Pierluigi Martini


Pierluigi Martini is an Italian former racing driver. He won the 1999 24 hours of Le Mans and participated in 124 Formula One Grands Prix between 1984 and 1995.

Early life

Martini's uncle, Giancarlo Martini, raced during the 1970s, including some non-championship races in a Ferrari 312T entered by Scuderia Everest, a team owned by Giancarlo Minardi. Pierluigi's younger brother, Oliver, is also a racing driver.

Formula One

Martini participated in 124 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 9 September 1984, driving for Toleman in place of suspended Ayrton Senna at the 1984 Italian Grand Prix. He scored a total of 18 championship points and was synonymous with the Minardi team.
at the 1994 British Grand Prix
at the 1995 British Grand Prix
at the 2016 Adelaide Motorsport Festival
Indeed, aside from a single outing with Toleman and a one-season dalliance with Scuderia Italia in 1992, Martini's entire Formula One career was spent with the Italian outfit. He raced with the minnow team in three different stints, drove for them on their debut in 1985, scored their first point in the 1988 Detroit Grand Prix, and their only front-row start at the 1990 United States Grand Prix. Both Martini and Minardi led a race for a single lap at the 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix, and their joint-best finish was 4th at the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix and 1991 Portuguese Grand Prix, the latter being Martini's single finish on the lead lap. Initially out of a drive for 1993, he was recalled back to the little Italian team midway through the season in place of Fabrizio Barbazza, Martini impressed by outpacing his young team mate Christian Fittipaldi.
Martini was also one of the drivers with a reputation for ignoring blue flags. Examples given are the 1991 Monaco Grand Prix when he held up Emanuele Pirro in the Dallara, Stefano Modena in the Tyrrell, and Riccardo Patrese in the Williams for several laps despite running towards the back of the field, and the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix where he blocked Gerhard Berger in the Ferrari when the Austrian tried to lap him. On both occasions Martini was called in for a 10-second stop and go penalty for ignoring blue flags. Quizzed about this attitude on the occasion of the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix, where he held up winner Damon Hill, Martini replied: 'What should I exactly apologise for? My trajectories are always clean. Should I just park the car on the grass? I'm here to do my race like anybody else. I've always been correct. Those who complain about my conduct should explain why they cannot overtake me when their car has at least 150 hp more than mine'.

Sportscars

Prior to commencing his Formula One career, Martini drove a Lancia LC2 in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans. After leaving Formula One, he began a successful career in sportscar racing. He contested the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche run by Joest Racing. 1997 brought a fourth-place finish in a Porsche 911 GT1 which he also raced in the FIA GT Championship that year. In 1998, he joined the brand new Le Mans program of BMW Motorsports.
In 1999, Martini, Yannick Dalmas and Joachim Winkelhock won the Le Mans 24 Hours. The trio drove for BMW. The team had to fight both Toyota and Mercedes works cars and won the race by a lap from the runner-up Toyota.
Martini returned to motorsports in 2006, competing in the Grand Prix Masters series for retired Formula One drivers.

Racing record

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112Pts
Minardi Team SrlMinardi M283BMWSILTHRHOCNÜRVALPAUJARDONMIS
2		PERZOLMUG11th6

Complete International Formula 3000 results

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011Pts
1986Pavesi CorseRalt RB20CosworthSIL
19		VAL
10		PAU
DNQ		SPA
11		2nd36
1986Pavesi CorseRalt RT20CosworthIMO
1		MUG
1		PER
2		ÖST
7		BIR
2		BUG
Ret		JAR
1		2nd36
1987Pavesi RacingRalt RT21CosworthSIL
5		VAL
Ret		SPA
Ret		PAU
7		DON
8		BRH
20		BIR
Ret		IMO
Ret		BUG
7		11th8
1987Pavesi RacingRalt RT20CosworthPER
2		JAR
9		11th8
1988First RacingMarch 88BJuddJER
8		VAL
11		PAU
3		SIL
10		MNZ
Ret		PER
1		BRH
2		BIR
3		BUGZOL
Ret		DIJ
10		4th23

Complete Formula One results

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617WDCPoints
1984Toleman Group MotorsportToleman TG184Hart Straight-4BRARSABELSMRFRAMONCANDETDALGBRGERAUTNEDITA
DNQ		EURPORNC0
1985Minardi TeamMinardi M185Cosworth V8BRA
Ret		POR
Ret		NC0
1985Minardi TeamMinardi M185MM V6SMR
Ret		MON
DNQ		CAN
Ret		DET
Ret		FRA
Ret		GBR
Ret		GER
11		AUT
Ret		NED
Ret		ITA
Ret		BEL
12		EUR
Ret		RSA
Ret		AUS
8		NC0
1988Lois Minardi TeamMinardi M188Cosworth V8BRASMRMONMEXCANDET
6		FRA
15		GBR
15		GER
DNQ		HUN
Ret		BEL
DNQ		ITA
Ret		POR
Ret		ESP
Ret		JPN
13		AUS
7		17th1
1989Minardi Team SpAMinardi M188BCosworth V8BRA
Ret		SMR
Ret		MON
Ret		15th5
1989Minardi Team SpAMinardi M189Cosworth V8MEX
Ret		USA
Ret		CAN
Ret		FRA
Ret		GBR
5		GER
9		HUN
Ret		BEL
9		ITA
7		POR
5		ESP
Ret		JPNAUS
6		15th5
1990SCM Minardi TeamMinardi M189Cosworth V8USA
7		BRA
9		NC0
1990SCM Minardi TeamMinardi M190Cosworth V8SMR
DNS		MON
Ret		CAN
Ret		MEX
12		FRA
Ret		GBR
Ret		GER
Ret		HUN
Ret		BEL
15		ITA
Ret		POR
11		ESP
Ret		JPN
8		AUS
9		NC0
1991Minardi TeamMinardi M191Ferrari V12USA
9		BRA
Ret		SMR
4		MON
12		CAN
7		MEX
Ret		FRA
9		GBR
9		GER
Ret		HUN
Ret		BEL
12		ITA
Ret		POR
4		ESP
13		JPN
Ret		AUS
Ret		11th6
1992Scuderia Italia SpABMS Dallara 192Ferrari V12RSA
Ret		MEX
Ret		BRA
Ret		ESP
6		SMR
6		MON
Ret		CAN
8		FRA
10		GBR
15		GER
11		HUN
Ret		BEL
Ret		ITA
8		POR
Ret		JPN
10		AUS
Ret		16th2
1993Minardi TeamMinardi M193Ford V8RSABRAEURSMRESPMONCANFRAGBR
Ret		GER
14		HUN
Ret		BEL
Ret		ITA
7		POR
8		JPN
10		AUS
Ret		NC0
1994Minardi Scuderia ItaliaMinardi M193BFord V8BRA
8		PAC
Ret		SMR
Ret		MON
Ret		ESP
5		21st4
1994Minardi Scuderia ItaliaMinardi M194Ford V8CAN
9		FRA
5		GBR
10		GER
Ret		HUN
Ret		BEL
8		ITA
Ret		POR
12		EUR
15		JPN
Ret		AUS
9		21st4
1995Minardi Scuderia ItaliaMinardi M195Ford V8BRA
DNS		ARG
Ret		SMR
12		ESP
14		MON
7		CAN
Ret		FRA
Ret		GBR
7		GER
Ret		HUNBELITAPOREURPACJPNAUSNC0

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results