Eddie Cheever

Eddie Cheever Jr is an American racing driver, also directing of stable, born the January 10th 1958 with Phoenix (Arizona). Organizer of the championship of the world of Formula 1 throughout the years 1980, it knows since a career second part in the United States, where it in particular gained the 500 Miles of Indianapolis in 1998.

Biography

Career Formulates 1 of them

Born in the United States, but high with Rome in Italy, Eddie Cheever starts with adolescence a brilliant career in karting. Champion of Italy and Europe in 1973, he becomes vice-champion of the world in 1974. Logically, it passes to the automobile sport in 1975, initially in the British championship of Formule 3, then in the championship of Europe of Formule 2, where it controls for the young director of stable Ron Dennis within the structure Project Four. In 1977, it finishes vice-champion of Europe of F2 behind Rene Arnoux.

In September 1977, at only 19 years, Eddie Cheever tastes for the first time at the Formule 1 by testing a single-seater of the Scuderia Ferrari at the time of a comparative test with Gilles Villeneuve (which will be selected to shoulder Reutemann). In 1978, it takes down a wheel of holder in the modest stable Theodore, but after two not-qualifications, it prefers to turn over in Formula 2. Cheever must wait the year 1980 to carry out its truths beginnings Formulates of them 1, this time in the Italian stable Osella, also beginner on this level of the competition. But the cruel lack of Italian competitiveness of the single-seaters prevents Cheever from shining. The American pilot is systematically relegated in bottom of grid, and manages to rejoin the arrival only once. In spite of this first catastrophic season, Cheever is recruited in 1981 by the stable Tyrrell, where it carries out some solids services and registers its first points with the championship. Coveted by the team Williams, world champion in title of the manufacturers, in order to replace Alan Jones, it finally signs in the French team Ligier, also one of the best teams of the plate. A choice of career which proves to be unhappy since Cheever arrives just at the moment when Ligier lose of their competitiveness. It takes down all the same three podiums in two years, in particular a second place at the time of the GP of the United States East 1982 in Detroit. Performances which complete to do of the young American pilot one of the greatest hopes of its generation.

In 1983, Cheever is recruited by Renault, the favorite stable of the championship of the world. But the gift quickly proves poisoned since it is made copiously dominate by its fellow-member Alain Prost, victorious on several occasions and finally vice-champion of the world, while Cheever must be satisfied with four podiums and the ungrateful role of team-member of luxury. Even if Cheever openly regrets not always not profiting from a perfect equal treatment with Alain Prost, its performances disappoint and sound a first crushing argument to its ascencion.

Not preserved by Renault, Cheever joined as from 1984, and for two seasons, the rows of the stable Alfa Romeo. But within a team in crisis, Cheever foot loses, and is found without wheel at the dawn of the season 1986. After an interim on Lola of the stable FORCES in 1986 in Detroit (to replace Patrick Tambay, wounded), it finds a place of holder in 1987 at Arrows. After a first disappointing season, it benefits from the advantage of profiting from a turbo engine to sign some pretty performances in 1988, of which a podium with the GP of Italy behind Ferrari. But in 1989, all cars from now on being been driven by an atmospheric engine, the dark Arrows team, involving Cheever with her. The American pilot manages all the same to take down a podium in the streets of Phoenix, his birthplace, before leaving Formula 1.

Return to the United States

Since 1990, Eddie Cheever goes back to the United States (country which it left since its more tender childhood) to dispute the championship CART there, within the Chip Ganassi Racing. Author of promising beginnings in the discipline, it is not however long in returning in the row. Also, when Tony George decides to create the Indy Racing League in 1996, it is a true aubaine for Cheever, which can thus hope to play the first parts again (at the time of the first years following its creation, the IRL was regarded as a competition of second zone, at the level little recorded compared to the prestigious CART). It also benefits from it to create its own structure, the Cheever Racing, with which it reaches the dedication while gaining, on famous the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the general surprise, 500 Miles of Indianapolis in `1998.

End 2002, whereas Cheever Racing became one of the best teams of the IRL, Eddie Cheever puts a term at its career of pilot. But beginning 2006, it decides to take again the wheel to try to save its stable, in great financial danger. End 2005, Cheever had already left its retirement to take part in the series Grand Prix Masters, which joins together old glories of Formula 1.

Anecdotes

Known as Eddie Cheever when it controlled in Formula 1, Cheever took care to make add the mention " Jr" behind its patronym since its return to the United States.
the younger brother of Eddie, Ross Cheever also controlled with an high level, in particular in Japan, in the local championships of Formula 3 (where it was titrated) and of Formule 3000. Ross Cheever can be in particular ennorgueillir to have beaten Michael Schumacher (its one day old fellow-member) when the future world champion carried out in 1991 his single appearance in the championship of Japan de F3000.
Its nephew Richard Antinucci for several years one has been accustomed of the international groups of Formule 3.

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