DOB: 17th April 1954
Place of Birth: Padua, Italy
Nationality: Italian
GP Starts: 256
GP Wins: 6
Pole Positions: 8
Points Scored: 281
Like many other Formula One stars Ricardo Patrese has been racing in karts since childhood. He credits his parents for encouraging him to develop his aptitude for sport and he excelled in swimming and skiing before turning to motor racing on a professional level.
After working his way up through the leagues of Italian motor racing, his big break came in 1975 when he got his first race in the Formula Italia Championship.
Two years later he joined the elite of motor sport and secured his first Formula One drive with the Shadow F1 team impressing critics at his first race in Monaco.
In 1978 he began racing for the newly set-up Arrows F1 team where, in his first race, he led the South African Grand Prix for 36 laps. This car and driver collaboration turned heads, and was the cause of much debate within the F1 paddock - Patrese for his aggressive driving style and the FA1 car for its innovative design.
Becoming somewhat of an F1 veteran, Patrese joined the Brabham team in 1982, and partnered with Nelson Piquet. Over the next 4 years Patrese moved between Brabham and Alfa Romeo before finally signing for Williams in 1988.
It was this signing which reignited his career and propelled him back in to the spotlight; he enjoyed ongoing success in partnership with Nigel Mansell until he left Williams to join Benetton in 1992.
There he drove alongside the young Michael Schumacher until he decided to retire at the end of the 1993 season, bowing out of F1 having set a record for the most number of starts.
Career History:
1965 - 1974: European Team Karting Champion '73. World Karting Champion '74
1975 - 1977: 2nd in Formula Italia '75. European & Italian F3 Champion '76. Italian Formula 2 Champion '77
1977: Formula 1 debut with Shadow Grand Prix team in Moncao.
1978: Shadow team splits and Patrese moves to the newly-formed Arrows team.
1982: Joins Brabham and wins the Monaco Grand Prix.
1983: Wins the South African Grand Prix.
1984: Joins Alfa Romeo.
1986: Returns to Brabham.
1988: Moved to Williams.
1989: Williams provided Patrese with his most successful time in the sport, driving for a team that was capable of winning races and coming 3rd in the Drivers Championship.
1990: First visit to the top of a podium at the San Marino Grand Prix for seven years. After a competitive season Patrese finished 7th in the Drivers Championship. Completed his 200th Grand Prix at the British GP.
1991: Williams, 3rd in the Drivers Championship with 9 podiums & 1 pole.
1992: Moved to Benneton alongside Michael Schumacher before retiring from the F1 stage in Australia (1993) concluding the longest Formula 1 career history.
1995: German Super Touring Championship with Ford
1997: Le Mans 24hrs
2002: Patrese was invited by Williams to test the team's modern cars in thanks for his years of loyal service.
