Andrea de Cesaris

Andrea de Cesaris (born the May 31st 1959 -) is an Italian racing driver who took part in the championship of the world of Formule 1 of 1980 with 1994. It disputed 207 Grands Prix and obtained a pole position.

Biography

Crashing to pieces but promising beginnings

World champion Junior of Karting, Andrea unloads in F1 at the 21 years age in 1980. Arrived in the course of season in the stable Alfa Romeo where it occupies the vacant wheel left by the unhappy Patrick Depailler, Andrea shows start of an interesting burst of speed. But its principal defect is not long either in appearing. In 1981, at McLaren where it replaces Prost, it does not massacre less than 18 frames… a record in the kind. Useless to specify that Ron Dennis which had just taken the control of the team appreciated only fairly.

Of return to Esparto starting from 1982, Andrea confirms its talent by signing astonishing a pole position in the streets of Long Beach, but in race, it does not resist a long time the harassing of Niki Lauda and finishes by heuter a wall. The performances of Andrea are often only fires of straw. Rapid on a lathe, it proves very often unable to confirm over the duration of a race. The Alfa Romeo is its catastrophic reliability is not either of a great help for Andrea, often to condemn to shine in qualifications before having to lower house in race. That does not prevent it in this year 1982 from taking down an unhoped-for podium with Monaco under piégeuses conditions and at the end of the last the rocambolesque turn of the history of Formula 1. The season 1983 of Andrea will be better. Two second happy places in Germany and South Africa and a fourth place with Brands-Hatch will be its only results of the season. However, it did not pass far from the exploit on the very selective layout of Spa to GP of Belgium. Taking the best on Prost from the beginning, it directs the debates with authority before a change of calamitous tires does not make it sink with the classification. Set out again the rage in the middle, De Cesaris launches out then in a sublime increase which is completed in the cloud of smoke of its engine. The record of the turn in race will be insufficient to comfort it.

Succession of the years of galère

After the episode Esparto, De Cesaris is covered with blue in 1984, year of its arrival at Ligier. The beautiful time of Ligier is finished, the years of transition start to follow one another and Andrea De Cesaris, which joins again with its mistakes of youth, is only one misadventure moreover for the Blue ones. Some great hits as usual, in particular one 4th place with Monaco but especially a very large blow with Zeltweg. On the Zeltweg old man, ultra fast and undulating, De Cesaris leaves in a large survirage, leaves the track, plants themselves in the slope and starts an appalling series of barrels. It is left there without damage, a miracle. Of return to the stands, he explains to his mechanics why he carried out a " tétacou". Already multi-recidivist, Andrea is transfered at once. (Its substitute Philippe Streiff will make beautiful him also…)

But Andrea always falls down on its feet. One of his/her large friends is called Aleardo Buzzi, chairman of Philip Morris Europe. Always accompanied by an attache puts filled of the dollars of the mark to the cow-boy, De Cesaris is the symbol of F1 Italian of the end of the year 1980. Often fortunate, in the absence of being truly talented

After Ligier, will come Minardi, Brabham then Rial with which it takes down astonishing a 4th place with Détroit in 1988. Then return in Italy in 89 and 90 with Dallara for increasingly anonymous results. De Cesaris continues to massacre its annual quota of frame and is pointed out more in track by a behavior often in extreme cases of the regularity that by performances worthy of this name. Bouchonnor of service, Andrea is unaware of superbly the utility of the rear view mirrors and it becomes the obsession of the leaders who must take turns to him.

A return surprised

In 91, it with the honor to begin the saga Jordan F1 with Bertrand Gachot, always thanks to the Dollars of Marlboro, quite useful for the Irish team, obliged to draw the devil by the tail. The year of maturity for Andrea after more than 10 years of F1? Always it is that it multiplies the beautiful performances while showing an astonishing regularity. The exploit, it is well close signing it with Spa when it pursues the leader Ayrton Senna before giving up. But this race also cruelly points the limits of Andrea. With the tests, it assists incrédule with the demonstration of Michael Schumacher, her team-member of the day which begins in F1 on a car that it does not know. Not returning in the plans of Jordan for the following season (the Eddie crafty one signed a contract with a competitor cigarettier of Marlboro), Andrea then unloads at Tyrrell in 92 for new a solid season.

Last crash landings

But its second year at the Uncle Ken transfers with the shipwreck. Tyrrell exchanged its engine Ilmor for a Yamaha and the performances feel some. Worse, De Cesaris which one believed assagi falls down in his the worst through and the route exits succeed the fixings. Logical consequence, it does not find a wheel in 1994. But the destiny takes care and takes the shape of an impetuous Irish pilot. With Sao Paulo, for the opening of season 94, Eddie Irvine makes a success of a strike and sends three cars to the carpet in a crash landing extrèmement spectacular. Very (too much) severely sanctioned, the Jordan pilot bails out of three races of suspension. Irvine is replaced by Aguri Suzuki with Aïda, then it is De Cesaris which takes over temporarily the duties Imola and Monaco. Any Andrea is summarized in these 2 races. Route exit with Imola and solid 4th place in Monaco. In Barcelona, Irvine reinstates Jordan and De Cesaris is thus again with foot. It is Sauber which invites it then to replace Karl Wendlinger wounded. With the Canada Andrea thus disputes 200e GP of its career. For the end of season, it is initially planned that Wendlinger takes again the wheel. De Cesaris thus leaves on vacation on a deserted island. But large Karl, insufficiently given of its accident, prefers to give up the last moment. Peter Sauber thus points out De Cesaris… which will remain injoignable! Here how the career of the " is completed; Che" , which since, controlled never again in competition and which spends today most clearly its time to travel and with surfer on the most beautiful spots of planet.

Profile sheet

Italian
born on May 31st, 1959 in Rome (Italy)
Beginning in GP: Canada 1980
Last GP: Europe 1994
Many disputed GP: 208 (4 not-qualifications)
Better result in race: 2nd (Germany 1983 & South Africa 1983)
Better result in qualifications: pole position (the United States West 1982)
Many marked points: 59
Many podiums: 5
Many better turns: 1 (Belgium 1983)

Career in F1

1980 Esparto-Romeo
1981 McLaren/Ford
1982 Esparto-Romeo
1983 Esparto-Romeo
1984 Ligier/Renault
1985 Ligier/Renault
1986 Minardi/Motori Moderni
1987 Brabham/BMW
1988 Rial /Ford
1989 Dallara /Ford
1990 Dallara/Ford
1991 Jordan /Ford
1992 Tyrrell/Ilmor
1993 Tyrrell/Yamaha
1994 Jordan/Binder then Sauber/Mercedes

Prize list

1976 World champion Junior of Karting, Champion of Europe Junior of Karting by team
1977 Champion of Italy of Karting 125 cm ³, vice-champion of Europe

Random links: