It is with sadness that we have to report the passing of former F1 driver and avid motorcyclist Andrea de Cesaris. The 55-year-old Italian racer was killed on October 5 in a motorcycle accident which occurred on the outskirts of his hometown and country’s capital city Rome. Apparently de Cesaris lost control of his motorcycle and smashed into a guardrail of the city’s ringroad.
His fatal accident took place the same day French Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi sustained life-threatening head injuries after crashing into a crane which was removing another crashed car in the Japanese Grand Prix.
De Cesaris was a Formula 1 driver between 1980 and 1994, with 1983 being his best year, after finishing the championship in the 8th position behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo. He also drive for McLaren, Ligier, Jordan, Minardi, Brabham, Tyrell, Sauber and Dalara.
Record number of F1 races without a single win
During his lengthy career, Andre de Cesaris took no less than 208 starts, but without a single victory. Funny as it may seem, he holds the record for the biggest number of races without a win. In 1982 he also became the youngest F1 driver to start a race from pole position. That was his only pole in his career, at the US West Grand Prix. He also joined other retired F1 stars, such as Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi, or Ricardo Patrese in the Grand Prix Masters series in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
His former team McLaren tweeted: “All at McLaren send condolences to ex-McLaren #F1 driver Andrea De Cesaris, who sadly passed away today.” Italian media reports that de Cesaris was riding a 60cc Suzuki motorcycle, but the full details of the crash are still under investigation. We also extend our condolences to his family, friends and supporters. Below you can watch one of the many crashes Andrea de Cesaris had in his Formula 1 years, and despite the severity of the impact and the vehicle damage, he can be seen literally walking away from the wreck.
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