Andrea Moda Formula 1992 : The Formula One DataBase

Next Race: 2009-03-29 15:00:00 GMT+11:00

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Constructor:	Moda

A Shoe-In

When Enzo Coloni decided to sell his self-named Formula 1 team towards the end of 1991, one thing was almost certain- the buyers couldn't do much worse. Over four years, Coloni had racked up a total of sixty-seven failures to even pre-qualify. The buyer was Andrea Sassetti, runner of a major Italian shoe firm. With a supply of Judd engines and Dallara gearboxes, along with the existing Coloni C4 chassis, Moda was ready for lift off. All it needed was two talented drivers to round the team off. Sassetti signed two Italians, the experienced but perenially-unlucky Alex Caffi along with ex-Coloni driver Enrico Bertaggia.

Kicked into Touch

At the first weekend of the new season Andrea Moda hit trouble. The officials were deliberating whether the team had paid their entrance fee. Sassetti thought that they had, as he believed they had bought Coloni's place as well as their equipment. Both drivers were prepared for pre-qualifying, however they never got that far. The officials judged that Sassetti had only bought Coloni's equipment, and were sent home from the race meeting.

Then once again in Mexico the team withdrew. Sassetti had decided that the C4 wasn't worth its paint job, and got Simtek's Nick Wirth to design a new car. However it wasn't ready in time for the next race. The powers-that-be weren't impressed.

Given the Boot

Neither were Caffi and Bertaggia. And, in true manager style, Sassetti sacked them. Having hardly turned a wheel, Andrea Moda were now searching for two replacement drivers. In stepped Roberto Moreno and Perry McCarthy. However further controversy struck in Brazil, where the FIA took away McCarthy's superlicense. It didn't matter, only one car was ever ready and the one that was was fifteen seconds off the pre-qualifying pace in the hands of Moreno. McCarthy subsequently got his superlicense back.

Then the team started to pay for their previous errors. Bertaggia had come back to Sassetti with a fat wodge of cash hoping to get his drive back. Despite having enough sponsorship themselves, every little helps, and Sassetti seemed to have the chance to offload McCarthy.

Not so. Having already made enough driver changes than the rest of the grid, Andrea Moda weren't allowed to resign Bertaggia. Then in Spain the team suffered multiple engine failures, with McCarthy's car only making 18 yards out of the pits before packing up. In Spain McCarthy did eight laps, while in Monaco he did three before returning to keep it as a spare for Moreno.

Finding their Feet

However finally Moreno and Andrea Moda made the grid. Having taken fourth in pre-qualifying, Moreno then took twenty-sixth and last on the grid for the race proper. He then ran round at the back before retiring on lap eleven.

Gunning for Glory

However soon the teams hopes went up in flames, literally. A possible case of arson destroyed Sassetti's discotheque in Italy, where he was also shot at, but luckily, or unluckily depending on your point of view, was missed. However when he arrived for the race at Canada he found his cars, without engines! The Judds were stuck on a flight somewhere. Having borrowed an engine of Brabham Moreno missed qualifying and the team went home again.

Then followed another farce in France. Following a motorway blockade, the teams had to resort to back roads to get to Magny Cours. All made it except Andrea Moda, who were stuck in French traffic. With two no shows the FIA were starting to lose their patience.

One Foot in the Grave

Sassetti was now only prepared to focus his attention on one car, and it was obvious which one it would be.

McCarthy was effectively given no track time in the following few races, until Spa, where finally Andrea Moda and Sassetti met their final, sticky end. Belgian authorities arrested Sassetti for fraud, and the most controversial team to ever race in Formula 1 bowed out.