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Michele Alboreto

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Michele Alboreto
Alboreto in 1987
Born(1956-12-23)23 December 1956
Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Died25 April 2001(2001-04-25) (aged 44)
Cause of deathSingle vehicle collision whilst testing the Audi R8
Spouse
Nadia Astorri
(m. 1982)
Children2
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityItaly Italian
Active years19811994
TeamsTyrrell, Ferrari, Larrousse, Arrows, Footwork, Italia, Minardi
Entries215 (194 starts)
Championships0
Wins5
Podiums23
Career points186.5
Pole positions2
Fastest laps5
First entry1981 San Marino Grand Prix
First win1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
Last win1985 German Grand Prix
Last entry1994 Australian Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years19811983, 19962000
TeamsMartini, Joest, Porsche, Audi
Best finish1st (1997)
Class wins1 (1997)

Michele Alboreto (Italian pronunciation: [miˈkɛːle alboˈreːto]; 23 December 1956 – 25 April 2001) was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1981 to 1994. Alboreto was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1985 with Ferrari, and won five Grands Prix across 14 seasons. In endurance racing, Alboreto won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1997 with Joest, as well as the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2001 with Audi.

His career in motorsport began in 1976, racing a car he and a number of his friends had built in the Formula Monza series. The car, however, achieved very little success and two years later Alboreto moved up to Formula Three. Wins in the Italian Formula Three championship and a European Formula Three Championship crown in 1980 paved the way for his entrance into Formula One with the Tyrrell team.

Two wins, the first in the final round of the 1982 season in Las Vegas, and the second a year later in Detroit, earned him a place with the Ferrari team. Alboreto took three wins for the Italian team and challenged Alain Prost for the 1985 Championship, eventually losing out by 20 points. The following three seasons were less successful, however, and at the end of the 1988 season, the Italian left Ferrari and re-signed with his former employers Tyrrell, where he stayed until joining Larrousse midway through 1989.

Further seasons with Footwork, Scuderia Italia and Minardi followed during the tail end of his F1 career. In 1995, Alboreto moved on to sportscars and a year later the American IndyCar series. He took his final major victories, the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours and 2001 Sebring 12 Hours, with German manufacturers Porsche and Audi, respectively. In 2001, a month after his Sebring victory, he was killed testing an Audi R8 at the Lausitzring in Germany.[1]

Career

[edit]

1976–1981: Junior formulae

[edit]

Michele Alboreto started his career in 1976 racing in Formula Monza with a car he and his friends built, known as the "CMR".[2] The car itself proved to be uncompetitive and in 1978 Alboreto, now in a more competitive March, moved over to Formula Italia where he began to take race wins. Two years later Alboreto moved up to Formula Three, racing in a Euroracing-entered March-Toyota in both the European and Italian series.[2] In his début Formula Three season, Alboreto finished 6th and 2nd respectively in the two championships, scoring three wins in the Italian series.

In 1980 he took the European crown and finished third in the Italian championship, taking five wins between the two series. An appearance in the British Championship was also made that year.

Alboreto's European title earned him a move into Formula Two, a feeder series for Formula One, with the Minardi team. He scored Minardi's only F2 victory, at Misano, during the 1981 season where he finished eighth in the championship.[2]

1980–1983: Sportscars

[edit]

Despite his career in open wheel racing, Alboreto was chosen by Lancia to be part of their official squad in the World Championship for Makes, running in rounds which did not conflict with his other races. He shared the Group 5 category Lancia Beta Montecarlo with Walter Röhrl or Eddie Cheever on four occasions during the 1980 season, scoring three second-place finishes and a fourth.

A Lancia LC1 which Alboreto drove to three victories during the 1982 World Endurance Championship.

Alboreto again ran a partial schedule in 1981 even though he was also running Formula Two and Formula One. This season included his first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He earned an eighth-place finish overall, second in class, and was the highest-finishing Lancia. He followed this with his first win in the championship, at the Six Hours of Watkins Glen with co-driver Riccardo Patrese. Alboreto finished the year 52nd in the Drivers' Championship, the highest-ranked Lancia driver.

When Lancia chose to move to a new class of competition with the Lancia LC1 as the championship concentrated solely on endurance races in 1982, further success came for Alboreto. A small schedule for the championship, as well as an emphasis on European circuits, allowed him to compete in every race that year. Although the LC1 suffered from mechanical problems on its debut, Alboreto and teammate Patrese were able to rebound to earn a victory at the 1000 km of Silverstone. Teo Fabi joined the duo for the 1000 km of the Nürburgring, where they once again earned a victory. He was not able to repeat his previous success at Le Mans when the LC1's engine failed, and was unable to complete an event at Spa when the car broke in the closing laps. A third victory was earned by Alboreto and new teammate Piercarlo Ghinzani at their home circuit, Mugello. The final two races of the World Championship season had Alboreto's car eliminated from contention due to accidents. At the end of the season, he had secured fifth in the Drivers' Championship.

