Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person

Ivan Franco Capelli (born 24 May 1963) is an Italian broadcaster and former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from Template:F1 to Template:F1.

Born and raised in Milan, Capelli began competitive kart racing aged 15. He was widely successful across lower formulae, winning titles in Italian Formula 3, FIA European Formula 3 and International Formula 3000. After making his Formula One debut with Tyrrell at the 1985 European Grand Prix, he made sporadic appearances for Tyrell and AGS before signing for March full-time in Template:F1. He participated in 98 Grands Prix, achieving three podiums.

After exiting Formula One, Capelli competed in touring car racing until 2017, becoming a race-winner in the Italian GT Championship and the Trofeo Maserati. From 1998 to 2017, he was a commentator and pundit for Rai 1.

Early life and careerEdit

Ivan Franco Capelli was born on 24 May 1963 in Milan, Italy.Template:Citation needed Capelli began his career as a kart driver when he was 15 years old, and after four years he moved to the Italian Formula Three Championship.

In 1983 he became Italian Formula Three champion, after dominating the series with nine victories. After that, he moved with the Coloni team to the European Formula Three Championship, and here he was the champion again in 1984.

In 1985 he graduated to the European Formula 3000 Championship with a Genoa Racing March-Cosworth and won one race. After making his Formula One debut in 1985 and failing to sign a full-time contract, he contested the 1986 Formula 3000 Championship, still with Genoa Racing, and also raced a BMW in the European Touring Car Championship.

Formula One careerEdit

Tyrrell and AGS (1985–1986)Edit

In 1985, Capelli debuted in Formula One, driving a Tyrrell at the European Grand Prix, and finished fourth in Australia. Nevertheless, he was not picked up for a full-time Formula One drive in 1986.

Despite not landing a full-time contract for 1986, Capelli started several F1 races for the AGS team. Meanwhile, Cesare Gariboldi, boss of Genoa Racing, was working with Robin Herd of March to create a new Formula One outfit. Capelli was a core component in their plans. By now, Capelli and Gariboldi had an almost father-son relationship.Template:Fact

March / Leyton House (1987–1991)Edit

In 1987 Capelli was in Formula One full-time with the March team, led by Gariboldi and running Herd's new chassis with a Cosworth V8 normally aspirated engine. Capelli also continued with BMW touring cars for the Schnitzer team, as the March budget was tight (so much that they raced at the Belgian Grand Prix with a detuned 3.3-litre sports car engine rather than the full 3.5l Formula One unit), and the Schnitzer team had works status with BMW, allowing him to be on the German company's payroll. Capelli scored March's first point with sixth at the Monaco Grand Prix and March's return to Formula One was generally seen as competent, professional and promising for the future.

In 1988 Capelli had a March chassis designed by Adrian Newey (later a winner of multiple Constructors' Championships as a designer at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull) combined with a Judd V8 engine (derived from the Brabham-Honda CART engine and the Judd/Honda F3000 unit). March had hoped to be the favoured development partner for this engine, but they found themselves sharing it with the French Ligier team as well as the defending F1 Constructors' Champions Williams who had lost their supply of turbocharged Honda engines to McLaren. Capelli was joined in the team by the British Formula 3 Champion, Brazilian rookie Maurício Gugelmin. They made a strong team and the March 881 was the surprise of the year. At Spa-Francorchamps he scored his first podium with a third place behind Ayrton Senna's and Alain Prost's McLarens (though this was not known until after the season when the Benettons were disqualified for fuel irregularities). Capelli's best finish was second place at the Portuguese Grand Prix where he finished behind Prost. Even better was ahead for the Italian when he became the first non-turbo driver since Template:F1 to lead a World Championship Grand Prix. This happened on lap 16 of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka when Prost missed a gear coming out of the final chicane and Capelli was able to get ahead before the start/finish line and officially lead the lap. However, Prost used Honda's superior power and was ahead before turn 1. His Judd V8 suffered an electrical failure just three laps later.

