Verstappen's former team boss names his favorite driver and it's not Verstappen!

The press officer of the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit has tried several times to get Gian Carlo Minardi on the line, but he is always busy. At 77, the Italian remains a busy man, especially in his home country, where Minardi is considered a motorsport figurehead, often stopped on the street by fans wanting to take a photo with him.

To give an idea of his popularity: every year there's a Minardi Day at the Imola circuit, entirely dedicated to the former team boss. This year marks the ninth edition. "It started as a joke between me and [Pierluigi] Martini (former F1 driver for Minardi, ed.)," Minardi says later, after the press officer has managed to make contact and GPblog eventually sits with the Italian in his office.

Minardi never won a Grand Prix, but illustrious drivers did race for the then-small team on the F1 grid. Men like Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Giancarlo Fisichella, and Christijan Albers drove for Minardi. Naming the best of them all is difficult for Minardi.

Jos Verstappen was also one of the drivers Martini took under his wing. Minardi doesn't frequently visit Verstappen. "He drove for me for a year. If we see each other, we greet, but I don't socialize with anyone throughout the year."

Verstappen competed for Minardi's team in 2003. Max Verstappen was five or six years old then. "I have a photo of Max in the car, completely swallowed by the vehicle," laughs Minardi, before adding that Max is not the only son of a former driver from his team. Brando Badoer, son of Luca, is currently making his meters in Formula 3. "There are many more, it makes me feel so old!"

Perhaps old, but not forgotten. Moreover, his team continues to live on, albeit under the name Racing Bulls. He doesn't frequent Faenza anymore, but he is glad that the F1 team still exists: "Indeed, because history consists of past, present, and future. The past is Minardi, the present is Racing Bulls, and it has a great future ahead."