Lancia changed classes and cars once again in 1983 World Sportscar Championship season, but Alboreto remained as one of the team's primary drivers. He brought the new Lancia LC2 to a ninth-place finish in its debut at the 1000 km of Monza, but the new car struggled to finish the next few races of the season. His entries would not finish another race until round five, where he earned eleventh. While Lancia chose to skip later rounds of the championship, he would not return to the team in order to concentrate fully on his commitments to Formula One. His troubles with the LC2 and early departure from the team earned him only two points in the championship.

Formula One

[edit]

1981–1983: Tyrrell

[edit]
The Tyrrell 011 used by Alboreto during the 1982 and 1983 seasons, a car which helped the Italian win the 1982 Las Vegas Grand Prix and the 1983 Detroit Grand Prix. Seen here in its 1983 livery.
Alboreto driving for Tyrrell at the 1981 Dutch Grand Prix.

At the age of 24, Alboreto made his Formula One debut at the 1981 San Marino Grand Prix for the Cosworth-powered Tyrrell Racing team, replacing Ricardo Zunino after the Argentine failed to impress team boss Ken Tyrrell. Unfortunately for the Italian, a collision with fellow countryman Beppe Gabbiani put him out of the race after completing 31 of the 60 laps. Alboreto failed to score a single point during his debut year, his highest position being ninth at the Dutch Grand Prix.

In comparison to the previous season, Alboreto had a more successful 1982 campaign. The Italian took the first podium of his Grand Prix career at Imola and, at the final round in Las Vegas, Alboreto took his first Grand Prix win. He is the last winner of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix as the following year, the track was axed from the calendar. Alboreto scored a total of 25 points during his second season of F1, finishing as the top Italian in eighth place overall.

Despite a win in Detroit, registered as not only the last victory for a naturally aspirated car until the end of the turbo-era in 1989, but the 155th and last F1 victory for the Cosworth DFV (technically Alboreto's Tyrrell carried the DFV's 1983 development, the DFY), after Nelson Piquet's leading Brabham suffered a rear tyre deflation in the closing stages, Alboreto failed to finish in the points consistently and, with only one further points finish at Zandvoort, the Italian finished the season with ten points and down in twelfth position. However, it was announced that the Italian would partner René Arnoux at Ferrari. Replacing Patrick Tambay, he became the first Italian driver to race for the marque since Arturo Merzario in 1973. Allegedly, by signing Alboreto, Enzo Ferrari broke his own personal rule about hiring an Italian driver for his Formula One team.

Alboreto at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver retired from the race after spinning off the track with 13 laps remaining.

1984–1988: Ferrari

[edit]

In his debut season for Ferrari, Alboreto took victory in the third round at Zolder becoming the first Italian driver to win an F1 Grand Prix for Ferrari since Ludovico Scarfiotti won the 1966 Italian Grand Prix. He finished on the podium a further three times: at the Österreichring where he finished third; Ferrari's home circuit of Monza where he finished second; and at the Nürburgring, where he also finished in second place despite running out of fuel going into the final turn (the close following Brabham-BMW of reigning World Champion Nelson Piquet also ran out of fuel at the final turn allowing Alboreto to keep his 2nd place). Alboreto finished the 1984 season in fourth with 30.5 points, the half point coming from his sixth place at the Monaco Grand Prix which was cut to under half its original race distance due to heavy rain, resulting in half points being awarded.

Alboreto at the 1985 German Grand Prix. The Italian took the race win, eleven seconds ahead of the World Champion-to-be Alain Prost.

"In the end he had to settle for runner-up, because the Ferrari wasn't as good a car as the McLaren – and also, truth be told, because neither was Michele as good as Alain. No disgrace in that."

Nigel Roebuck, December 2007[3]

1985 would prove to be Alboreto's most successful year in Formula One. He took two wins: the first a dominant win at the Canadian Grand Prix with new team mate Stefan Johansson finishing second,[4] and the second at the German Grand Prix where he had a somewhat luckier time, twice being involved in incidents with other cars (once with Johansson at the very first corner of the race, giving his team mate a flat tyre) and with his car trailing oil smoke for much of the event, though a brake problem and a lack of power from the TAG-Porsche engine kept his main title rival Alain Prost from challenging. Alboreto led the points table until Round 11 at Zandvoort, but finished the season in second place with 53 points, 20 points behind new World Champion Prost. Formula One journalist Nigel Roebuck commented that "Alboreto was Prost's only real challenger for the World Championship".[3] Ultimately it was Ferrari's unreliability which cost Alboreto his chance at the World Championship as he failed to finish the final five races of the season all due to mechanical failure, though he was classified 13th in Italy despite his engine blowing on lap 45 of 51. At the 1985 European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, after stopping to replace a flat-spotted tyre on lap 11, his Ferrari blew its turbo halfway through lap 13. Alboreto, frustrated that Ferrari's late-season reliability had cost him the World Championship, drove the car back to the pits with the rear of the car on fire. He drove the on-fire car into the pits and straight to his Ferrari pit. Many observers saw this as Alboreto's way of showing that the Ferrari's unreliability had cost him the World Championship, which Prost won by finishing 4th in the race.[citation needed]