However, the momentum did not continue. March had financial problems and a sponsor, Leyton House, acquired a controlling interest. Gugelmin finished third in his home race at Jacarepaguá in 1989, but this was done in the 1988 car. The definitive 1989 Leyton House March was a disappointment, and neither driver challenged for the top in the rest of the year. Capelli in particular only finished once throughout the season (12th in Belgium) and went far enough to be classified on one further occasion (Monaco where he dropped out from 6th place near the end and was classified 11th). Despite this, he was one of only six drivers to start in all of the 16 races of the 1989 season (the others were the McLaren drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, the Williams duo Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen, and Benetton's Alessandro Nannini). Team spirit remained intact despite the death of Gariboldi in a car crash and midway through the season Capelli felt happy enough in the team to take up his option for 1990. The new decade started poorly, though. Newey's car (given the prefix CG in honour of Gariboldi) had excellent aerodynamics and exclusive use of Judd's updated V8 engine, but it was intolerant of bumps. It was so bad on the notoriously bumpy Mexico City track that neither driver could control the car and both failed to qualify. Nevertheless, in the next at Paul Ricard in France came a complete turnaround in form. Capelli led Gugelmin in a Leyton House 1–2 throughout much of the race. Gugelmin finally retired, and Capelli was overtaken near the end by the Ferrari of Prost with only 3 laps remaining and went on to finish second. Revisions to the car had made it more competitive (ironically Newey left the team shortly before the race to join Williams), but it was the billiard table-smooth track which allowed the result. Despite some promising showings at Silverstone and Hockenheim, it remained their best race of the season.

In 1991, Leyton House was responsible not only for chassis development but also bankrolled the ambitious Ilmor V10 engine programme. With so many new ingredients, results were again sparse, although Capelli often qualified and raced well. When Leyton House's owner Akira Akagi was arrested in connection with the Fuji Bank fraud, the team was in a precarious state. Capelli had signed for Scuderia Ferrari for the '92 season, so he voluntarily stepped down, allowing pay driver Karl Wendlinger to finish the season and personally paid to attend the races he missed to offer support to the team and advice to his rookie substitute.Template:Fact

Ferrari and Jordan (1992–1993)Edit

In 1992, Capelli became the first Italian with a regular drive with Ferrari since Michele Alboreto in 1988, after Gianni Morbidelli's one-off race for the team the season before. The Scuderia had gone through a tough time in 1991, but with a new car, the F92A, expectations were high. The new car was not competitive and before the season began Capelli was showing his disappointment. A driver who enjoyed the convivial atmosphere of a family-type team, he struggled to integrate with the bureaucratic structure of the early 1990s Ferrari. Losing motivation, the team in turn lost confidence in him and his teammate Jean Alesi gained the upper hand. Capelli was sacked before the season's end. It was the last time until Felipe Massa in 2011 that a Ferrari driver failed to finish on the podium during a season.

File:Ivan Capelli2011.JPG
Capelli playing for Nazionale Piloti during a charity football match In Abu Dhabi

This experience seemingly broke his spirit, but those who had worked with him in March still had faith, notably Ian Phillips, then Jordan's team manager. Taking a Jordan seat for 1993 alongside young rookie Rubens Barrichello, whom the team hoped would prosper under the more experienced driver, Capelli failed to rediscover the spark that not long ago had marked him as a champion of the future. After failing to qualify for the second race in Brazil, he left the team by mutual consent, being replaced by Thierry Boutsen. He did not race in Formula One again.

Other venturesEdit

Touring car racingEdit

Following his exit from Formula One, Capelli raced from 1994 to 1996 with a Nissan Primera with mixed results in the German Super Tourenwagen Cup for BMS Scuderia Italia and in some rounds of the Spanish Touring Car Championship in 1995 and 1996.

BroadcastingEdit

Capelli became a Formula One commentator from 1998 until 2017 on the Italian TV station Rai 1.

Racing recordEdit

Career summaryEdit

{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B=Template:AmboxTemplate:Main other }}

