Today, at 2:11 pm, the Fondmetal Minardi Ford M01 made its track debut.

On a sunny, but freezing, day, the Mugello track baptized the car which will compete the 1999 F1 championship, commencing in one month.

Driving the debutante car was Luca Badoer, by courtesy of Ferrari, thanks to the excellent co-operation relationship between the two teams. Luca carried out the Minardi shake downas the official drivers of the team are still TBA.

With temporary black carbon-fiber livery, the M01 took its very first steps by doing a handful of out-ins under the careful supervision of boss Gabriele Rumi, Gian Carlo Minardi, Cesare Fiorio and Gustav Brunner, whose innumerable hours spent at the computer finally came to fruition.

Tomorrow testing will continue, once more behind closed doors, once more with Luca Badoer.