In 1986 Ferrari's new car, the F1/86 designed by Harvey Postlethwaite, proved to be slower and less reliable than its predecessor as Alboreto retired from nine races, of which seven were mechanical failures. Alboreto only scored one podium, at the Austrian Grand Prix – even then both Williams cars of Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet had retired and Alboreto finished a full lap behind race winner Alain Prost. The Italian finished the season ninth in the Drivers' Championship with fourteen points. While the Ferrari V6 turbo was rated as one of the more powerful engines on the grid, both Alboreto and his teammate Stefan Johansson were hampered by the F1/86 which refused to handle on tracks which had a bumpy surface. Johansson finished 5th in the championship with 20 points despite being the #2 driver in the team, causing many to question why the team chose to re-sign Alboreto and let Johansson go.[citation needed]

Alboreto driving for Ferrari in his last season with the team, at the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix.

Austrian Gerhard Berger joined Ferrari in 1987 which signalled the end of Alboreto's time as leader of the Ferrari team. Berger soon established himself as the team's number one driver thanks to his wins in Japan and Australia at the end of the season, while Alboreto could only manage a handful of podiums at Imola, Monaco and a second place at the final round in Australia to make it a Ferrari one-two and only then after the Lotus 99T-Honda of second on the road finisher Ayrton Senna had been disqualified post-race for having oversized brake ducts. The Italian finished the year in seventh overall with 17 points, 19 points behind his teammate.

The 1988 season would be Alboreto's final year with Ferrari. With the McLaren-Honda's of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost dominating the season, the Ferrari team only managed a single win during the year at the Italian Grand Prix which Berger won from Alboreto in second place. Ferrari refused to offer the Italian a new contract so Alboreto looked elsewhere for a drive. This announcement came at the French Grand Prix in July and pit lane rumours had Michele re-joining Tyrrell for 1989 (in France, where Alboreto finished 3rd and Berger a distant 4th, was the only time in 1988 the Italian would finish in front of the Austrian in a race where both finished). After France he received an offer from Frank Williams, head of the Williams team who would have exclusive use of the new V10 Renault engine in 1989. Later that year before the Italian GP at Monza, Alboreto had not received any word from Williams and requested confirmation of his seat at the team. Williams replied by saying that "he wanted him" and "not to move".[5] At Monza, however, Williams announced he had signed Belgian Thierry Boutsen instead while also confirming that the teams number 2 driver, Alboreto's former Lancia sportscar teammate Riccardo Patrese, would be staying with the team. As it was late in the season, Alboreto was left with few options for the coming season and arguably signalled the end of his time driving for one of the top teams.[5]

Alboreto competed in eighty Grands Prix for Ferrari, which established a new record. It stood until the 1995 Argentine Grand Prix, when it was surpassed by Berger.[6]

1989: Tyrrell and Larrousse

[edit]

A lack of a drive had left Alboreto in a difficult situation and he later said that he contemplated retirement – an option of which his family were very much in favour.[7] However, he was offered a drive at his former employer Tyrrell, which he accepted. The relationship between Alboreto and team boss, Ken Tyrrell, soon turned sour. At the Monaco Grand Prix, Alboreto was told to drive the 1988 model Tyrrell 017, due to the newer 018 model not being completed.[8] Teammate Jonathan Palmer was chosen to drive the new monoshock 018. Meanwhile, the Italian would have to wait until the following day for the 018 so he decided not to accept this.[8] The result was Alboreto boycotting the Thursday practice session.[8] Alboreto finished the race in fifth position while Palmer finished ninth. This was followed by a strong performance at the next race in Mexico, where Alboreto finished 3rd – the only podium the team would achieve during the season.

By the French Grand Prix, Ken Tyrrell had found a new sponsor in Camel cigarettes for the season and told Alboreto that if he wanted to continue with the team he would need to end his personal sponsorship deal with Marlboro,[9] a rival brand to Camel. Alboreto was disappointed, as thanks to his Marlboro backing, the team had managed to fund his wages.[8] Following Alboreto's refusal to cut his ties with his sponsor, Tyrrell replaced him with the up-and-coming French Formula 3000 driver Jean Alesi. Alesi finished fourth in his first Grand Prix for the team at the French Grand Prix.[9]

Ironically, Alboreto soon lost his Marlboro sponsorship as well after they refused to find him another drive for the rest of the 1989 season.[10] He was, however, soon hired by the French Larrousse team, incidentally co-sponsored by Camel, for the German Grand Prix and the rest of the season. Although his new teammate Philippe Alliot showed that the Lola LC89 with its 600 bhp (447 kW; 608 PS) Lamborghini V12 engine could be a competitive car with high grid positions and challenging for points in various races, Alboreto failed to score a single point for the rest of the season, and twice he even failed to pre-qualify in Spain (where Alliot not only pre-qualified, but then qualified a season high 5th) and in the final round in Australia, while in between those two races the Italian also failed to qualify in Japan. During qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix the Italian cut one of the chicanes and broke two of his ribs in the process.[10] After competing the year for two teams, Alboreto finished the year eleventh in the Drivers' Championship with six points.

