Where are the days in the Formula One, when shady team owners appeared on the grid? Mostly to burn their money in a team that would fail on forehand. It were those teams that brought the atmosphere and the vibes in the paddock. Well that is, if you ask me of course. One of these teams that I miss is Andrea Moda. The complete package makes it interesting. While I was two years old when they made their debut. I am more or less a huge fan of the team.
Hi I’m the Al Bundy of the Formula One. Andrea Sassetti is the name. I am the owner of Andrea Moda and I sell shoes, lots of shoes. Also some other fashion stuff. My plans are to enter the Formula One, by purchasing Coloni, and will rebrand it to Andrea Moda. Because Andrea Moda is the name of my company, and I see the Formula One as a way to promote and so on.
It is how I imagine the introduction from Sassetti towards Bernie Ecclestone when he revealed his plans to enter the Formula One per 1992. To be fair it is interesting to see the team did appear on the grid. During the first Grand Prix of the season in South Africa, Andrea Moda appeared with the C4B. This was basically Coloni’s car from 1991. Besides a new paintjob and some sponsors, the car was similar.
Andrea Sassetti purchased the Coloni team. Well, yes he did but something was wrong. He did not have the correct papers to appear on the grid. I believe he forgot to include these in the deal. As well there was a problem with the car. Anyway, this meant that Alex Caffi, the driver for the Andrea Moda team, only appeared on Kyalami during the free practice on Thursday. After that, the team was unable to qualify the car.
In Mexico, the team came with the name car, the Andrea Moda S921. The car was based on the BMW S192, which was a prototype for BMW. There were plans to debut in the Formula One. Well, the team withdrew from the Mexican Grand Prix. He was to appear back in the car. He found new sponsors. Due to the maximum amount of drivers a team could use in 1992, this was four, he could not return behind the wheel.
We all know what happened with the team; they only managed to qualify for a Grand Prix in Monaco! Roberto Moreno did something with that car what science even can’t explain. It has to be faith. If you look at footage of the team, you get the idea that Sassetti was only in the Formula One to be there. Well, I mean, to be seen perhaps who knows. That a discothèque he owned caught fire, and he got shot at probably says enough. It probably, 30 years later, gives the team it charm. There are still weird stories about Andrea Moda and even about Sassetti. Whatever might be true, it is sure that he was one of the #FormuleHopeloos characters from the 1990s.
Eventually the team got excluded from the paddock after the Belgium Grand Prix, after Sassetti was arrested. for allegedly forging auto part invoices. We would never see the team back on the grid. I meant, that the Formula One lost two teams in a few weeks. Earlier, Brabham withdrew from the sport due to financial struggles.
I still feel sorry for Enrico Bertaggia, he was one of the driver for the team for the first two grandprix’s. He did not drove a single meter with the C4B or with the S921. He only sat in the car, and that was his career with Andrea Moda.
By the way, did you know that Sassetti originally wanted Gregor Foitek and Christian Danner as their drivers? I miss Andrea Moda. Only if their 1993 plans had succeeded!
