MOTORSPORT GREATS

MICHELE ALBORETO

The last time Formula 1 raced in Las Vegas, the circuit was an uninspiring layout set around the car park of the Caesars Palace casino. At least the race proved eventful. In that final grand prix of 1982, Michele Alboreto scored his first F1 win and Tyrrell’s first for four years. The Italian won again for the team in Detroit the following year, then made a dream switch to Ferrari, for which he won the 1984 Belgian GP. He challenged Alain Prost for the 1985 title, scoring two wins that season, but never added another before briefly rejoining Tyrrell in 1989. He subsequently raced for

Larrousse, Footwork Arrows for three years, BMS Scuderia Italia and finally Minardi, notching up 194 GP starts. Smooth, stylish and popular, Alboreto then won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1997, sharing a Porsche WSC 95 with old F1 comrade Stefan Johansson and a young Tom Kristensen. He joined Audi as it began its domination in sports cars, but in the wake of winning the 2001 Sebring 12 Hours, Alboreto was killed when a tyre failed while he was testing at the Lausitzring in Germany. His loss shocked the motorsport world to its core.