Fondmetal to Participate in the 2026 Historic Minardi Day in Imola
On Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, 2026, Fondmetal will be participating in the 10th edition of Historic Minardi Day at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Raceway in Imola.
A particularly significant event for Fondmetal. Not only because of the importance the event has gained in the world of historic motorsports, but above all because of its deep connection to the Minardi family and Formula 1.
Ten Years of Historic Minardi Day
Launched in 2016 based on an idea by the Minardi family, Historic Minardi Day has become one of the premier events for fans of historic motorsports.
The event’s concept has remained true to its origins: bringing the cars back to the track and introducing the public to the history of racing. It’s a story told through the single-seaters, the drivers, and the technicians who played key roles in it.
The 2025 edition drew over 20,000 attendees and featured more than 700 cars. In 2026, the event will celebrate its tenth anniversary.
More than 600 cars are expected in Imola, including nearly 30 historic Formula 1 cars from very different eras of the World Championship.
Fondmetal and Minardi: Much More Than Just Two Formula 1 Teams
Fondmetal’s participation in Historic Minardi Day holds special significance. In fact, the histories of Fondmetal and Minardi intersected directly in the second half of the 1990s.
In 1997, Gabriele Rumi, founder of Fondmetal and a central figure in the company’s history, became president and team manager of the Minardi racing team.
This marks the beginning of a phase in which the relationship between the two organizations grows ever closer. A partnership that will bring the Fondmetal name back to the Formula 1 grid.
Between 1997 and 2000, Fondmetal indeed combined its technical expertise with the Faenza-based team. In 1999 and 2000, the engine used by Minardi was called the Fondmetal V10. Furthermore, during the 2000 season, the M02 raced under the name Telefonica Minardi Fondmetal.
This chapter is the natural continuation of a story that began many years ago.
Fondmetal had already entered the world of Formula 1 in the 1980s as a manufacturer of racing wheels. In the early 1990s, it became a constructor with its own racing team. In the years that followed, it developed increasingly advanced expertise in aerodynamics and engineering applied to motorsports.
Returning to Imola, Looking Toward the Future
Taking part in Historic Minardi Day means reconnecting with people, cars, and moments that are an integral part of Fondmetal’s history.
But the year 2026 makes this meeting even more significant.
In the same year that we are celebrating our history alongside the Minardi family, Fondmetal has officially returned to Formula 1. Today, we are the Official Wheel Supplier for the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team.
Past and present thus converge along the same path. From the first magnesium wheels developed for Formula 1 in the 1980s to the Fondmetal single-seaters of the early 1990s. From the partnership with Minardi to the return to the top tier of motorsport in 2026.
See you in Imola
On Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Raceway will once again bring together the cars and legends that have shaped the history of motorsports.
For Fondmetal, it will be a return to a place and a setting that reflect an important part of our identity.
Because some stories belong to the past… while others, on the other hand, keep on going.
