 With a solid base to build on and a healthy budget , 1996 looked promising for Forti . The team negotiated for the most powerful and expensive Cosworth V8 engines in late 1995 to replace the outdated and underpowered ED models , and its financial security was demonstrated by rumours during the 1995 season that the more competitive but less well @-@ funded Minardi team was considering a merger with Forti as a means of maintaining its own presence in the sport . However , these aspirations were dealt a devastating blow when Pedro Diniz signed for the more competitive Ligier team , taking Martin Brundle 's vacated seat as the latter moved to Jordan . Forti 's sponsors brought in by the Diniz family , including Parmalat and Marlboro , all left ; the budget was significantly dented . For a time it seemed that the team would not compete in 1996 at all , and its survival was constantly questioned . The new car was delayed , and the team was forced to use the uprated FG01B car for the start of the season with the only slightly more competitive Ford Zetec @-@ R V8 engine ( instead of the " JS " unit it had been negotiating for ) , and to rely on temporary sponsors . Nevertheless , Forti remained in the sport for the 1996 season . Moreno was not retained ; the team signed Minardi and Pacific refugees Luca Badoer and Montermini to take the two empty seats ( although Hideki Noda was also considered ) , both drivers bringing a small amount of personal backing . Frenchman Franck Lagorce was also signed as a test driver . Pacific had folded during the off @-@ season , and it was clear that Forti would be some way behind the rest of the field in the slow FG01B . Badoer and Montermini failed to make the new 107 % cut in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix and thus did not start the race , but both then managed to qualify for the Grands Prix held in Brazil and Argentina , scoring a 10th- and an 11th @-@ place finish between them in the races . Badoer , however , attracted attention in Argentina for a different reason . As Diniz attempted to lap him , the two collided and Badoer 's car flipped over ; the Italian escaping injury . Both cars then failed to qualify at the Nürburgring . 
