Minardi tries titanium gearbox.
Minardi was out again at Fiorano yesterday [Saturday] as it conducted initial trials with a new titanium-cased gearbox.
The 'box is understood to have been derived from a similar unit used by Ferrari, with the Scuderia assisting its smaller neighbour to develop its own version of the technology. Titanium offers the advantage of light weight, in addition to its fabled strength, and Minardi intends to make use of this to counter the penalty of having to run with older, heavier, Ford engines this season.
Minardi was out again at Fiorano yesterday [Saturday] as it conducted initial trials with a new titanium-cased gearbox.
The 'box is understood to have been derived from a similar unit used by Ferrari, with the Scuderia assisting its smaller neighbour to develop its own version of the technology. Titanium offers the advantage of light weight, in addition to its fabled strength, and Minardi intends to make use of this to counter the penalty of having to run with older, heavier, Ford engines this season.
Gaston Mazzacane ran the current MO2 chassis fitted with the new gearbox for 14 laps at Fiorano, recording a best lap of 1min 04.000secs in the process. Minardi hopes to be able to run the unit as early as Barcelona in three week's time.
