Gabriele Tarquini

Gabriele Tarquini, like many other drivers, started his car racing career in Karting, where he raced from age fifteen to 23, when he jumped to Formula 3. It was the year 1985 and Tarquini finished fifth in the European F3 Championship. Two years later, he had the chance of debuting in the top car racing category, Formula 1, as part of the Orsella team. After an unsuccessful passage through teams like Coloni, FIRST, AGS, Fondmental or Tyrell, Tarquini started to participate in 1993 in touring car races, while he used up his last options in Formula One.

It was precisely after this change in speciality when he had the greatest successes his sporting career, like the British Championship in 1994, or the European title in the year 2002.  When this championship became what it is known by today –the WTCC- in 2005, Tarquini held his place as one of the strongest drivers in the speciality, taking two victories over 2006 and 2007.

In 2008 the veteran Italian was one of the main contenders for the title. Even though he concentrated on helping SEAT to win the constructors´ title Tarquini flew the Repsol colours on the top of the podium three times: in Brazil, Czech Republic and at he was in with a chance of winning the title right to the end and it was not until the final date at the demanding urban circuit in Macao where he had to make do with finishing as runner-up.

In 2009, he reached the height of his sporting career with the world championship title, achieved with three wins in Curitiba, Porto and Imola and five pole positions (three of them consecutive). He is the most veteran driver in the World Touring Car Championship, a fact that he not only likes but flaunts among his rivals.

At 47, and with the motivation and strength of a rookie, Gabriele Tarquini has become the seventh Italian world champion in history, the first in eighteen years since Teo Fabi and following Nino Farina, Alberto Ascari, Mauro Baldi, Roberto Ravaglia and Massimo Biasion. He has also broken a spectacular record, becoming, at 47, the most veteran world champion in motor racing history, even beating Juan Manuel Fangio.

Extremely fast and intuitive, Tarquini is capable of making the most of any circumstance in the race and getting the most out of the car. What’s more, he is extremely good with people and is always respectful and affectionate with those around him. Once he gets behind the wheel, he is meticulous and perfectionist. His inseparable track engineer, Giancarlo Bruno, tells of how he once clocked up a poor time in a qualifier and entered the garages upset because the radio did not work. In spite of being in a hurry, he made them fix it; it troubled him that something was not working. With the radio in working order, he went back out on the track… and took pole position!

He is a huge football lover, and fan of Milan. When his team plays, he does everything he can to be anywhere on the planet where his team is, although lately, his priorities have changed: at the top of his list now are Giulia, 4 years old, and Matteo, 3, his and his wife Beatrice’s two children and whose names, printed on his helmet, accompany him in every race.