Van Smirren Motorsports

Van Smirren Motorsports, also known as Scuderia Minardi or by its abbreviation VSM, is a Dutch former GPGSL racing team. It was founded by team owner Ricardo van Smirren. The team entered the GPGSL in Season 1, as one of the founders teams. It stayed in the series until Season 9 when Van Smirren decided to close the team to focus on being a driver only.

The team's most successful season was Season 1, in which they won both the Constructors Championship, and the Drivers Championship with Philip Oakley.

Racing History[]

Season 1[]

Originally founded as Phoenix Racing by british racecar driver Philip Oakley the team was quickly sold for 60% to Ricardo van Smirren on July 31, 2008. The drivers for the team - Slovenian Marko Aleksander and Philip Oakley himself - were already signed and remained put as part of the deal.

On August the 5th at the official team presentation it was announced that the team would be using Lamborghini engines for their maiden season in the GPGSL. October 15 was the day of the first of many teamname changes. Phoenix Racing was now to be Scuderia Minardi.

After pre-season the team travelled to Austria to be part of the first official race in the GPGSL history. Mixed results were the part for Minardi as Philip Oakley finished in 6th and Marko Aleksander had a bad race finishing 20th. Brazil meant the first podium and DNF for the team as Phil took 2nd place with Marko not making it to the end of the race. An average 7th and another DNF at Monaco were quickly forgotten as Marko Aleksander took Minardi's first win at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. At the very same circuit Philip Oakley had his one and only non point scoring finish of the season ending the race in a lowly 17th. Although Philip recovered rather quickly by ending 2nd again in England this time Marko Aleksander couldn't break into the top 10 as 11th was his part. Off to Belgium we went next, where the team scored their first ever 1-2 victory with Marko performing Phil who once again ended 2nd. As 4th and 6th in Italy were followed up by 2nd (Phil doh!) and 4th in Japan.

Austalia was the venue of a thriling wet weather championship deciding finale. Championship favourite Monil Santil of Double F-Volkswagen struggled for pace and eventually failed to finish in the points. As Philip Oakley scored his fifth (out of 10 races !) 2nd place he overtook Monil in the final standing by 2 points and was crowned the maiden GPGSL World Drivers Champion.

Philips record of winning the championship without a single race win in that season still stands to date.

Marko Aleksander finished the season in third only 9 points of Monil Santilal's second.

The Constructors Championship went in dominant fashion to Minardi-Lamborghini. With 3 race wins and 6 further podiums the team ended on top with 171 points. Number 2 Double F scored "only" 118 points.

Season 2[]

Under Construction.

Season 3[]

Season 4[]

Season 5[]

Season 6[]

Season 7[]

Season 8[]

Season 9[]

Branding changes[]

Season	Name
Season 1	Minardi
Season 2	Van Smirren Motorsports by Minardi
Season 3	Van Smirren Motorsports by Minardi
Season 4	Van Smirren Motorsports
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7	Scuderia Minardi
Season 8	Scuderia Minardi
Season 9	Van Smirren Motorsports

List of Drivers[]

Here is a non-exhaustive list of drivers that have driven for VSM over the years. A (T) indicates that the driver was a test driver for the team, and a (B) shows that they have done both roles within the team.

Complete GrandPrixGames Super League Results[]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap; underlined races indicate most places gained)

Season	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Points	WCC
1	Lamborghini	B		AUT	BRA	MON	CAN	GBR	GER	BEL	ITA	JPN	AUS								171	1st
			Marko Aleksander	20	Ret	Ret	1	11	3	1	4	4	1
			Philip Oakley	6	2	7	17	2	8	2	6	2	2
2	Lamborghini	B		AUS	MON	BEL	ESP	BRA	JPN	AUT	USA	NED	CAN	ITA	GER	SAM	CZE	TUR	GBR		219	3rd
			Philip Oakley	2	Ret	2	2	5	17	13	4	9	4	1	6	1	3	4	Ret
			Kevin Schröder	6	Ret	12	Ret	9	Ret	2	21	7	3	2	1	8	18	6	3
3	Lamborghini	B		AUS	GER	USA	CAN	EUR	SAM	NED	BEL	MAL	ENG	HUN	ITA	JPN	SMR	BRA	MON	GBR	93	6th
			Kevin Schröder	3	7	12	3	Ret	3	16	16	Ret	Ret	13	2	9	9	Ret	11	20
			Jethro Walters	10	15	17	Ret	7
			Charrel Jalving						10	14	14	17	2	18
			John Warrington												17	8	11	15	Ret	17
4	Seat	B		AUS	ITA	BEL	JPN	EUR	MON	PAC	RSA	HUN	GER	BRA	UAE	MAL	USA	CAN	NED	GBR	31	11th
			Kevin Schröder	17	19	12	20
			Ricardo van Smirren					7	18	16	12	11	18	12	15	13	13	Ret	Ret	21
			John Warrington	19	11	18	13	8	13	11	15	14	13	15	10	15	Ret	Ret	Ret	7
5	Seat	B		AUS	FRA	JPN	BEL	ESP	BRA	GER	NED	EUR	ITA	CAN	UAE	PAC	USA	MON	TUR	GBR	110	7th
			Rick Groeneboer	20	11	1	9	10	17	12	14	12	15	11
			Chris Copeman												9	11	7	13	9	13
			Keeley Grant	Ret	8	14	4	12	15	19	12	22	14	3
			John Maverick												1	Ret	20	7	3	6
6	Seat	B		AUS	ITA	CAN	HUN	USA	NED	SMR	GER	JPN	SAM	ATL	AUT	MON	FRA	BEL	BRA	GBR	92	8th
			Ben Johnson	Ret	13	7	14	2	Ret	15	4	8	18	4	14	5	16	13	11	14
			Michael Pedersen	11	15	8	17	9	5	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	Ret
			Dean Kittleson												18	20	5	Ret	10	19
7	Motori Moderni	B		AUS	GCO	JPN	CAN	USA	FRA	NED	BEL	SUI	ITA	SMR	BRA	OCE	AUT	HUN	GER	GBR	99	6th
			Ben Johnson	13	12	18	8	7	5	15	Ret	8	3	12	14	9	13	8	18	Ret
			Dean Kittleson	6	9	16	2	Ret	15	16	15	13	5	10	12	16	5	13	13	7
8	Motori Moderni	B		AUS	SOA	SIN	MAL	JPN	CAN	SAM	BRA	BEL	GER	AUT	SMR	ITA	MON	FRA	LUX	GBR	464	3rd
			John Warrington	17	9	13	21	5
			Chris Warrington						17	Ret	10	5	18	15	10	8	2	8	9	8
			Ben Johnson	9	20	1
			Matteo Scala				7	14	1	10	2	13	5	10	14	12	Ret	1	11	10
9	Mitsubishi	B		AUS	JPN	MAL	RSA	ESP	CAN	USA	BRA	BEL	EUR	NED	ITA	AUT	CZE	GER	FRA	GBR	95	8th
			Matteo Scala	2	Ret	13	3	16	1	12	6	11	17	Ret	Ret	9	7	12	13	12
			Chris Warrington	17	Ret	16	11	12	Ret	Ret	11	13	15	Ret	14	10	2	7	8	14