Andrea de Adamich

With success in the 1965 Italian F3 championship and the 1966 European touring car series in an Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA behind him, de Adamich was given a works debut for Ferrari in the non-championship F1 Spanish GP at Jarama late in 1967 - finishing ninth after a puncture - but his Grand Prix career as a Ferrari driver faltered at the first hurdle with an accident at Kyalami in 1968 and came undone shortly afterwards when a crash in practice for the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch inflicted neck injuries which sidelined him for much of the season. Despite a victorious comeback with the works Ferrari Dino T166 which saw him win two races and the championship in the South American Formula 2 Temporada series, the Italian's big chance had gone.

Undaunted, he busied himself in the newly inaugurated F5000/FA series for Team Surtees on both sides of the Atlantic before returning to F1 in 1970, initially with backing from Alfa Romeo, racing their engine in a variety of 'third' works cars. A switch to Ford power made possible occasional good placings, but leg injuries sustained in the multiple accident caused by Jody Scheckter in the 1973 British Grand Prix brought his Formula 1 career to a premature end.

In parallel to his activities in Grand Prix racing, de Adamich was a works driver for Alfa Romeo in their successful T33 sports cars from 1970 to 1974, winning the Brands Hatch 1000 Km and the Watkins Glen 6 Hours in 1971. When his hectic racing schedule allowed, he also competed in Can-Am, touring cars and hill-climbs. After his retirement in 1974 Andrea returned to the Grand Prix scene as a respected motor sport journalist and TV commentator.