Michele Alboreto

Born: 23rd December 1956, Milan, Italy.

Michele Alboreto set out on the motor racing trail in 1976, driving a self-built car in Formula Monza. Frustrated by his lack of results, the Milanese young gun bought a March and moved to Formula Italia where he took a few race wins in 1978, before moving up to Italian Formula 3 with Euroracing for 1979. With both Toyota and Alfa Romeo engines powering his March chassis, Alboreto scored three wins and finished second in the championship, 16 points behind team mate Piercarlo Ghinzani. He also finished sixth in the European Championship with a few fastest laps but no wins, Alain Prost taking the title.

Alboreto had planned to continue with Formula 3 in 1980, concentrating on the European series, but after one race of the 1980 Downforce Grand Prix World Series, the Tyrrell team terminated the contract of Jean-Pierre Jarier by mutual consent. Team principal Sam Hall signed the smooth yet rapid Italian to replace him, and Alboreto scored 12th place in his first race in Brazil and has come closer to points finishes for Tyrrell ever since.