Durango Automotive SRL was an Italian auto racing team founded in 1980 by Ivone Pinton and Enrico Magro, which competed in Formula 3000, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the GP2 Series. The team finished racing after withdrawing from the Italian round of the 2009 GP2 Series season, although it was linked to Jacques Villeneuve and his bid to return to Formula One for the 2011 season.[1]

Italy Durango
Founded1980
Folded2016
Team principal(s)Ivone Pinton
Enrico Magro
Former seriesItalian Formula Three Championship
International Formula 3000
24 Hours of Le Mans
GP2 Series
GP2 Asia Series
Auto GP
Superleague Formula
World Series Formula V8 3.5
Noted driversBrazil Lucas di Grassi
Brazil Carlos Iaconelli
France Yannick Schroeder
Brazil Rodrigo Sperafico
Italy Davide Valsecchi

History

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Davide Valsecchi driving for Durango at the Silverstone round of the 2008 GP2 Series season.

The Durango team took part in the Italian Formula Three Championship from 1987 to 1992. They expanded to compete in the International Formula 3000 Championship and the British Formula Two Championship in 1991, and entered a Lancia LC2 in the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, under the banner of Veneto Equipe. Durango took part in the Renault Formula Two championship and Euroseries in 1994 and continued to race in Formula Three until 1999.

In 2003, Durango designed and built a Le Mans Prototype car, the PM02, to compete in the FIA Sportscar championship and the Le Mans 24 Hours. The car was powered by a Judd GV4 V10 engine. The team participated for the 2nd time in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished in 24th position, after qualifying 18th. The car's best result was a 4th place at the Estoril round of the FIA sportscar championship. The car was never raced again after the 2003 season.

In 2005, Durango became part of the GP2 Series, a new series designed to help young drivers enter into Formula One. In 2006, the team participated in Formula Azzurra, a series supported by the Italian Karting Federation.[2] Due to financial problems the team was forced to withdraw from the final races of the 2009 GP2 Series season, and pulled out of competing in the 2009-10 GP2 Asia Series season.[3]

Formula One entry bid

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Durango attempted to enter Formula One in 2010, when the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile opened an entry process for an additional thirteenth team.[4] The team principal Ivone Pinton stated there were investors only interested with competing in F1,[4] and announced a partnership with 1997 Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve. The team would compete as Villeneuve Racing and Villeneuve would initially be one of the two drivers.[5] The FIA did not accept any of the applications for the 2011 season.[6]

Results

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GP2 Series

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GP2 Series Results
Year Car Drivers Races Wins Poles FLaps Points D.C. T.C.
2005 Dallara GP2/05-Mecachrome   Clivio Piccione 23 1 0 1 14 15th 11th
  Ferdinando Monfardini 17 0 0 0 5 17th
  Gianmaria Bruni 4 0 1 0 35 10th
2006 Dallara GP2/05-Mecachrome   Lucas di Grassi 21 0 0 1 8 18th 13th
  Sergio Hernández 21 0 0 0 1 23rd
2007 Dallara GP2/05-Mecachrome   Borja García 21 0 0 0 28 10th 8th
  Karun Chandhok 21 1 0 2 16 15th
2008 Dallara GP2/08-Mecachrome   Davide Valsecchi 16 1 0 0 11 15th 11th
  Marcello Puglisi 2 0 0 0 0 33rd
  Ben Hanley 2 0 0 0 0 24th
  Alberto Valerio 20 0 0 0 0 26th
2009 Dallara GP2/08-Mecachrome   Davide Valsecchi 12 0 0 0 10 17th† 11th
  Stefano Coletti 4 0 0 0 0 25th
  Nelson Panciatici 16 0 0 0 0 24th
Source:[7]

