Formula1

Drivers Information Page

Drivers Information Page





A's

A's



Michele Alboreto: Italian - 23/12/56

Michele Alboreto: Italian - 23/12/56



This dignified Italian had a long and frustrating Formula One career that petered out in 1994, after which he followed a phalanx of former rivals into the world of touring car racing. Having started racing in 1976, in the entry-level Formula Monza category. Michele progressed up the ladder to make his Formula Three debut in the final race of 1979, was runner-up to his Pavanello Racing team-mate Piercarlo Ghinzani in the Italian series, and the followed this up by winning the European crown in 1980. Formula Two and Minardi beckoned for 1981, but Michele so impressed Tyrell with a one-off drive at the San Marino Grand Prix that theygave him a contract until the end of the 1983 season. During the next three years he won twice, both times on North American soil. His second win-Detroit in 1983-was a landmark as the win for a normally aspirated engine before the turbocharged cars completed their stranglehold. Michele moved to Ferrari in 1984, winning only his third outing, at Zolder, and this helped him to fourth place overal. A pair of wins in the Canadian and German Grand Prix assisted Michele to second place overall behind McLaren's Alain Prost in 1985. Thereafter his career tailed off, despite remaining returned to Tyrrell in 1989, then crossed to Larrousse in mid-season. Three years with Footwork with little or no reward followed before his worst year, 1993, with new Scuderia Italian team. The car was a beast, and Michele failed to qualify on five occasions that his best days were over, and healed off to join the German Touring Car Championship at the controls of a works Alfa Romeo. He renewed his Ferrari connections in 1995, when he raced a Ferrari 333SP in selected North American sports car races. A return to single-seaters followed in 1996 when he competed in the Indy Racing League. Then 1997 produced victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours, sharing a Joest Porsche with Stefan Johansson and Tom Kristensen.

Jean Alesi: French - 11/6/64

Jean Alesi: French - 11/6/64



Born in France to Sicillian parents, Jean was viewed as an outsider until he followed his father's motor sporting lead and went racing. After a brief spell in karts, he started to shine in the junior formulae. and only then was he considered a Frenchman. Fifth in the 1985 French Formulae Renault series, he had his sights set on Formula Three and moved up in 1986, albeit racing with next to no sponsorship. But he started, and finished as runner-up to Yannick Dalmas. Jean went one better in 1987 before moving up to Formula 3000 in 1988. Halfway through his second year in this category, a vancancy cume up at Tyrrell for the French Grand Prix and team boss Eddie Jordon propelled Jean into the seat. Jean responded in style, taking fourth place and earning a full-time ride with the team for the streets of Phoenix, Jean swapped the lead with Ayrton Senna's McLaren, finishing second. Anothing second place came at Monaco. Jean joined Ferrari in 1991, and despite showing endless promise it wasn't until the Canadian Grand Prixin 1995 that he finally won. He should also have won in Italy, and drove a belter on slicks in the wet at the Nurburgring to end up fifth overall for the second on the trot. Jean rank fourth overall. He stayed on with Benetton for 1997 where he again ranked equal third overall despite scoring no wins Then he signed up to race for Sauber in 1998 when the old guard was swept out of Benetton.

Philippe Alliot: French - 27/7/54

Philippe Alliot: French - 27/7/54



Philippe only took up motor racing at the age of 21 and began his career with three seasons in the French Formule Renault series, claiming the title in 1978. Formula Three proved an even harder nut to crack, for although he finished third overall at his first attempt, it took four full years before he moved on to Formula Two for 1983, with an ORECA-run Martini. He took time out-night enduro in a FKremer Porsche shared with Matio and Michael Andretti. He progressed into Formula One in 1984, and spent two seasons with the unsuccessful RAM team before dropping back to race in Formula 3000 for the ORECA team in 1986, subsequently winning the round at Spa-Francorchamps. When Jacques Laffite suffered career-ending leg injuries at Brands Hatch, Philippe was given another shot at Formula One, and he tookhis compatriot's place Ligier for the second half on the season. Philippe then joined the Larrousse Lola team for whom he raced for three seasons, frequently showing a useful turn of speed but scoring points on only four occasions. A return to Ligier in 1990 was fruitless and curtailed his Formula One career. However, after a successful spell with the works Peugeot sports car team in 1991 and 1992, Philippe bounced back with Larrousse in 1993 and scored his only fifth place, at the San Marino Grand Prix. Hopes of a Grand Prix swansong with McLaren in 1994, thanks to French engine supplier Peugeot, were disappointed when team boss Ron Denis chose Martin Brundle instead, even though Philippe had a run-out in place of the suspened Mika Hakkinen in the Hungarian Gramd Prix. Accepting that his day had passed, Philippe quit dyeing his grey hairs and turned to touring car racing.