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1982 Italian Formula Three Cesare Gariboldi 11 0 0 1 1 25.5 6th
European Formula Three Torino Corse 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1983 Italian Formula Three Coloni Motorsport 12 9 10 8 10 91 1st
European Formula Three 3 0 0 0 1 5 15th
1984 European Formula Three Coloni Motorsport 12 4 2 4 9 60 1st
Italian Formula Three 1 0 0 1 1 6 12th
Macau Grand Prix Marlboro Theodore Racing Team 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 5th
1985 European Formula 3000 Championship Genoa Racing 6 1 0 1 2 13 7th
Formula One Tyrrell Racing Organisation 2 0 0 0 0 3 17th
1986 International Formula 3000 Championship Genoa Racing 11 2 3 1 6 39 1st
Japanese Formula Two Leyton House Racing 3 0 0 ? 2 33 7th
Formula One Jolly Club SpA 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Macau Grand Prix David Price Racing w/ Marlboro Theodore Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 11th
IMSA GT Championship Conte Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1987 Formula One Leyton House March Racing Team 15 0 0 0 0 1 19th
World Touring Car Championship Schnitzer Motorsport 5 0 0 0 3 60 23rd
European Touring Car Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1988 Formula One Leyton House March Racing Team 15 0 0 0 2 17 7th
1989 Formula One Leyton House Racing 16 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1990 Formula One Leyton House 14 0 0 0 1 6 10th
1991 Formula One Leyton House 14 0 0 0 0 1 18th
1992 Formula One Scuderia Ferrari SpA 14 0 0 0 0 3 13th
1993 Italian Superturismo Championship Nissan Castrol Racing 6 0 0 0 0 8 20th
FIA Touring Car World Cup 2 0 0 0 0 8 20th
Formula One Sasol Jordan 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1994 Super Tourenwagen Cup Nissan Primera Racing 8 0 0 1 0 21 11th
1995 Super Tourenwagen Cup Nissan Primera Racing 11 0 0 0 0 26 29th
Campeonato de España de Turismos Team Repsol Nissan 4 0 0 0 2 0 NC†
24 Hours of Le Mans Honda Motor Co. Ltd. 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1996 Super Tourenwagen Cup Nissan Primera Racing 8 0 0 0 0 49 25th
Campeonato de España de Turismos Team Repsol Nissan 4 0 0 0 2 0 NC†
1997 IMSA GT Championship Target 24 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
FIA GT Championship Konrad Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2000 Grand American Road Racing Championship Franco Scapini Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
FIA GT Championship Supertech erg 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2001 FIA Sportscar Championship R&M 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2002 FIA GT Championship Team Veloqx 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2003 Porsche Supercup Porsche AG 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
2006 Italian GT Championship Racing Box, Loris Kessel Racing 6 3 2 2 5 84 7th
2008 Australian GT Championship Rod Wilson 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Australian Tourist Trophy Trofeo Motorsport 2 0 0 0 0 66 5th
2009 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Automobili Lamborghini 3 0 0 0 0 6 11th
2010 Trofeo Maserati ? 2 1 2 ? 1 0 NC
2012 International GTSprint Series Kessel Racing 2 0 0 0 2 32 9th
2013 Italian Touring Car Championship ? ? ? ? ? ? 43 15th
Australian GT Championship Trofeo Motorsport 4 0 0 0 1 73 14th
2015 Italian GT Championship Team Pellin 2 0 0 0 0 2 42nd
2017 Australian GT Championship Trofeo Motorsport 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
Intercontinental GT Challenge 1 0 0 0 0 4 14th
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As Capelli was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

Complete International Formula 3000 resultsEdit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Template:Tooltip Pts
1985 Genoa Racing March 85B Cosworth SIL THR EST NÜR VAL
Template:Small
SPA
Template:Small
DIJ
Template:Small
PER
Template:Small
ÖST
Template:Small
ZAN
Template:Small
DON
Template:Small
7th 13
Sanremo Racing PAU
Template:Small
1986 Genoa Racing March 86B Cosworth SIL
Template:Small
VAL
Template:Small
PAU
Template:Small
SPA
Template:Small
IMO
Template:Small
MUG
Template:Small
PER
Template:Small
ÖST
Template:Small
BIR
Template:Small
BUG
Template:Small
JAR
Template:Small
1st 38
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Complete Macau Grand Prix resultsEdit

Year Team Chassis/Engine Qualifying Race1 Race2 Overall ranking
1984 Template:Flagicon Marlboro Theodore Racing Team RaltToyota 10th 7 5 5th
1986 Template:Flagicon David Price Racing w/ Marlboro Theodore Racing ReynardAlfa Romeo 16th 14 12 11th
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Complete Formula One resultsEdit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Template:Abbr Points
Template:F1 Tyrrell Racing Organisation Tyrrell 014 Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 t BRA POR SMR MON CAN DET FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA BEL EUR
Template:Small
RSA AUS
Template:Small
19th 3
Template:F1 Jolly Club SpA AGS JH21C Motori Moderni Tipo 615-90 1.5 V6 t BRA ESP SMR MON BEL CAN DET FRA GBR GER HUN AUT ITA
Template:Small
POR
Template:Small
MEX AUS NC 0
Template:F1 Leyton House March Racing Team March 87P Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5 V8 BRA
Template:Small
19th 1
March 871 SMR
Template:Small
BEL
Template:Small
MON
Template:Small
DET
Template:Small
FRA
Template:Small
GBR
Template:Small
GER
Template:Small
HUN
Template:Small
AUT
Template:Small
ITA
Template:Small
POR
Template:Small
ESP
Template:Small
MEX
Template:Small
JPN
Template:Small
AUS
Template:Small
Template:F1 Leyton House March Racing Team March 881 Judd CV 3.5 V8 BRA
Template:Small
SMR
Template:Small
MON
Template:Small
MEX
Template:Small
CAN
Template:Small
DET
Template:Small
FRA
Template:Small
GBR
Template:Small
GER
Template:Small
HUN
Template:Small
BEL
Template:Small
ITA
Template:Small
POR
Template:Small
ESP
Template:Small
JPN
Template:Small
AUS
Template:Small
7th 17
Template:F1 Leyton House Racing March 881 Judd CV 3.5 V8 BRA
Template:Small
SMR
Template:Small
NC 0
March CG891 Judd EV 3.5 V8 MON
Template:Small
MEX
Template:Small
USA
Template:Small
CAN
Template:Small
FRA
Template:Small
GBR
Template:Small
GER
Template:Small
HUN
Template:Small
BEL
Template:Small
ITA
Template:Small
POR
Template:Small
ESP
Template:Small
JPN
Template:Small
AUS
Template:Small
Template:F1 Leyton House Leyton House CG901 Judd EV 3.5 V8 USA
Template:Small
BRA
Template:Small
SMR
Template:Small
MON
Template:Small
CAN
Template:Small
MEX
Template:Small
FRA
Template:Small
GBR
Template:Small
GER
Template:Small
HUN
Template:Small
BEL
Template:Small
ITA
Template:Small
POR
Template:Small
ESP
Template:Small
JPN
Template:Small
AUS
Template:Small
10th 6
Template:F1 Leyton House Leyton House CG911 Ilmor 2175A 3.5 V10 USA
Template:Small
BRA
Template:Small
SMR
Template:Small
MON
Template:Small
CAN
Template:Small
MEX
Template:Small
FRA
Template:Small
GBR
Template:Small
GER
Template:Small
HUN
Template:Small
BEL
Template:Small
ITA
Template:Small
POR
17
ESP
Template:Small
JPN AUS 18th 1
Template:F1 Scuderia Ferrari SpA Ferrari F92A Ferrari 038 3.5 V12 RSA
Template:Small
MEX
Template:Small
BRA
Template:Small
ESP
10
SMR
Template:Small
MON
Template:Small
CAN
Template:Small
FRA
Template:Small
GBR
Template:Small
GER
Template:Small
HUN
Template:Small
BEL
Template:Small
13th 3
Ferrari F92AT ITA
Template:Small
POR
Template:Small
JPN AUS
Template:F1 Sasol Jordan Jordan 193 Hart 1035 3.5 V10 RSA
Template:Small
BRA
Template:Small
EUR SMR ESP MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR JPN AUS NC 0
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Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup resultsEdit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Template:Tooltip Pts
1994 Nissan Primera Racing Nissan Primera AVU
Template:Small
WUN
Template:Small
ZOL
Template:Small
ZAN
Template:Small
ÖST
Template:Small
SAL
Template:Small
SPA
Template:Small
NÜR
Template:Small
11th 21
1995 Nissan Primera Racing Nissan Primera ZOL
1

Template:Small
ZOL
2

Template:Small
SPA
1

Template:Small
SPA
2

Template:Small
ÖST
1

Template:Small
ÖST
2

Template:Small
HOC
1

Template:Small
HOC
2

Template:Small
NÜR
1

Template:Small
NÜR
2

Template:Small
SAL
1

Template:Small
SAL
2

Template:Small
AVU
1

Template:Small
AVU
2

Template:Small
NÜR
1
NÜR
2
29th 26
1996 Nissan Primera Racing Nissan Primera ZOL
1

Template:Small
ZOL
2

Template:Small
ASS
1

Template:Small
ASS
2

Template:Small
HOC
1
HOC
2
SAC
1
SAC
2
WUN
1
WUN
2
ZWE
1

Template:Small
ZWE
2

Template:Small
SAL
1

Template:Small
SAL
2

Template:Small
AVU
1
AVU
2
NÜR
1

Template:Small
NÜR
2

Template:Small
25th 49
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Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans resultsEdit

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Template:Tooltip Template:Tooltip
Template:24hLM Template:Flagicon Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Template:Flagicon Armin Hahne
Template:Flagicon Bertrand Gachot
Honda NSX GT1 GT1 7 DNF DNF
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Complete Porsche Supercup resultsEdit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Points Ref
2003 Porsche AG Porsche 996 GT3 ITA1
Template:Small
ESP AUT MON GER1 FRA GBR GER2 HUN ITA2 USA1 USA2 NC‡ 0‡ citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

‡ – Guest driver – Not eligible for points.

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

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