1990–1992: Footwork

[edit]

1990 saw Alboreto move to the Arrows team, which was in the process of being sold to sponsor Footwork. It was seen mainly as a "transition year" for him, as the chassis was in its second year and severe uncompetitiveness would be expected. Despite this, the 33-year-old finished in the top ten a number of times and only retired three times. Alboreto finished the season, however, as one of 21 drivers who failed to score a point.

Footwork secured Porsche works engines for 1991 and sponsorship from Japan, as the Footwork company completed its takeover of the team. The package did not, however, live up to its expectations as it failed to qualify a number of times. Soon the overweight and unreliable Porsche engines were replaced by Hart-supplied Cosworth engines for the rest of the season, the short-term fix not improving the team's competitiveness. This would be Alboreto's second season in succession that he failed to score a point.

Thanks to Footwork's Japanese connections the team received a supply of Mugen Honda V10 engines for 1992. The FA13 was reliable in comparison to its predecessor and Alboreto scored points four times, in addition to finishing in seventh place six times. With a season total of six points, the 35-year-old finished the year tenth overall.

1993–1994: Scuderia Italia and Minardi

[edit]
Alboreto driving for Minardi at the 1994 Monaco Grand Prix

Alboreto joined the Italian team Scuderia Italia, which had enjoyed a number of successes in its short history, most notably when Andrea de Cesaris and JJ Lehto had scored podium positions at the 1989 Canadian Grand Prix and 1991 San Marino Grand Prix respectively. At the start of 1993, however, the team moved away from its Dallara-built chassis and were instead supplied by Lola. The Italian failed to score any points over the year, and failed to qualify several times as the slowest runner in the 26-car field. Scuderia Italia withdrew before the end of the season, and merged with fellow Italian team Minardi for 1994.

The Minardi cars proved to be mostly uncompetitive and unreliable, with a total of nine retirements from sixteen rounds. A sixth position in Monaco was Alboreto's only points finish. At the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, which was overshadowed by the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, whilst leaving the pitlane after a scheduled stop, Alboreto's car lost his loose right rear wheel which bounced through the Benetton, Ferrari, and Lotus pit areas and crews, injuring several mechanics. At the end of the season, he decided to retire from Grand Prix racing, with a record of 194 starts and five Grand Prix wins.

1994–2001: Post-Formula One career

[edit]

Following his departure from Formula One in 1995, Alboreto embarked on a career in the German Touring Car Championship, known as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. Racing for Alfa Romeo's factory team, Alfa Corse, the Italian finished 22nd in the championship, scoring four points. Further entries in the International Touring Car Championship and World Sportscar Championship, the latter being with Ferrari, also proved to be fruitless ventures.

Alboreto returned to open-wheel racing in 1996, entering the newly formed Indy Racing League (IRL) with Scandia/Simon Racing. The then 39-year-old competed in all three rounds where he finished fourth on his debut at Walt Disney World Speedway; eighth at the Phoenix International Raceway; and retired, due to gearbox problems, at the 1996 Indianapolis 500, his sole entry into the race. Alboreto also ran sports prototypes for Scandia/Simon while in the United States, entering the IMSA World Sports Car Championship with a Ferrari 333 SP. He also entered the Le Mans 24 Hours in a Joest Racing-entered Porsche WSC-95 alongside fellow Italian and former F1 teammate Pierluigi Martini and Belgian Didier Theys, but retired due to an engine failure after completing 300 laps. The following year, Alboreto earned his first and only podium in the IRL at the "True Value 200" held in New Hampshire, where he finished third. A further fifth place at Las Vegas earned Alboreto 62 points during his 1997 campaign which resulted in a 32nd place overall in the drivers' championship.

Also in 1997, Alboreto was called to testify at the trial following Ayrton Senna's fatal accident in 1994. He told the tribunal that, in his opinion, Senna's accident was likely caused by a technical failure rather than a driver error.[11]

Alboreto won the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans with the same car as the previous year, but this time alongside Swede Stefan Johansson, another former F1 teammate, and Dane Tom Kristensen,[12] who would later go onto beat Jacky Ickx's record for winning the most Le Mans 24 Hour races. The trio completed 361 laps, one more than second-placed Gulf Team Davidoff's BMW-powered McLaren F1 GTR. This would prove to be the peak of Alboreto's sportscar success as he failed to finish at Le Mans in 1998 with Porsche once again. However, a fourth place at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans with the newcomer Audi, a third at the 2000 Le Mans 24 Hours, a victory at the 2000 Petit Le Mans and a win at the 2001 Sebring 12 Hours gave the Italian some final success prior to his death a month after his win at Sebring.[13]

Death

[edit]
An Audi R8 as it appeared in 2001 when Alboreto was testing at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz.

