Andrea de ceraris

[Nordic]

Just read that the former f1 and Lancia Grp C driver was killed today in a motorbike crash in Italy.

http://roma.repubblica.it/cronaca/2014/10/05/news/gra-97398499/

 

[Boorish Grobian]

Wow! Very sorry to hear that.  The Italian was capable of shattering speed, but is remembered mostly for his staggering number of shunts in his first few years of F1. He single handedly proved the integrity of the original McLaren MP4 design with all of the accidents he had in his debut F1 season with McLaren in 1981.  With Alfa he was consistently among the best qualifiers in 82-83.  Gave Jordan good value during their first year in '91.
RIP Andrea

[Grand_Fromage]

Very sad news indeed, especially on top of Jules Bianchi fighting for life in Japan.

[Brad Zarse]

Gutted to hear about Andrea De Cesaris.  One of the prominent figures in my early motor racing interests, and as Fax says, capable of absolutely blistering speed, and spectacular crashes in almost equal measure. My overriding memory of him will be seeing him absolutely ringing the neck of one of the most beautiful (if not, the most beautiful) F1 cars in history, the Jordan B191 at Silverstone in 1991.  For all its looks, I'm pretty sure that car was a bit of a handful to drive, but De Cesaris managed some quite outstanding results in it.....and a pretty spectacular crash at Silverstone as well. 

Racing drivers don't have to win things to be interesting - Rest in peace Andrea De Cesaris - thanks for your part in my interest in this barmy sport.

[Boorish Grobian]

Agreed Brad, he was a prominent figure to me about ten years earlier, when he made his F1 debut at the end of 1980 with Alfa for the North American GP's at Montreal, and the Glen.  I was eighteen, and I think he was only about twenty or twenty one.  I had followed his F2 career with the Ron Dennis Project Four team, and it was natural for a young man to pull for another young guy of similar age to cut it in F1.
My favorite memory of Andrea was when he snatched pole away from Lauda in the closing minutes of qualifying for the LBGP in 1982, in the beautiful Alfa 182.  During the race Andrea made a perfect start, led for a while, eventually was passed by Niki, and then of course had his obligatory shunt.  But for a gallon or two of petrol he would have won at Monaco a month later.  Sort of sums up Andrea's F1 career.  Race wins don't always tell the whole story, far lesser drivers than Andrea have won in F1.
Fax

[Nordic]

Like you fac, the 80's were 'my' era. I am more familer with the drivers of that era than the current crop or recent past.

De Ceraris was a fine driver and one could never accuse him of not prepared to push to the limit. Dispite his rep as being a bit prone to binning it, he was considered a safe(ish) pair of hands by the lancia team. I was surprised to learn he had finished 3rd in the 1979 giro of Italia driving a stratos, no mean feat.

I shall remember him best driving the elegant Lancia LC2 and hustling the Alfa f1 round Druids.
http://www.racingsportscars.com/f1/1982/Brands_Hatch-1982-07-18-022.jpg

Thanks for the memories.