Through the mid-1990s the team was at the beginning of the end of the Italian Formula One constructors. It was the first team in modern times to make use of customer engines. They used Ferrari engines in . In they switched to Lamborghini V12 engines. In they went to Ford engines. As the number of small teams shrank, Minardi slipped from the mid-field towards the back of the pack. The team was short on money. In Minardi joined his team with BMS Scuderia Italia in an effort to survive. The Minardi team was then controlled by Flavio Briatore.