In late April 2001, Alboreto and a small group of Audi engineers travelled to the EuroSpeedway Lausitz near Dresden in eastern Germany to perform a series of tests on an Audi R8 in preparation for their participation at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Alboreto mainly drove the car in the area of the facility that is used for public racing events, using the tri-oval for quicker laps and the Grand Prix circuit for slower laps, but some testing also took place within the limits of the adjacent proving ground, which features an elongated oval track with two long straights.[14]

Around 5.30 p.m. local time on 25 April 2001, Alboreto accelerated the R8 along one of the two long straights at the proving ground. When the car reached the speed of approximately 300 km/h (190 mph), its left rear tyre failed. The R8 was subsequently launched into the air, somersaulting over the Armco barrier and landing inverted. Alboreto's head struck the ground, killing him instantly.[14] Initially, Audi gave no reason for the crash, stating the R8 had "already completed thousands of test kilometres on numerous circuits without any problems."[15] Five days later, an investigation into the accident was reported to have concluded. The tyre failure was attributed to a gradual loss of air pressure, caused by a loose screw that had found its way into the tyre. As there was no indication of a mechanical problem or driver error, the tyre failure was determined to be the sole cause of the crash. The finding motivated Audi to expedite the implementation of a new sensor-based TPMS in their racecars.[14][16]

Alboreto's death brought much anguish among his family and friends who had longed for him to give up racing due to its dangerous nature. Michele's cousin Marisa told Italian news agency ANSA, "You can't imagine what we're going through as a family. We're really distraught."[15]

Legacy

[edit]

Fellow Italian Giancarlo Fisichella dedicated his podium finish at the 2005 Italian Grand Prix to Alboreto, "I know Alboreto was the last Italian on the podium at Monza before me. I was lucky enough to race together with him in touring cars, and he was a great person, really special. I want to dedicate the result to his memory."[17]

On 28 August 2021, it was announced that the final corner at the Monza Circuit, the Curva Parabolica, would be officially renamed the Curva Alboreto during the 2021 Italian Grand Prix weekend to mark the 20th anniversary of Alboreto's death.[18]

Helmet

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Alboreto's helmet was blue with a yellow stripe with white edges covering the centre of the helmet. The colours were a tribute to Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson, whose helmet design also used them to reflect the Swedish flag.[19] Alboreto and Peterson first met in 1972 and were friends until the Swedish driver's death in 1978.[20]

Racing career results

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Career summary

[edit]
Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1979 European Formula Three Euroracing 6 0 2 1 2 19 6th
Italian Formula Three ? 3 ? ? ? 47 2nd
1980 European Formula Three Euroracing 14 4 3 1 8 60 1st
World Sportscar Championship Lancia Corse 4 1 ? ? 3 N/A NC
Italian Formula Three Euroracing 2 0 1 0 2 25 3rd
German Formula Three 2 1 1 0 2 0 NC
Vandervell British Formula Three ? ? ? ? ? 4 13th
1981 Formula One Tyrrell Racing Team 10 0 0 0 0 0 NC
European Formula Two Minardi 10 1 1 1 2 13 8th
World Sportscar Championship Martini Racing 4 1 0 1 1 37 52nd
1982 Formula One Team Tyrrell 16 1 0 1 2 25 8th
World Sportscar Championship Martini Racing 8 3 1 1 3 63 5th
1983 Formula One Benetton Tyrrell Team 15 1 0 0 1 10 12th
World Sportscar Championship Martini Racing 5 0 0 0 0 2 85th
European Endurance Championship 1 0 0 0 0 12 28th
1984 Formula One Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 16 1 1 1 4 30.5 4th
1985 Formula One Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 16 2 1 2 8 53 2nd
1986 Formula One Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 16 0 0 0 1 14 9th
1987 Formula One Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 16 0 0 0 3 17 7th
1988 Formula One Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 16 0 0 1 3 24 5th
1989 Formula One Tyrrell Racing Organisation 5 0 0 0 1 6 13th
Equipe Larrousse 5 0 0 0 0
1990 Formula One Footwork Arrows Racing 13 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1991 Formula One Footwork Grand Prix International 9 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1992 Formula One Footwork Mugen Honda 16 0 0 0 0 6 10th
1993 Formula One Lola BMS Scuderia Italia 9 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1994 Formula One Minardi BMS Scuderia Italia 16 0 0 0 0 1 25th
1995 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schübel Engineering 13 0 0 0 0 4 22nd
International Touring Car Championship 7 0 0 0 0 0 28th
IMSA GT Championship Euromotorsport Racing 3 0 2 0 1 49 27th
1996 Indy Racing League Scandia Racing 3 0 0 0 0 189 11th
IMSA GT Championship 2 0 0 1 1 0 NC
24 Hours of Le Mans Joest Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1996–97 Indy Racing League Scandia Racing 2 0 0 0 1 62 32nd
1997 24 Hours of Le Mans Joest Racing 1 1 1 0 1 N/A 1st
1998 24 Hours of Le Mans Porsche AG / Joest Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1999 American Le Mans Series Audi Sport Team Joest 1 0 0 0 1 24 43rd
24 Hours of Le Mans 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 4th
2000 American Le Mans Series Audi Sport North America 3 1 0 0 2 44 27th
24 Hours of Le Mans Audi Sport Team Joest 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 3rd
2001 American Le Mans Series Audi Sport North America 1 1 0 0 1 31 22nd
European Le Mans Series 1 1 0 0 1 N/A NC
Sources:[21][22]

