10/07/21 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Mugello Preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, is set for a return to racing action just three short weeks from his solid run at Imola were the rising open wheel star earned his first championship points with a fantastic top ten finish. The easy-going Ontario teenager has been living in Italy and has immersed himself in the European racing community. Working closely with the Team Lucidi engineering staff on a near daily basis, the young single seater transplant is excited to return to the Mugello track. Gmo sits in third spot in the rookie championship point standings after six rounds, just four points back of second place.

"Mugello is a very famous circuit in Italy. Holder of Moto GP races and being an official test track for the Ferrari F1 team, it will be a eventful race weekend for our series," commented Raimondo from his new home in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. "It's a very fast and challenging track. With blind and high-speed corners, Mugello forces drivers to use their maximum abilities at all times. This will provide an interesting two races."

The team has spent a lot of time testing at Mugello and Raimondo has run several sessions on the tricky circuit in preseason development giving him a solid footing heading into the pivotal mid point of the season. Drivers will contest rounds seven and eight of the 16 round, eight weekend series. Hitting the half way mark is a major milestone for many of the drivers as the pressure begins to build toward the final round in Monza in late October.

"Judging from preseason testing, our team is very strong at Mugello. Knowing this and the results we've achieved in Imola, I have full confidence going into this weekend," continues Raimondo, now working his third straight season of single seater racing. "My goal for this weekend is to have an exceptional qualifying. Focusing on this will settle me in the right position to gain better results and place my car well in the points."

Drivers will take to the track starting on Friday for the fourth weekend being held at the Mugello Circuit, which will host rounds seven and eight on July 25th and 26th. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

10/07/07 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Imola Report, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, completed a fantastic weekend of racing at the exciting and historic Imola Circuit. Through six on track sessions Raimondo and the Team Lucidi crew worked hard to stay on top of the changing track conditions. While not yet halfway through the sixteen-race schedule, Raimondo is making his mark in the rookie title and now seeing himself on the championship charts.

In Friday free practice Gmo clocked through in session one in the 16th spot with a time of 1:44.199. The team made some nice changes and Raimondo went to seventh in the second session with a time of 1:43.294. The solid practice runs set the Raimondo up for a strong run in Saturday qualifying. As the time qualifying session progressed Raimondo didn't find the pace he was looking for and would settle for 16th putting him outside row eight for the standing start.

"Qualifying was not the best for me. Adjusting to the different rubber and grip level threw my limits off a bit, and by the time I finally re-established everything, it was too late unfortunately," commented Raimondo after the morning session. "The lap I did however, was somewhat consistent to my practice lap that put me in seventh, so I'd like to see it as something positive."

In race one it was a hard fought battle from the start as Raimondo looked to move forwarding heavy traffic and keep the car under him. Making steady progress was the order of the day and in the closing stages the 19-year-old driver had made his way up to 12th position. Running in tight formation looking for more spots before the checkerd flag, the car directly in front of Raimondo spun on the last corner causing Raimondo to check up and allowing the two drivers behind to pass on the straight away. At the flag it was Gmo crossing the line in 14th spot as completing all the scheduled laps.

"Race 1 was a bit unfortunate for me, even though I gained positions from where I started, the end of the race was unlucky," continued Raimondo. "The start was good, the pace was good, and I gained positions throughout the race. Out of all the situations I could control, the race was quite good."

Sunday round six competition would be one of best races this season for the rookie driver. The race would go very well from the start with Gmo grabbing spots early on as he worked traffic. Moving up 10 positions in the first 2 laps starting from 16th showed that the car was good and the team was on it's game. At the line it was Gmo finishing in eighth to crack the top ten and secure some championship points.

"Near the end of the race is when everything started to become difficult," commented Gmo. "The rear tires were starting to overheat a bit from the constant battling with other drivers, and the heat started to take effect."

Raimondo was able to collect some valuable points and now sits in 16th in the overall championship points standings and third in the Rookie Championship chase. Gmo has score rookie points in all six rounds of the Formula 3 Italia series.

