1 of 2

Write now Article Tools

The young Italian Riccardo Paletti desperately wanted to drive in competitive motorsport. His father, Arietto Paletti, was a rich businessman from Milan who ran a successful building company and an import company bringing in Pioneer stereo systems to Italy. These businesses allowed Arietto to sponsor his nineteen-year-old son in the competitive world of single seater motor racing.

As a teenager, Riccardo had already proven his competitive nature. He was Italian junior karate champion at the age of thirteen and he had made the national skiing team when he was seventeen.

In his first year of racing, he drove an Osella in nine races of the 1978 Formula Super Ford championship. Although he did not win a race, he managed two second places and finished the season third in championship. In addition 1978 saw him with a drive in a Toyota-March in the Italian Formula 3.

In 1979, he moved up to a full season in Formula 3 as a private entrant but did not succeed in winning any races. The best position he managed was fifth in just two races. He also had one drive in a Formula 2 race at Misano but, unfortunately, he crashed so failed to finish.

His second year in Formula 3, 1979, was no improvement. However, he did manage three more drives in Formula 2. Johnny Cecotto, the driver of the British Onyx formula 2 team, left the team mid-season. Mike Earle, the owner of the Onyx team, offered Riccardo drives at Zandvoort and Misano as well as the non-championship at Monza. Riccardo finished third in the race at Monza. These three drives led Mike Earle to offer the vacant driving spot in his team to the young Italian.

The winter before the 1980 season Riccardo moved to England to start testing with his new team. In the first race of the season he qualified in tenth place. During the race he moved up through the field to finish in second place. The second race, at Hockenheim, saw him retire part way through the race but not before he made the fastest lap. The third race had the team back in England at the Thruxton circuit and a third place for Riccardo. Unfortunately, he did not maintain this performance and in the rest of the season gained a point from only one race, the Vallelunga in Italy. The final six races of the season he failed to finish, retiring from each race.

To the surprise of many, Riccardo Paletti moved up to Formula 1 racing in 1982. The young man confessed that he would have preferred to stay one further year in Formula 2 before taking the leap into the World

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Formula 1 drivers: Riccardo Paletti?
We want to hear your view. Write now!