Complete World Sportscar Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos. Pts
1980 Lancia Corse Gr.5 Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Lancia 1.4 L4t DAY BRH
2
MUG
2
MNZ SIL
4
NÜR LMS GLN
2
MOS VAL DIJ [N 1]
1981 Martini Racing Gr.5 Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Lancia 1.4 L4t DAY
Ret
SEB MUG
DSQ
MNZ RSD SIL NÜR LMS
8
PER DAY GLN
1
SPA MOS ROA BRH 52nd 37
1982 Martini Racing Gr.6 Lancia LC1 Lancia 1.4 L4t MNZ
Ret
SIL
1
NÜR
1
LMS
Ret
SPA
Ret
MUG
1
FUJ
Ret
BRH
Ret
5th 63
1983 Martini Racing C Lancia LC2 Ferrari 268C 2.6 V8t MNZ
9
SIL
Ret
NÜR
Ret
LMS
Ret
SPA
11
FUJ KYA 86th 2
Sources:[22][23]
Footnotes
  1. ^ No drivers' Championship.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

[edit]
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1981 Italy Martini Racing United States Eddie Cheever
Italy Carlo Facetti
Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Gr. 5 322 8th 2nd
1982 Italy Martini Racing Italy Teo Fabi
Germany Rolf Stommelen
Lancia LC1 Gr. 6 92 DNF DNF
1983 Italy Martini Lancia Italy Piercarlo Ghinzani
Germany Hans Heyer
Lancia LC2 C 121 DNF DNF
1996 Germany Joest Racing Italy Pierluigi Martini
Belgium Didier Theys
TWR Porsche WSC-95 LMP1 300 DNF DNF
1997 Germany Joest Racing Sweden Stefan Johansson
Denmark Tom Kristensen
TWR Porsche WSC-95 LMP 361 1st 1st
1998 Germany Porsche AG
Germany Joest Racing
Sweden Stefan Johansson
France Yannick Dalmas
Porsche LMP1-98 LMP1 107 DNF DNF
1999 Germany Audi Sport Team Joest Italy Rinaldo Capello
France Laurent Aïello
Audi R8R LMP 346 4th 3rd
2000 Germany Audi Sport Team Joest Germany Christian Abt
Italy Rinaldo Capello
Audi R8 LMP900 365 3rd 3rd
Sources:[23][24]