In detail

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Chassis
Engine
Tyres
Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 T.C. Points
2005 GP2/05
Renault
B
SMR
FEA
SMR
SPR
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
MON
FEA
NÜR
FEA
NÜR
SPR
MAG
FEA
MAG
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
HOC
FEA
HOC
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
IST
FEA
IST
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
BHR
FEA
BHR
SPR
11th 21
  Clivio Piccione 15 Ret Ret 8 Ret 7 1 8 DSQ 6 Ret Ret 17 Ret 16 Ret 11 11 14 12 19 13 7
  Ferdinando Monfardini Ret DNS Ret 11 DNS Ret 6 12 17 14 10 Ret 15 Ret 11 Ret Ret 8 4
  Gianmaria Bruni Ret 16 Ret 14
2006 GP2/05
Renault
B
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
SMR
FEA
SMR
SPR
NÜR
FEA
NÜR
SPR
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
MON
FEA
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
MAG
FEA
MAG
SPR
HOC
FEA
HOC
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
IST
FEA
IST
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
13th 9
  Lucas di Grassi 17 16 Ret Ret 18 13 12 9 11 Ret EX 7 6 Ret Ret 13 Ret 5 9 10 14
  Sergio Hernández Ret Ret Ret 13 12 Ret Ret 13 8 10 EX 14 11 10 Ret Ret Ret 11 10 13 Ret
2007 GP2/05
Renault
B
BHR
FEA
BHR
SPR
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
MON
FEA
MAG
FEA
MAG
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
NÜR
FEA
NÜR
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
IST
FEA
IST
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
8th 44
  Borja García 8 4 5 14 16 12 20 20 17 19 12 5 5 5 4 Ret 19 16 17 5 4
  Karun Chandhok 9 Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 16 12 13 Ret 16 14 15 8 Ret 5 6 7 1 17 Ret
2008 GP2/08
Renault
B
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
IST
FEA
IST
SPR
MON
FEA
MON
FEA
MAG
FEA
MAG
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
HOC
FEA
HOC
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
11th 11
  Davide Valsecchi 10 5 DNS DNS 19 6 Ret 13 Ret 13 NC 7 Ret 6 8 1
  Marcello Puglisi 17 19
  Ben Hanley Ret Ret
  Alberto Valerio 13 Ret 18 7 Ret Ret 18 17 21 9 9 15 DNS 17 Ret 12 Ret Ret 12 15
2009 GP2/08
Renault
B
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
MON
FEA
MON
FEA
IST
FEA
IST
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
NÜR
FEA
NÜR
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
VAL
FEA
VAL
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
ALG
FEA
ALG
SPR
11th 10
  Davide Valsecchi Ret 16 15 18 3 Ret 10 14 13 10 5 9
  Stefano Coletti Ret Ret 12 DNS
  Nelson Panciatici 12 18 Ret 15 Ret Ret 18 Ret 19 13 14 20 Ret 15 11 13

GP2 Asia Series

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Chassis
Engine
Tyres
Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 T.C. Points
2008 GP2/05
Renault
B
DUB1
FEA
DUB1
SPR
SEN
FEA
SEN
SPR
SEP
FEA
SEP
SPR
BHR
FEA
BHR
SPR
DUB2
FEA
DUB2
SPR
8th 19
  Davide Valsecchi 17 6 Ret 19 4 4 6 6 14 4
  Alberto Valerio 9 5 Ret Ret Ret 17 DNS 17 13 15
2008–09 GP2/05
Renault
B
SHI
FEA
SHI
SPR
DUB3
FEA
DUB3
SPR
BHR1
FEA
BHR1
SPR
LSL
FEA
LSL
SPR
SEP
FEA
SEP
SPR
BHR2
FEA
BHR2
SPR
5th 34
  Davide Valsecchi 8 1 2 C 5 2 6 5 8 3 16 Ret
  Carlos Iaconelli 11 Ret
  Michael Dalle Stelle 17 C 19 20 20 22 18 20 Ret 19