"Finishing well in the points shows great foresight for the races to come. Mugello is next on the list and judging from our results this weekend, I have a feeling it's just going to get better."

Up next is the fourth weekend being held at the Mugello Circuit, which will host rounds seven and eight on July 25th and 26th. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

10/06/30 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Imola Preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, is heading to the heart of Italian motor racing as he joins the field of competitors in the Formula 3 Italia Series taking place at Imola this weekend. Marking the third weekend of action, racers will compete in rounds five and six of the 16-race championship. With a test with the venerable Scuderia Ferrari F1 squad on the line for the series champion, the drivers will be on their game at the Mecca of Italian motorsport. For Gianmarco "Gmo" Raimondo, his Italian heritage and passion for racing will come together this weekend as he looks to move up in the rookie standings. Sitting in third spot, Raimondo is just three points back from second place. Raimondo will also look to score his first championship points this weekend at a track he knows well.

"We need to close the gap from third to the rookie title and gain some points for the overall championship," comments Raimondo from his new home in Italy. "I like the track and we have tested here already this season."

A favorite stop on the Formula 3 Italia Series calendar, the long history and great name that is Imola provides an air of energy and excitement for all the drivers. For Raimondo, who carries the colours of both Canada and Italy on his helmet, success this weekend is important for his season. Preseason testing with Team Lucidi will give Gmo some valuable knowledge and confidence heading into the weekend.

"With such a high passing and challenging track, I believe the races in Imola will be very interesting," continues Raimondo. "The testing experience and the work done with driver coaches and engineers has properly prepared me for this race weekend."

Coming off two solid runs through the field in Hockenheim, Gmo will look to improve in qualifying and put himself at the sharp end of the grid to score maximum points. As the 29-car field looks to make up ground on series leaders, every lap will be key as drivers face two tough rounds of racing at the demanding high speed circuit.

"The physical preparation I've done at Formula Medicine the past week has also given me the confidence needed to come out of this weekend with good results," states Raimondo on enroute to Imola. "A demanding track like Imola requires the driver to be in top physical and mental condition."

Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

Gianmarco Raimondo completed two seasons as a Formula BMW Americas Junior Driver, winning the coveted Junior Scholarship in 2007 and taking the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship thus making him a double BMW scholarship winner. He also placed 3rd in the overall Championship both years in the BMW series. Gmo was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is building a strong on track racing resume along with off track appearances and special event programs. For more information on Gianmarco Raimondo’s racing career and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.gianmarcoraimondo.com or call 905-650-5623.

10/06/16 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Hockenheim Report, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer continues to improve and impress in the Formula 3 Italia Series. Working closely with Team Lucidi mechanics and engineers, the 19-year-old St. Catharines native is gaining confidence in the closely contested F3 grid. The team headed to Hockenheim, Germany for second weekend of racing that saw 29 drivers take part in rounds three and four of the 16 round junior formula car series. Coming off a solid weekend at Misano Adriatico in the season opener of the Italian Formula 3 2010 Championship, Raimondo looked to complete the race schedule and take home some more valuable points. In the opening weekend at Misano, Raimondo was able to qualify in seventeeth in the wet and move forward in race one up to sixteenth also in the wet. Race two was held under sunny dry conditions and Raimondo was able to charge forward to eleventh spot at the stripe. This past weekend at Hockenheim would prove more challenging and the rising start would stand up to the elements and score well.

"Friday was the first time the car has been driven since it had been fixed from my massive testing crash in Imola a few weeks earlier," commented Raimondo from his new home in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. "In the first session I was already having problems with an oil leak from the engine, spraying a bit of oil on my rear tires and brakes. The team worked like animals all through the night taking apart every piece trying to find the issue."

Saturday qualifying started with heavy rains that diminished in intensity as minutes went by forcing many teams and drivers to gamble on set-up as the track was getting drier and drier. The changing conditions caught Raimondo off guard and a spin kept him from taking advantage of the drying track conditions with fast laps coming late in the session. Raimondo was only able qualify in twenty-sixth with a time of 1:59.371.