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Pts
1981 Minardi Team Minardi Fly 281 BMW SIL
11
HOC
8
THR
Ret
NÜR
8
VAL
Ret
MUG
14
PAU
Ret
PER
3
SPA
8
DON MIS
1
MAN 8th 13
Source:[22]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Pts
1981 Tyrrell Racing Team Tyrrell 010 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 USW BRA ARG SMR
Ret
BEL
12
MON
Ret
ESP
DNQ
FRA
16
GBR
Ret
GER
DNQ
AUT
Ret
NC 0
Tyrrell 011 NED
9
ITA
Ret
CAN
11
CPL
13
1982 Team Tyrrell Tyrrell 011 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA
7
BRA
4
USW
4
SMR
3
BEL
Ret
MON
10
DET
Ret
CAN
Ret
NED
7
GBR
NC
FRA
6
GER
4
AUT
Ret
SUI
7
ITA
5
CPL
1
8th 25
1983 Benetton Tyrrell Team Tyrrell 011 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 BRA
Ret
USW
9
FRA
8
SMR
Ret
12th 10
Ford Cosworth DFY 3.0 V8 MON
Ret
BEL
14
DET
1
CAN
8
GBR
13
GER
Ret
AUT
Ret
Tyrrell 012 NED
6
ITA
Ret
EUR
Ret
RSA
Ret
1984 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari 126C4 Ferrari 031 1.5 V6t BRA
Ret
RSA
11
BEL
1
SMR
Ret
FRA
Ret
MON
6
CAN
Ret
DET
Ret
DAL
Ret
GBR
5
GER
Ret
AUT
3
NED
Ret
ITA
2
EUR
2
POR
4
4th 30.5
1985 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari 156/85 Ferrari 031 1.5 V6t BRA
2
POR
2
SMR
Ret
MON
2
CAN
1
DET
3
FRA
Ret
GBR
2
GER
1
AUT
3
NED
4
ITA
13
BEL
Ret
EUR
Ret
RSA
Ret
AUS
Ret
2nd 53
1986 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari F1/86 Ferrari 032 1.5 V6t BRA
Ret
ESP
Ret
SMR
10
MON
Ret
BEL
4
CAN
8
DET
4
FRA
8
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
AUT
2
ITA
Ret
POR
5
MEX
Ret
AUS
Ret
9th 14
1987 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari F1/87 Ferrari 033D 1.5 V6t BRA
8
SMR
3
BEL
Ret
MON
3
DET
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
AUT
Ret
ITA
Ret
POR
Ret
ESP
15
MEX
Ret
JPN
4
AUS
2
7th 17
1988 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari F1/87/88C Ferrari 033E 1.5 V6t BRA
5
SMR
18
MON
3
MEX
4
CAN
Ret
DET
Ret
FRA
3
GBR
17
GER
4
HUN
Ret
BEL
Ret
ITA
2
POR
5
ESP
Ret
JPN
11
AUS
Ret
5th 24
1989 Tyrrell Racing Organisation Tyrrell 017B Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 BRA
10
13th 6
Tyrrell 018 SMR
DNQ
MON
5
MEX
3
USA
Ret
CAN
Ret
FRA GBR
Equipe Larrousse Lola LC89 Lamborghini 3512 3.5 V12 GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
BEL
Ret
ITA
Ret
POR
11
ESP
DNPQ
JPN
DNQ
AUS
DNPQ
1990 Footwork Arrows Racing Arrows A11B Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 USA
10
BRA
Ret
SMR
DNQ
MON
DNQ
CAN
Ret
MEX
17
FRA
10
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
HUN
12
BEL
13
ITA
12
POR
9
ESP
10
JPN
Ret
AUS
DNQ
NC 0
1991 Footwork Grand Prix International Footwork A11C Porsche 3512 3.5 V12 USA
Ret
BRA
DNQ
SMR
DNQ
NC 0
Footwork FA12 MON
Ret
CAN
Ret
MEX
Ret
Footwork FA12C Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
DNQ
HUN
DNQ
BEL
DNPQ
ITA
DNQ
POR
15
ESP
Ret
JPN
DNQ
AUS
13
1992 Footwork Grand Prix International Footwork FA13 Mugen-Honda MF-351H 3.5 V10 RSA
10
MEX
13
BRA
6
ESP
5
SMR
5
MON
7
CAN
7
FRA
7
GBR
7
GER
9
HUN
7
BEL
Ret
ITA
7
POR
6
JPN
15
AUS
Ret
10th 6
1993 Lola BMS Scuderia Italia Lola T93/30 Ferrari 040 3.5 V12 RSA
Ret
BRA
11
EUR
11
SMR
DNQ
ESP
DNQ
MON
Ret
CAN
DNQ
FRA
DNQ
GBR
DNQ
GER
16
HUN
Ret
BEL
14
ITA
Ret
POR
Ret
JPN AUS NC 0
1994 Minardi Scuderia Italia Minardi M193B Ford HBC7/8 3.5 V8 BRA
Ret
PAC
Ret
SMR
Ret
MON
6
ESP
Ret
25th 1
Minardi M194 CAN
11
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
HUN
7
BEL
9
ITA
Ret
POR
13
EUR
14
JPN
Ret
AUS
Ret
Source:[21][25]

Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.
Race was stopped with less than 75% of laps completed, half points awarded.

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos. Pts
1995 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti HOC
1

15
HOC
2

7
AVU
1

12
AVU
2

8
NOR
1

14
NOR
2

Ret
DIE
1

11
DIE
2

11
NÜR
1

13
NÜR
2

Ret
ALE
1

Ret
ALE
2

DNS
HOC
1

16
HOC
2

15
22nd 4
Source:[21]

Complete International Touring Car Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Pts
1995 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti MUG
1

Ret
MUG
2

DNS
HEL
1

Ret
HEL
2

Ret
DON
1

Ret
DON
2

17
EST
1

Ret
EST
2

DNS
MAG
1

DNS
MAG
2

Ret
28th 0
Source:[22]

American open-wheel racing results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Indy Racing League

