Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Giancarlo Fisichella Born In Rome, Italy - January 14, 1973

January 14, 1973
Giancarlo Fisichella
Born in Rome, Italy.
Giancarlo is also known as Fisico, Giano or Fisi. Like most Formula One drivers, he began kart racing as a youngster in the Guidonia's Kart circuit. In 1992, he competed in the Italian Formula Three Championship, racing for the RC Motorsport team. He finished runner up in 1993, and in 1994 he won the championship, following race victories in Monaco and Macau. He left open-wheel racing briefly in 1995, driving for Alfa Romeo in the International Touring Car Championship.

He has driven in Formula One for Minardi, Jordan, Benetton, Sauber, Renault, Force India and Ferrari. Since then he has driven for AF Corse in their Ferrari 458 GTE at various sportscar events, becoming twice a Le Mans 24 Hour class winner, and a GT class winner of the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. He was also Ferrari's F1 reserve driver for 2010.

Fisichella won three races in his Formula One career, the first of which was at the chaotic 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, a race abandoned for safety reasons with 15 laps remaining. After several days of confusion regarding rules and technicalities, Fisichella was eventually declared the winner in the following week, and collected his trophy in an unofficial ceremony at the following race. He was brought into the Renault team to replace fellow Italian Jarno Trulli, and won his first race with the team in Australia in 2005. However, after that race it was his team-mate, the Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, that would win the greater share of races for Renault. Although highly rated as a driver, Fisichella was unable to keep pace with eventual champion Alonso, managing just one further race win following his debut. Outside of driving, he has backed his own GP2 team, FMS International.

Since 2011, he has been racing in GT at the wheel of a Ferrari 458 Italia GT, with the AF Corse team, at first in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and then in the WEC. On June 17, 2012 Fisichella won the GTE Pro division of the Le Mans 24 Hours for AF Corse and followed this up with the Manufacturers' title in the WEC at the end of the season. He is currently with the American Risi Competizione team in the United Sports Car Championship.

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