Coloni SpA
| Based in: Passignano sul Trasimeno Founded: 1983 (active 1987-1992) Principal: Enzo Coloni |  |
Success with teams in lower formulae and a limited budget was not a sound basis for entering into Formula 1 in the late 1980s but somebody forgot to tell Enzo Coloni that fact.
Coloni, a one time Italian F3 champion, had run an F3 team with some success and took the plunge into the shark-infested waters of Formula 1 in 1987. His first car - the FC187 - arrived late in the season with Larini as the sole driver. He failed to qualify for Monza but made it to the grid in Jerez for the final race of the season. Eight laps later he was out, and when the team returned for the 1988 season Gabrielle Tarquini was in the driver's seat. He failed to qualify on eight attempts and managed to finish in four races - eighth in Montreal being the best result.
For 1989 the team entered two cars driven by Moreno and Raphanel. Between them they managed to fail in qualifying 27 times and never actually finished a race. For 1990 the team reverted to a single car operation with Bertrand Gachot as the sole driver. He failed to get to the grid at every attempt. 1991 was the turn of Pedro Chaves and Naoki Hattori who both failed to reach the start line.
For some inexplicable reason the team was purchased by the Andrea Moda concern after Subaru had purchased a stake in the team and then sold it back again during the 1991 season.
Cars
| Car designation | Race years |
|---|---|
| Coloni FC187 (C1) | 1987 |
| Coloni FC188 (C2) | 1988 |
| Coloni FC188B (C2B) | 1989 |
| Coloni FC188C (C2C) | 1989 |
| Coloni FC189 (C3) | 1989 |
| Coloni C3B | 1990 |
| Coloni C3C | 1990 |
| Coloni C4 | 1991 |
| Coloni C4B | 1992 |