"In the rain for qualifying, everything seemed in order," continued Raimondo. "It was unfortunate that I didn't get a chance to better my times as I had to retire early from the session, having to start from 26th in both races."

third3rd lap Raimondo had rocketed up to fourteetn position. On the last lap Gianmarco was able to simultaneously advance on the two drivers battling in front of him, finishing twelfth at the checkered. All three Team Lucidi drivers were able to salvage solid results with Raimondo able to recover up to the twelfth final place, second of the rookies.

"Knowing that the condition and the set-up of my car was podium quality and that I've had success in pre-season testing there, I had confidence entering the race," commented Raimondo on his race one charge forward. "Moving up 14 spots is really good on that track."

Race two, held the following day under sunny skies, would see Raimondo make another amazing charge forward through the field. The talented teenager left nothing on the track as he attacked from the drop of the green to mount an assault on the field. At the flag Raimondo had moved up 15 positions to take eleventh in the final tally. Raimondo is currently third in the rookies' classification at 41 points and has an 18 points gap to the lead.

"Entering the second race, I had even more confidence from the first. Even though my start wasn't as successful as the previous one and the change in rubber from other cars changed driving style a bit, I was still able to get in the right positions to pass and finish eleventh," continued Raimondo. "Overall the weekend for me was incredibly difficult, but on a positive note I learned a lot of race craft and built an even better relationship with my team. Let's hope Imola will be better knowing that we have the pace."

While the team was not able to grab all the points they had hoped for, Raimondo's performance was one of note for the Team Lucidi squad.

"Raimondo has been the only one of the team to finish the two races," commented Team Principal Gabriele Lucidi. "He (Raimondo) is growing and his third place in the rookies classification is certainly encouraging."

The Italian Formula 3 Championship will be back on track next 4 July at Imola. Raimondo will compete in the full Formula 3 Italia Series, which consists of 16 races run over 8 race weekends. The races take place in:

Misano, Italy on 25/04/2010
Hockenheim, Germany on 13/06/2010
Imola, Italy on 04/07/2010
Varano, Italy on 29/08/2010
Vallelunga, Italy on 26/09/2010
Mugello, Italy on 10/10/2010
Monza, Italy on 24/10/2010

Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

Gianmarco Raimondo completed two seasons as a Formula BMW Americas Junior Driver, winning the coveted Junior Scholarship in 2007 and taking the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship thus making him a double BMW scholarship winner. He also placed 3rd in the overall Championship both years in the BMW series. Gmo was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is building a strong on track racing resume along with off track appearances and special event programs. For more information on Gianmarco Raimondo’s racing career and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.gianmarcoraimondo.com or call 905-650-5623.

10/04/27 - Lucidi Motors Race #1 Report, lucidi.com

First success for Team Lucidi Motors at Misano Adriatico in the season opener of the Italian Formula 3 2010 Championship.

Bad weather had a crucial role on Saturday, with rain wetting the circuit since qualifying: in these precarious grip conditions Richelmi set the eighth fastest time (1'55.516), a performance that guaranteed by rule race two's pole position. More troubled was the session of Campana thirteenth (1'56.461) and Raimondo, seventeenth (1'57.218).

Race one, held in the late afternoon on Saturday under the rain, witnessed a good recovery from Richelmi who finished fifth and therefore into points . Campana and Raimondo finished at the chequered flag respectively in fourteenth and sixteenth position.

Very different was the outcome of race two instead: Richelmi kept the lead from the first to the last lap on the dry, obtaining in this way his first victory in the Italian Formula 3 Championship. Eleventh place instead for Gianmarco Raimondo, second of the rookies, while Sergio Campana was forced to the retirement due to a contact with an opponent.

In the absolute classification Richelmi is now fourth with 21 points, seven points adrift the leader. Raimondo is third in the rookies classification at 23 points, ten shy of the top.

