10 replies to this topic

[HistoryFan]

Hello!

I needes more information about the two guys who wanted to take over the Larrousse F1 team in 1995: Jean Messaoudi and Laurent Barlesi. Both planed a team called Junior F1 team for 1995. Why did they call the team Junior (!) F1 team? Are there any details about this plans? I only know that they have support from Petronas, 15mio $.

After the team could not start in 1995 they wanted to buy Larrousse, but also the new team did not arrive in any races in 1995 because there were many people who wanted money from the new owners which Gerard Larrousse hadn't paid.

Are there more personal information about the two guys?

I know that Jean Messaoudi was also driving sports car races (with Argo in Le Mans in the late 80s). Did he more races in addition to sports car races?
Then he has a own team in FF1600. Is there more information about that team? Name, some people working for it, results...

About Laurent Barlesi I didn't know anything. Perhaps he was also racing driver?

[Kevan]

Hello!

I needes more information about the two guys who wanted to take over the Larrousse F1 team in 1995: Jean Messaoudi and Laurent Barlesi. Both planed a team called Junior F1 team for 1995. Why did they call the team Junior (!) F1 team? Are there any details about this plans? I only know that they have support from Petronas, 15mio $.

After the team could not start in 1995 they wanted to buy Larrousse, but also the new team did not arrive in any races in 1995 because there were many people who wanted money from the new owners which Gerard Larrousse hadn't paid.

Are there more personal information about the two guys?

I know that Jean Messaoudi was also driving sports car races (with Argo in Le Mans in the late 80s). Did he more races in addition to sports car races?
Then he has a own team in FF1600. Is there more information about that team? Name, some people working for it, results...

About Laurent Barlesi I didn't know anything. Perhaps he was also racing driver?

Barlesi also raced- he appeared in touring cars in France in the mid/late 80's, but I don't know much about him

I have a vague memory that he might have been involved with a company called Elkron (weren't they a Larrousse sponsor at one point?), certainly I think most of his touring car drives were in Elkron-backed cars, such as a Holden Commodore, shared with Jean-Pierre Jarier at the Nogaro ETCC race in 1987. http://homepage.mac......7 Nogaro.html


As you said, Messaoudi ran an Argo at Le Mans in the mid/late 80's, with a team named MT Sport- I think they later became 'France Prototeam' who ran C1 and C2 Spice-Cosworths in the WSPC in 1989, driven by Henri Pescarolo and Alain Ferte amongst others

[HistoryFan]

Barlesi also raced- he appeared in touring cars in France in the mid/late 80's, but I don't know much about him

I have a vague memory that he might have been involved with a company called Elkron (weren't they a Larrousse sponsor at one point?), certainly I think most of his touring car drives were in Elkron-backed cars, such as a Holden Commodore, shared with Jean-Pierre Jarier at the Nogaro ETCC race in 1987. http://homepage.mac......7 Nogaro.html


As you said, Messaoudi ran an Argo at Le Mans in the mid/late 80's, with a team named MT Sport- I think they later became 'France Prototeam' who ran C1 and C2 Spice-Cosworths in the WSPC in 1989, driven by Henri Pescarolo and Alain Ferte amongst others

Thank you very much for the information.

Something more about Massaoudi's FF1600-team?

[F3000man]

Their Junior Team ran a Formula 3000 team in 1991. Gabriel Furlan drove their blue and green painted car. It was always one of the teams placed on the bottom of the charts.

[HistoryFan]

Yes I researched: Furland collects one point with the Reynard Judd in Le Mans.
Vittorio Zoboldi and Massimo Monti also drove some races for them.

Has someone a picture of Furland in the car of Junior team?

And what did they do until 1995 - because they didn't drive any more F3000 races and until then it was a long time...

[F3000man]

Yes I researched: Furland collects one point with the Reynard Judd in Le Mans.
Vittorio Zoboldi and Massimo Monti also drove some races for them.

Has someone a picture of Furland in the car of Junior team?

And what did they do until 1995 - because they didn't drive any more F3000 races and until then it was a long time...

[Mansell Madgwick]

Superb pic! Is that one of the Italian circuits?

[962C]

The first time I heard of Messaoudi and Barlesi's Junior Team was in the early 90s (around 1991 I'd say) At that time they had pretty ambitious plans for a band new factory for their F1 team. That factory, and a test track, were to be built near Pouilly en Auxois, in Burgundy, next to the then new kart track. I believe local MP François Patriat (who later became Minister for Agriculture) was involved somehow, but I can't remember exactly how. Patriat's connection to motor racing was through his son, whom I raced kart with around that time.
I remember there was a lot of skepticism in the racing community about this project. I don't know how far it went, but the factory never materialised. A track eventually got built, but I doubt it was as originally planned. It's OK for track days, but it looks hardly suitable for F1 testing. Anyway the 1992-1993 financial killed what was left of the project, until Messaoudi and Barlesi tried to revive it with the Larrousse buy, that failed too. That was the end of the "Junior Team" (and no, I have no idea why it was called "Junior Team" )

Edited by 962C, 13 October 2009 - 23:08.

[HistoryFan]

Thank you both!

A question to the picture: There is writen ARGENTINA everywhere on it. Was Argentinia also involved in this plans or was it only because of the driver was from Argentia? But although he comes from Argentinia it is crazy that everywhere is painted Argentinia on the car...

[F3000man]

Thank you both!

A question to the picture: There is writen ARGENTINA everywhere on it. Was Argentinia also involved in this plans or was it only because of the driver was from Argentia? But although he comes from Argentinia it is crazy that everywhere is painted Argentinia on the car...

No, it was only because Furlan was argentinian. He was sponsored by the government of his country.

I guess this track is Imola.

[HistoryFan]

a bit unusual, but okay, thank you for that information.