Minardi M189 F1 OW 1989

Specifications Minardi M189 F1 OW 1989 blueprint

The Minardi M189 F1 OW 1989 is a Formula One race car which was the fourth car used by Minardi Team Italia in the 1989 Formula One season. It was designed by the companys Technical Director, Gustav Brunner, and used a Ford Cosworth DFR V8 engine with a five-speed Hewland FG 400 manual gearbox. The car had a carbon-fiber reinforced composite monocoque chassis and minimum weight of 595 kg. The aerodynamics of the car were designed by Brunner and included a single center-mounted low-mounted rear wing with two sideplates and an upper two-element, T-shaped spoiler. The front wing was large and deeply curved over the nose, with an additional upper winglet that created an extra drift effect in order to help the car change direction quickly in the corners. The suspension setup included double wishbone arms, with pushrod-activated torsion springs and dampers housed in aluminium honeycomb monocoque monocoque structures. The brakes were single-piece ventilated Brembo discs with four-piston callipers. The M189 featured 170 degree Ford Cosworth DFR V8 powerplant producing 540 bhp at 11,500 rpm and weighing 158 kg. The transmission system consisted of a five-speed manual Hewland FG 400 gearbox, dual plate AP Racing clutch and magnesium bell housing. Pre-season testing of the car during the 1989 season indicated that it had good balance and traction, although it lacked outright speed. The M189 was driven to a final championship position of 13th place by its drivers, Alessandro Nannini and Pierluigi Martini. Aptly nicknamed the little car that could, the M189 was noteworthy for being the first Minardi car to finish in a race, when Nannini drove it to a 9th place finish at the 1989 French Grand Prix. Despite its modest power and limited budget, the hard-working M189 became a beloved fan favorite.