Gabriele Lucidi (Lucidi Motors, Team Principal):
"Richelmi obtained important points for the classification with the victory of race two after the fifth place in race one. Qualifying unavoidably conditioned Campana's weekend, that unfortunately finished early due to a contact in race two, while Raimondo finished both races with a good level performance for a rookie driver".

The Italian Formula 3 will be back on track next 13 June at Hockenheim, Germany.

10/03/01 - Raimondo sets his sights on F1, Wheels.ca

St. Catharines teen to race in Italian F3 series this season, aims for test with Ferrari F1 team


By Norris McDonald, Toronto Star Wheels

Most Canadian parents are used to seeing their children leave home for any number of the usual reasons: summer camp, school trips, university and so on.

Some parents send their children off for longer periods, whether it's to boarding school (for their education) or - in the case of teenage boys - to some small Canadian community for the start of what everybody in the family hopes will be a successful professional hocky career.

And then there is the Raimondo family of St. Catharines, father Emilio and mother Anna Maria, who in the last 10 days have sent their 19-year-old son Gianmarco to Italy where he'll soon take the first step in a journey that he - and they - hope takes him to the summit of motor racing, the Formula One Grand Prix circuit.

Click here for the full story.

10/02/24 - GMO Posts third quickest time in pre-season testing, italiaracing.net

Third in fact concluded the Canadian Gianmarco Raimondo with a time of 1'32 "890. David has also shot with Michelin tires. Lucidi explains: "The French tires more grip so I have preferred him to travel several miles with this kind of rubber, to become familiar better driving the car. Then we switched to the Kumho and was even faster than a tenth. Richelmi is a very skilled pilot, but we are down to earth. It is only a test, others have tried in different conditions of rubber and certainly not thrilled at this result."

Click here for the full story.

10/02/04 - Gianmarco Raimondo 2010 season preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Champion, continued to impress in 2009 and now takes another step in the formula car racing ladder system as he heads to Europe to take on the very challenging Formula 3 Italia Series. The series offers competitive racing every weekend at some of Europe’s best tracks and provides one of the most coveted prizes in all of formula car racing. The top three drivers in the championship receive an official test day with the Ferrari F1 team at the end of the season. The series has been operating since 1964 and has had such drivers as Giancarlo Fisichella as series champion in 1994.

"Last year was a great year for me. Even though the year didn't go as well as I planned, I still have no regrets and have learned from all of my results," comments Raimondo. "Winning in Mosport on home turf ended the season on a high note and is also a plus to my motivation for the following year. Formula BMW was a great learning and competitive series from which I have gained a lot of experience."

Click here for the full story (PDF).

10/01/13 - Gianmarco Raimondo with Lucidi Motors in Italian Formula 3, Lucidi Motors

Team Lucidi Motors reached an agreement with the driver Gianmarco Raimondo for the 2010 season of the Italian Formula 3 Championship.

Raimondo, Canadian class 1990, after several successes in karting, won the rookies title in Formula BMW Americas in 2008 championship that saw him protagonist in 2009 too, season ended with the victory in the concluded round at Mosport.

Gabriele Lucidi (Team Principal):
"Raimondo is a promising young driver: he acquired a good technical preparation during the two years in Formula BMW Americas and this will allow him to face in the best possible way a competitive championship like Italian Formula 3. The work during pre-season tests will be very important but I am confident Gianmarco will do good things since the beginning".

10/01/01 - Canadian Raimondo to race in Italian F3 in 2010, Wheels.ca

Here's a quick follow-up on my item regarding the 2010 racing plans of talented St. Catharines teenager Alex Ellis.

Ellis had a teammate at Toronto's Team Autotecnica, Gianmarco Raimondo, who finished third in the 2009 Formula BMW Americas championship and who also hails from St. Catharines. Raimondo and Ellis, besides racing on the same team, also attended the same high school in St. Kitts.

Raimondo is in Italy as we speak, signing a contract to race in the Italian Formula 3 series this season with the Lucidi Motors team, whose driver, Mirko Bortolotti, won the '09 championship.

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