Andrea de Cesaris
An Italian Formula One driver whose blistering speed was often shadowed by spectacular crashes, making him one of the sport's most unforgettable characters.
1959–2014 (age 55)·Italian racing driver·Birthday: May 31·Baby Boomers
Biography
Andrea de Cesaris entered Formula One with the weight of expectation, a young Italian talent signed by Alfa Romeo. His career became a long, winding tale of unfulfilled promise and dramatic incidents. He possessed raw, undeniable speed, securing pole positions and leading races for teams like McLaren and Ligier. Yet, his aggressive style frequently led to shunts, earning him a reputation for being accident-prone. Over 14 seasons, he started a staggering 208 grands prix without ever winning one, a record he held for decades. This statistic, however, fails to capture the full picture of a driver who was fiercely fast on his day and whose never-say-die attitude saw him drive for ten different constructors, becoming a familiar and popular figure in the paddock through sheer longevity and passion.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Andrea was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrea Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Andrea's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2014Died at 55
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Held the record for most Formula One Grand Prix starts (208) without a race victory for nearly 30 years.
- Secured two pole positions during his career, at the 1985 German Grand Prix and the 1989 Canadian Grand Prix.
- Achieved five podium finishes, with a best result of second place at the 1983 Belgian Grand Prix driving for Alfa Romeo.
- Led a significant portion of the 1983 South African Grand Prix, showcasing his competitive pace with Alfa Romeo.
Did You Know?
He was an accomplished windsurfer and participated in professional competitions after his F1 career.
De Cesaris worked in currency trading for a major bank following his retirement from racing.
His nickname among fans and journalists was 'Andrea de Crasheris', a play on his accident-prone reputation.
He turned down a drive with the Ferrari team for the 1991 season.
“I had the speed to win races, but the car and my luck often had other plans.”
