Nicola Larini

Nicola Larini is a racing driver Italian born the March 19th 1964 in Lido di Camaiore in Italy. It disputed several seasons of Formule 1 between 1987 and 1997. In 49 qualifications in GP, it marked 7 points and took down one 2nd place at the time of GP of Imola 1994.

Biography

Larini begins its career in automobile sport in 1983 by controlling in Formule 3 at Coloni. It also runs Formulates Abarth in 1984 of it, where it finishes 3rd championship. Champion of Italy de Formule 3 in 1986 on behalf of the stable Coloni, Nicola Larini reaches the Formule 1 with the following end of the year when Coloni decides to launch out in the queen category. He does not manage to qualify himself for its first GP but he disputes his first race in Spain (abandonment on problem of suspension).

In 1988, it is recruited by Osella, another modest Italian team. During two years, it carries out there some interesting services taking into account the weakness of its material, but without never marking points. It qualifies 10 times in 1988 and finishes 9th GP of Monaco. In 1989, it is 6th GP of Marine Saint when it must give up. It occupies even the 3rd place with the GP of Canada before giving up on electric breakdown.

In 1990, Larini founds large hopes in its arrival at Ligier. But the French stable is then in full sporting and technical crisis.

Larini carries out its return in Italy in 1991 by integrating the rows of the new arrival in F1, Modena TEAM. The stable engaged of the single-seaters frame-engine Lamborghini, designed by Mauro Forghieri, but does not profit from the financial support of the head office. The lack of means results in results quickly catastrophic. Larini takes the departure of 5 GP before more not managing to qualify itself. It takes down however one 7th place with the GP of the USA. The team leaves the championship at the end of the season 1991.

In 1992, Larini is recruited by the Scuderia Ferrari as a pilot tester, the holders being Ivan Capelli and Jean Alesi. But Capelli is dismissed little before the term of the season, which makes it possible Larini to dispute the two last races of the season, where it is in particular charged to make carry out its great beginnings with the active suspension of the Italian team.

Of return to a simple role of tester in 1993, it disputes and gains in parallel the championship DTM with Alfa Romeo. In 1994, always carrying out face the DTM (3rd of the championship) and the tests at Ferrari, it is seen offering a new occasion to roll in Grand Prix, when it is called to replace Jean Alesi wounded. Victim of a fixing with Senna and Hakkinen at the beginning of GP of the Pacific, it obtains the best result of its career to the GP following in Imola, while being qualified 6th, then while finishing 2nd behind Michael Schumacher while having carried out the race during 6 turns. But it will not be able to let burst its joy on the podium, its performance being completely occulted by the accidents fatal of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna.

After two more delicate seasons in DTM (only 6th and 11th in championship), its fidelity with Ferrari is rewarded by obtaining for a place for titular pilot within the Swiss stable Sauber (motorized by Ferrari) in 1997. But after only five very disappointing races (during which it is shown enough far from the performance level of its fellow-member Johnny Herbert), it is dismissed and replaced by its compatriot Gianni Morbidelli. Larini then leaves definitively Formula 1 to turn to the races of trucks.

Prize list

Champion of Italy de Formule 3 in 1986
Champion of the DTM in 1993

Results in F1

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