Difference between revisions of "Scuderia Adriatica"

Revision as of 11:47, 9 October 2016

Scuderia Adriatica

File:Adriatica Logo.png
Full Name	Scuderia Adriatica
Base	Bari, Italia
Founder(s)	Gregorio Miccani
Team Principal(s)	Marco Benciani
Technical Director

Scuderia Adriatica is an Italian racing team currently racing in Formula 3 Eurasian Championship, FIA Prototype Challenge, Indy Lights and IPC. Racing under the banner of Scuderia Ocèanica Montevideo (a sister operation in which Adriatica owns a 95% stake), Adriatica also runs the Uruguayan entry in ARNC.

The beginnings: Formula One

Scuderia Adriatica was founded in 1952 in Bari, Italy, by the Apulian nobleman Barone Gregorio Miccani. The baron's first goal was to enter the local Grand Prix of Bari: he fielded an entry, but narrowly failed to qualify. His second attempt was somehow more promising: Miccani managed to qualify, but was forced to retire as the steering wheel broke just before a high-speeding corner, causing him to crash into some bay hales. He was lucky to escape the crash without serious injuries, but the shock led him to retire from motor racing and turn his attention to managing the team. Not much is known about Miccani, but most sources state he was good acquainted with many powerful local politicians, who helped him into getting the funding and connections he needed.

Adriatica then decided to make the big step into the Formula 1 World Championship in 1955, fielding a year-old Ambrosiana-Ferrari package at the British and Italian Grand Prix for Belgian rookie Lucien Bianchi. The car proved uncompetitive and Bianchi failed to prequalify in both races, before leaving for Maserati in the following season. Things got better in 1956, as Adriatica entered a technical partnership with Ferrari which involved loaning two brand-new R560 packages for two Ferrari-backed Italian drivers: the experienced Dorino Serafini and a rookie, Gerino Gerini. Gerini was the first driver to qualify for Adriatica, at the French Grand Prix, and to finish a race in Belgium, where he was classified thirteenth despite having to retire the car during the last lap.

The revival: 2018

The rights to the Adriatica name had been inherited by Miccani's great-grandson Marco Benciani, who gave back life to the team thanks to Italian and German investors. The Benciani family had owned a network of Subaru dealerships in Italy, which led to the special relationship between the team and the Japanese brand. Scuderia Adriatica ran two Subaru Imprezas in the IPC B-Class with Santiago Guglielminpietro and Roberto Dinella as drivers. The Imprezas proved to be among the fastest cars of the lot, with Guglielminpietro leading the B-Class standings. The Adriatica-Subaru partnership in the Prototype Challenge, which involved a in-house built Subaru boxer engine and a jointly developed chassis, hasn't proven itself similarly successful, as the team had to wait until the 5 Hours of Spa to score its first points with Leandro Moreira. In the same year, Adriatica successfully applied for a spot in Eurasian Formula 3, a new series replacing F3RWRS. Antonio Fuoco and Guadalupe Alvarez Reina were signed for the season.

Complete Formula One Results

Year	Team	Chassis	Engine	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Pts	EC
1955	Scuderia Adriatica				MON	FRA	BEL	GBR	SCO	SOV	ITA
		Ambrosiana A-002	Ferrari 555	Lucien Bianchi				DNPQ			DNPQ				0	NC
1956	Scuderia Adriatica				MON	FRA	BEL	FRG	GDR	IRL	SCO	GBR	ITA	THA	Pts	EC
		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560	Dorino Serafini	DNQ	DNQ	Ret	Ret							0	NC*
				Gerino Gerini	DNPQ	Ret	13	9							0	NC*