Patrick Friesacher

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Patrick Friesacher
Friesacher at the 2005 United States Grand Prix
Nationality	Austrian
World Championship Career
Active years	2005
Team(s)	Minardi
Races	11
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	2005 Australian Grand Prix


Last race	2005 British Grand Prix

Patrick Friesacher (born September 26, 1980) is an Austrian Formula One driver who drove for the Minardi team during the first half of the 2005 season.

1 Early career
2 Formula One
- 2.1 Complete Formula One results
3 A1 Commitments
4 External links

[edit] Early career

Born in Wolfsberg, Friesacher began Kart racing at an early age. In 1998, he moved to the French Formula Campus series, finishing third in the season. In 1999, Friesacher advanced to the French Formula 3 'B' class, before moving to the German Formula 3 series in 2000.

In 2001, Friesacher jumped to Formula 3000, where he scored three top-six finishes for the Red Bull Junior team. He stayed with Red Bull throughout 2002, and 2003, winning a race at the Hungaroring. Later that year, he joined the Super Nova squad; in 2004, he won another race (again in Hungary), this time for the Coloni team.

[edit] Formula One

Friesacher at the 2005 British Grand Prix.

In November 2004, Friesacher tested for Minardi at the Misano circuit in Italy, impressing team principal Paul Stoddart. On February 14, 2005, he signed a one-year deal to race alongside Christijan Albers, another former Formula 3000 driver and F1 rookie. ITV's Martin Brundle noted during his debut race that he felt Patrick had never looked like a potential F1 driver.

In the 2005 United States Grand Prix he picked up 3 Formula One Championship points despite finishing last; this is because he came 6th out of the 6 drivers who competed as 7 teams pulled out for tyre safety reasons.

On July 19th, 2005 it was announced that Friesacher had been dropped from the Minardi team due to the failure of his personal sponsors to pay Minardi the amounts agreed at the start of the season. (It is common for poorer F1 teams to employ pay-drivers who contribute financially to the team via personal sponsorships.) He was replaced in the lineup by Robert Doornbos, who completed the rest of the season for Minardi.

[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key)

Yr	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	Team	WDC	Points
2005	Minardi	AUS 17	MYS Ret	BAH 12	SMR Ret	ESP Ret	MON Ret	EUR 18	CAN Ret	USA 6	FRA Ret	GBR 19	DEU	HUN	TUR	ITA	BEL	BRA	JPN	CHN	Minardi	21st	3

[edit] A1 Commitments

In 2006, Friesacher joined the A1 Grand Prix of nations racing for his home country, Austria for the Mexican Grand Prix, clinching 18th in his first A1 qualifying session. He then went on to finish 10th and 9th, scoring a total of 3 points for the team.