandro Parini {{smaller|(Chief Designer)}}
Loïc Bigois {{smaller|(Chief Aerodynamicist)}}

|Predecessor = PS03

|Successor = PS05

|Team = Wilux Minardi Cosworth
Minardi Cosworth
Minardi F1 Team (2005)

|Drivers = 20. {{flagicon|Italy}} Gianmaria Bruni
20. {{flagicon|Austria}} Patrick Friesacher
21. {{flagicon|Hungary}} Zsolt Baumgartner
21. {{flagicon|Netherlands}} Christijan Albers

| Technical ref = {{cite web|title=Minardi PS04B car specifications|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040812042916/http://www.minardi.it/team/car/car_data.asp?LN=UK|work=Minardi|date=February 2004|archive-date=June 29, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040629021038/http://www.minardi.it/team/car/car_data.asp?LN=UK|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Minardi PS04B Cosworth engine specifications|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040812045118/http://www.minardi.it/team/car/engine_data.asp?LN=UKwork=Minardi|publisher=Minardi|date=February 2004|archive-date=August 12, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040812045118/http://www.minardi.it/team/car/engine_data.asp?LN=UK}}

|Chassis = Carbon-fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque

|Front suspension = Upper/lower carbon-wrapped steel wishbones, pushrod-activated torsion springs/rockers front/rear, mechanical anti-roll bars + Sachs dampers (to Minardi specification)

|Rear suspension = As front

| Weight = {{convert|600|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} including driver and camera

| Length = {{convert|4548|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}

| Width = {{convert|1800|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}

| Height = {{convert|950|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}

| Wheelbase = {{convert|3097|mm|in|0|lk=on|abbr=on}}

| Track = Front: {{convert|1480|mm|in|0|lk=on|abbr=on}}
Rear: {{convert|1410|mm|in|0|lk=on|abbr=on}}

|Engine name = Cosworth CR-3L (updated 2002 specifications)

|Capacity = {{convert|2998|cc|cuin|0|abbr=on}}

|Configuration = 72° V10

|Turbo/NA = naturally-aspirated

|Engine position = rear mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted, steel crankshafts, aluminum engine block and heads and aluminum alloy pistons

|Power = 800 hp @ 18,000 rpm{{Cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/moteur-ford-cosworth.aspx|title = Engine Ford Cosworth • STATS F1}}

|Gearbox name = Minardi

|Gears = 6-speed + 1 reverse longitudinally-mounted

|Differential = with Minardi hydraulic/programmable differential units

|Type = semi-automatic gearbox with titanium casing, hydraulic activation (Magneti Marelli ECU, Minardi software)

|Fuel = Elf

|Lubricants = Elf/CPC

|Tyres = Bridgestone Potenza 4-line grooved dry slicks, treaded intermediate and full-wets
O.Z. Racing forged magnesium ({{convert|13.0|×|12.0|in|mm|0|lk=on|abbr=on}} on front and {{convert|13.0|×|13.7|in|mm|0|lk=on|abbr=on}} on rear)

|Debut = 2004 Australian Grand Prix

|Races = 21

|Wins = 0

|Cons_champ = 0

|Drivers_champ = 0

|Poles = 0

|Fastest_laps = 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{{Cite web|date=2020-04-03|title=Unveiled the Minardi PS04A|url=https://www.unracedf1.com/unveiled-the-minardi-ps04a/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=unracedf1.com|language=nl}} 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{{cite web|url=http://formule1nieuws.nl/modules/news&storyid=5017|title=Minardi en de Arrows A24|website=formule1nieuws.nl|accessdate=31 October 2018}} and the best elements from the PS03 and the Arrows A23/PS04 to develop the Minardi PS04B for the 2004 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/baumgartner-signs-for-minardi/143420/|title=Baumgartner signs for Minardi|website=motorsport.com|accessdate=31 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.auto123.com/en/racing-news/minardi-will-not-use-the-arrows-a23?artid=19640|title=Minardi will not use the Arrows A23|website=www.auto123.com|accessdate=31 October 2018}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://frontpage.fok.nl/nieuws/286705/1/1/50/minardi-ps03-a23-of-a24.html|title=Minardi PS03, A23 of A24?|website=frontpage.fok.nl|date=12 November 2003 |accessdate=31 October 2018}}

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

File:Gianmaria Bruni - Minardi PS04B approaches the grid at the 2004 British Grand Prix (50834708908).jpg

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)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" ! 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
rowspan="3"\| 2004 \|rowspan="3"\| Minardi Cosworth \|rowspan="3"\| Cosworth V10 \|rowspan="3"\| {{Bridgestone}} \| \| AUS \| MAL \| BHR \| SMR \| ESP \| MON \| EUR \| CAN \| USA \| FRA \| GBR \| GER \| HUN \| BEL \| ITA \| CHN \| JPN \| BRA \| !rowspan="3"\| 1 !rowspan="3"\| 10th
align="left"\| {{Flagicon\|ITA}} Gianmaria Bruni \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| NC \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 14 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 17 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 14 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 18^† \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 16 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 17 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 14 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 16 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 17 \|
align="left"\| {{Flagicon\|HUN}} Zsolt Baumgartner \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 16 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 15 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 9 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 15 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 10 \|style="background:#DFFFDF;"\| 8 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 16 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 15 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 15 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 16 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 16 \|
rowspan="3"\| 2005 \|rowspan="3"\| Minardi F1 Team \|rowspan="3"\| Cosworth V10 \|rowspan="3"\| {{Bridgestone}} \| \| AUS \| MAL \| BHR \| SMR \| ESP \| MON \| EUR \| CAN \| USA \| FRA \| GBR \| GER \| HUN \| TUR \| ITA \| BEL \| BRA \| JPN \| CHN !rowspan="3"\| 7* !rowspan="3"\| 10th
align="left"\| {{Flagicon\|AUT}} Patrick Friesacher \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 17 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 12 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
align="left"\| {{Flagicon\|NLD}} Christijan Albers \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| Ret \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 13 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 13 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"

! Year

! Entrant

! Engine

! Tyres

! Drivers

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6