Formula 3000

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International Formula 3000 Championship Results
Year Car Drivers Races Wins Poles FLaps Points D.C. T.C.
2001 Lola B99/50-Zytek   Gabriele Lancieri 12 0 0 0 0 NC 10th
  Jaime Melo 9 0 1 0 8 12th
  Antonio García 3 0 0 0 0 NC
2002 Lola B02/50-Zytek   Alex Müller 5 0 0 0 0 NC 6th
  Derek Hill 7 0 0 0 0 NC
  Rodrigo Sperafico 12 1 0 0 20 6th
2003 Lola B02/50-Zytek   Giorgio Pantano 10 2 2 2 41 3rd 3rd
  Raffaele Giammaria 10 0 0 0 14 10th
2004 Lola B02/50-Zytek   Yannick Schroeder 8 0 0 0 13 9th 7th
  Matteo Meneghello 1 0 0 0 0 NC
  Michele Rugolo 1 0 0 0 0 NC
  Rodrigo Ribeiro 4 0 0 0 1 17th
  Ernesto Viso 6 0 0 0 7 12th
Source:[7]

In detail

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TC Points
2001 Lola B99/50 Zytek A INT IMO CAT A1R MON NÜR MAG SIL HOC HUN SPA MNZ 10th 8
  Gabriele Lancieri Ret 13 Ret 12 Ret 14 13 10 9 9 14 Ret
  Jaime Melo 2 Ret 21 5 11 13 14 12 12
  Antonio García 10 16 11
2002 Lola B02/50 Zytek A INT IMO CAT A1R MON NÜR SIL MAG HOC HUN SPA MNZ 6th 20
  Alex Müller 11 Ret Ret 13 DSQ
  Derek Hill 7 Ret Ret 9 Ret 7 Ret
  Rodrigo Sperafico 1 2 7 12 Ret 8 9 8 3 Ret 12 8
2003 Lola B02/50 Zytek A IMO CAT A1R MON NÜR MAG SIL HOC HUN MNZ 3rd 55
  Giorgio Pantano Ret 1 3 Ret 16 1 2 7 4 Ret
  Raffaele Giammaria 7 Ret 14 3 7 8 Ret 10 6 Ret
2004 Lola B02/50 Zytek A IMO CAT MON NÜR MAG SIL HOC HUN SPA MNZ 7th 21
  Yannick Schroeder 7 Ret 10 3 4 14 Ret Ret
  Matteo Meneghello 15
  Michele Rugolo Ret
  Rodrigo Ribeiro 13 8 Ret 16
  Ernesto Viso 8 11 7 6 10 8

Sports car

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Series Year Drivers Car Notes
Italian Formula 3000 2005 Lola-Zytek As technical part of Fisichella Motor Sport
Euroseries 3000 2006 Lola-Zytek As technical part of Fisichella Motor Sport
Euroseries 3000 2007 Omar Julian Leal, Luiz Razia Lola-Zytek

Other Series History

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Series Year Drivers Car Notes
European Formula Renault 2000 2002
European Formula Renault 2000 2003
Italian Formula Renault 2000 2004
Italian Formula Renault 2000 2006
Italian Formula Azzurra 2006
Endurance GT Series 2007 Niccolò Valentini, Enrico Moncada, Matteo Meneghello Porsche 911 GT3

References

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  1. ^ "Villeneuve confirms Durango tie-up". autosport.com. Haymarket Media. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  2. ^ "Origin and History". Durango. Archived from the original on 26 August 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  3. ^ "Durango pulls out of Asia Series". gpupdate.net. JHED Media. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Durango pursuing 2011 Formula One entry". Formula1.com. Formula One World Championship. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Jacques Villeneuve confirms Durango commercial link". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  6. ^ Beer, Matt (8 September 2010). "FIA decides against new team for 2011". Autosport.com. Haymarket Media. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  7. ^ a b GP2 and Formula 3000 entry list and complete results speedsportmag.com