Riccardo Patrese

Riccardo Gabriele Patrese, born on April 17, 1954, is a former Italian racing driver whose Formula One career spanned from 1977 to 1993. A veteran of 256 Grand Prix starts, Patrese showcased remarkable longevity and skill, earning him a place among the most experienced F1 drivers in history. He achieved the milestone of 200 Grand Prix starts at the 1990 British Grand Prix and later became the first to reach 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix. He was a versatile racer, demonstrating his talent across different teams, including Shadow, Arrows, Brabham, Alfa Romeo, Williams, and Benetton.

Patrese's Formula One career highlights include six Grand Prix victories, with a notable win at the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix. In 1992, driving for Williams, he finished as the runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship to his teammate Nigel Mansell. He also secured third place in the championship standings in both 1989 and 1991. Beyond Formula One, Patrese competed in the World Sportscar Championship with the Lancia factory team, achieving eight wins and finishing as runner-up in 1982.

Before entering Formula One, Patrese demonstrated his racing prowess in karting, winning the Karting World Championship in 1974. He then progressed to Formula Italia, finishing second in 1975, and subsequently dominated both the European and Italian Formula 3 championships in 1976. His early success paved the way for his Formula One debut with Shadow in 1977, marking the beginning of a long and successful career in motorsport.