Il Barone Rampante (sometimes known as Benetton Junior) was a

Formula 3000 Formula 3000 (F3000) was a type of open wheel, single seater formula racing, occupying the tier immediately below Formula One and above Formula Three. It was so named because the cars were powered by 3.0 L engines. Formula 3000 championships ...

team created by Giuseppe Cipriani. The team took its name from the original Italian title of

Italo Calvino Italo Calvino (, also , ;. RAI (circa 1970), retrieved 25 October 2012. 15 October 1923 – 19 September 1985) was an Italian writer and journalist. His best known works include the '' Our Ancestors'' trilogy (1952–1959), the ''Cosmicomi ...

's 1957 book

The Baron in the Trees ''The Baron in the Trees'' ( it, Il barone rampante) is a 1957 novel by Italian writer Italo Calvino. Described as a '' conte philosophique'' and a metaphor for independence, it tells the adventures of a boy who climbs up a tree to spend the res ...

. The team ran in International Formula 3000 from 1991 to 1993 with drivers like

Alessandro Zanardi Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi (; born 23 October 1966) is an Italian professional racing driver and paracyclist. He won the CART championship in 1997 and 1998, and took 15 wins in the series. He also raced in Formula One from 1991 to 1994 and aga ...

(second in 1991),

Rubens Barrichello Rubens "Rubinho" Gonçalves Barrichello (, ; born 23 May 1972) is a Brazilian professional racing driver who competed in Formula One between and . He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 111 T ...

(third in 1992),

Andrea Montermini Andrea Montermini (born 30 May 1964) is an Italian racing driver. Career Montermini raced in Formula 3 in 1989, taking second place in the Monaco GP support race and 4th in the Italian F3 Championship. He then moved up to Formula 3000, racing f ...

(second in 1992),

Jan Lammers Jan Lammers (Johannes Antonius Lammers, Zandvoort, 2 June 1956) is a racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing h ...

Max Angelelli Massimiliano Angelelli (born 15 December 1966) is a retired Italian racecar driver. He won the 2005 and 2017 24 Hours of Daytona and the 2001 Six Hours at the Glen. Also he was the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series champion in 2005 and 2013, as w ...

and

Pedro Chaves Pedro António Matos Chaves (; born 27 February 1965) is a Portuguese racing driver. Chaves was the second Portuguese Formula Ford Champion, in 1986, starting an international career in 1987 in the British Formula Ford Championship. In 1990 ...

. The team never won a title. Its best results were two second places by Zanardi in 1991 and Montermini in 1992. They tried to join

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

as a B-team for Benetton in 1992, through an attempt to buy

Fondmetal Fondmetal S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of alloy wheels, founded in 1972 by Gabriele Rumi. A Formula One constructor of the same name, also owned by Rumi, competed in the and seasons, scoring no championship points. The company also spon ...

and Tyrrell, but with no success. Cipriani revived the name in 2017 to race in the

2017 World Series Formula V8 3.5 The 2017 World Series Formula V8 3.5 was a multi-event motor racing championship for open wheel, formula racing cars held across Europe.was second and final season of Formula V8 3.5 Series The championship features drivers competing in World Ser ...

season, driving alongside fellow countryman Damiano Fioravanti. The team finished seventh and last in the teams' standings, being the only team to not have won any race during the season.

References

Italian auto racing teams International Formula 3000 teams World Series Formula V8 3.5 teams {{Motorsport-stub