[edit]
Year Team Chassis No. Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Pts Ref
1996 Team Scandia Lola T95/00 33 Ford XB V8t WDW
4
PHX
8
11th 189 [26]
Reynard 95i INDY
30
1996–97 NHA
3
LVS
5
WDW PHX INDY TXS PPR CLT NHA LVS 32nd 62 [27]
Years Teams Races Poles Wins Podiums
(non-win)
Top 10s
(non-podium)
Indianapolis 500
wins
Championships
2 1 5 0 0 1 3 0 0

Indianapolis 500

[edit]
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1996 Reynard Ford-Cosworth 12 30 Scandia

Complete American Le Mans Series results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points Ref
1999 Audi Sport Team Joest LMP Audi R8R Audi 3.6 V8t SEB
3
ATL MOS SON POR PET LAG LVS 43rd 24 [28]
2000 Audi Sport North America LMP Audi R8 Audi 3.6 V8t SEB
2
PET
1
LAG LVS ADE 27th 44 [29]
Audi R8R CLT
8
SIL NÜR SON MOS TEX POR
2001 Audi Sport North America LMP900 Audi R8 Audi 3.6 V8t TEX SEB
1
DON JAR SON POR MOS MOH LAG PET 22nd 31 [30]

References

[edit]

Websites

[edit]
  • Rainer Nyberg and Mattijs Diepraam. "Nearly Ascari's successor". 8W – Who?. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  • "GP Encyclopaedia – Michele Alboreto". GrandPrix.com. Retrieved 9 July 2008.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "PLUS: AUTO RACING; Alboreto Is Killed Testing Audi R8". The New York Times. Associated Press. 26 April 2001. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c GrandPrix.com, Paragraph One
  3. ^ a b Roebuck, Nigel (12 December 2007). "Ask Nigel:Memories of Michele Alboreto". Autosport.com. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  4. ^ "ALBORETO WINS CANADIAN GRAD PRIX". The New York Times. 17 June 1985. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  5. ^ a b Nyberg and Diepraam, Paragraph 6
  6. ^ FIA Formula 1 World Championship – 1995 Season Review (VHS). Duke Video. 11 December 1995. Event occurs at 25:10–25:30. EAN-13 5 017559 034955. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  7. ^ Nyberg and Diepraam, Paragraph 7
  8. ^ a b c d Nyberg and Diepraam, Paragraph 9
  9. ^ a b Nyberg and Diepraam, Paragraph 10
  10. ^ a b Nyberg and Diepraam, Paragraph 11
  11. ^ "'PIU' RISPETTO PER SENNA'". la Repubblica.it (in Italian). 17 September 1997.
  12. ^ "Motor racing: Alboreto pilots Porsche through fiery finish". The Independent. 16 June 1997. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  13. ^ Alboreto Is Killed Testing Audi R8, New York Times, April 26, 2001, Page D7.
  14. ^ a b c Wittemeier, Roman (25 April 2016). "25. April 2001: Der fatale Unfall von Michele Alboreto" [25 April 2001: Michele Alboreto's fatal accident] (in German). Motorsport-Total.com. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Alboreto dies in crash". BBC Sport. 26 April 2001. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  16. ^ "Akte Alboretto [sic] wird geschlossen" [The Alboreto file is closed] (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. 1 May 2001. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Fisichella Dedicates Podium to Alboreto". Autosport Official Website. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  18. ^ "Autodromo di Monza, la curva Parabolica sarà dedicata a Michele Alboreto" [Monza racetrack, the Parabolica curve will be dedicated to Michele Alboreto]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Grand Prix Hall of Fame – Ronnie Peterson – Images". Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  20. ^ af Petersens, Fredrik (22 September 1982). "Jag kör i blå-gult för att hedra Ronnie" [I drive in blue and yellow to honour Ronnie]. Teknikens Värld (in Swedish). Vol. 34, no. 20. Stockholm, Sweden: Specialtidningsförlaget AB. p. 26.
  21. ^ a b c "Michele Alboreto Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  22. ^ a b c d "Michele Alboreto". Motor Sport. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  23. ^ a b "Complete Archive of Michele Alboreto". Racing Sports Cars. pp. 2, 3. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  24. ^ "Michele Alboreto". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  25. ^ Small, Steve (2000). "Michele Alboreto". Grand Prix Who's Who (Third ed.). Reading, Berkshire: Travel Publishing. pp. 16–19. ISBN 978-1-902007-46-5. Retrieved 2 September 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  26. ^ "Michele Alboreto – 1996 Indy Racing League Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Michele Alboreto – 1997 Indy Racing League Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Michele Alboreto – 1999 American Le Mans Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  29. ^ "Michele Alboreto – 2000 American Le Mans Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  30. ^ "Michele Alboreto – 2000 American Le Mans Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
[edit]
Sporting positions
Preceded by European Formula 3 Championship
Champion

1980
Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 1000 km Nürburgring
1982
With: Teo Fabi & Riccardo Patrese
Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1997
With: Stefan Johansson & Tom Kristensen
Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring
2001
With: Laurent Aïello & Rinaldo Capello
Succeeded by