Cliff Allison: British - 8/2/32

Cliff Allison: British - 8/2/32



Starting in Formula Three in1952, Cliff finished fourth in the British Formula Three championship in 1955 and moved on to race in sports cars after landing a ride with the works Lotus team Shining at Le Mans in 1957, Cliff was able to move back to single-seaters, and this led to him racing for Lotus in formula One the following year, scoring points in his first three races, with two sixths followed by fourth place in the Belgian Grand Prix. He even looked set to win in Germany until his radiator burst. This form earned him a drive with Ferrari for 1959, and he stared his second season with the Italian team by finishing second in the Argentinian Grand Prix, but he was thrown from his car in practice at Monaco and broke an arm, leaving him on the sidelines for the remainder of the season. Cliff returned to Formula One with a UDT-Laystall Lotus in 1961 and finished second in the International Trophy at Silverstone, but he crashed at Spa-Francorchamps in practice for the Belgian Grand Prix and suffered severe leg fractures, ending his career.

Chris Amon: New Zealander - 20/7/43

Chris Amon: New Zealander - 20/7/43



This affable, likeable Kiwi did everything in Formula One except win a race - a World Chamiponship one at least. Chris was spotted by team owner Reg Parnell in the Tasman series that attracted Northern Hemisphere teams every winter, and was invitied to contest the 1963 Formula One season, arriving in Europe while still a baby-faced 19-year-old. Learning fast in assorted Lola and Lotus chassis, he claied his first points before his 21st birthday by finishing fifth in the 1964 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. Parnell's death left Chris in limbo midway through the 1965 season, and this ewas followed by the collapse of a planned deal to race for the fledgling McLaren team in 1966, although he managed a handful of outings for assorted teams. He did combine successfully with Bruce McLaren that year however, the New Zealand pair giving Ford its first win in the LaMans 24 Hours. Chris's carer was back on track in 1967 when he was signed by Ferrari and went straight in with third place at Monaco. A win, it seemed, would surely follow. That was not to be the case, however. Second place behind Jo Siffert's Lotus at Brands Hatch in 1968 was the best he could manage. And his best showing for Ferrari in 1969 was a third-place finish in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort before he quit the team midway through the season. A move to the all-new March team for 1970 enabled Chris to finally win a Formula One race - the International Trophy at the Silverstone circuit - but sadly this was a non-championship affair. His championship season saw him twice finish in second place at Spa-Francorchamps and Clermont-Ferrand en route to a final standings of seventh overall. A two-year spell at Matra was next, and produced victory first time out, in the Argentinian Grand Prix. Typically, this was, once again, another non-championship affair, held as a forerunner to Argentina returning to the World Championship calendar the following year. It almost went right in the French Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand in 1972 though, as the race was his for the taking when he suffered a puncture and fell back to third place. A season with the little-league Italian Tecno team in 1973 produced just one sisth place. But then Chris's move to run his own car in 1974 was even less successful. A few races for the under-financed Ensign team in 1975-76 reminded people of his undoubted speed, but despite periodic flashers of genius his outings came to little, with fifth place in the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix his best showing. An accident in Walter Wolf Racing's Williams in practice for the Canadian Grand Prix brought an end to his unfulfilled Formula One career. After a season racing in the North American CamAm sports car series, he finally hung up his helmet and went home to a life of farming in his native New Zealad.

Bob Anderson: British - 14/8/31

Bob Anderson: British - 14/8/31



A former motorcycle racer, Bob switched to Formula Junior at the late age of 29 in 1961. wasting little time, he moved up to Formula One in 1963, mainly cometing in non-championship events in his second-hand Lola. A Brabham was bought for 1964, and Bob was in the points second time out, with sixth place in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zeltweg. Running on a shoe-string budget, he persevered for the next three seasons, ut died from injuries incurred when he crashed while testing at silverstone in 1967.