Andrea de Adamich
de Adamich in 1972 | |
| Born | 3 October 1941 Trieste, Italy |
|---|---|
| Died | 5 November 2025 (aged 84) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality | |
| Active years | 1968, 1970–1973 |
| Teams | Ferrari, McLaren, March, Surtees, Brabham |
| Entries | 36 (30 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 6 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1968 South African Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1973 British Grand Prix |
Andrea Lodovico de Adamich[1] (3 October 1941 – 5 November 2025) was an Italian racing driver. He participated in 34 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, making his championship debut at the 1968 South African Grand Prix with Scuderia Ferrari. Driving for multiple other teams in the early 1970s, de Adamich scored a total of six points throughout his Formula One career.[2] He also competed in endurance racing, and went on to become a TV pundit and commentator after his retirement from motorsport.
Career


Early career
De Adamich was born on 3 October 1941 in Trieste, Italy.[2] He started his racing career while doing hillclimbs and Formula Junior, later transitioning into touring and sportscars.[3] In 1965, he won the Italian Formula Three Championship, and in 1966, he won the European Touring Car Championship with Alfa Romeo, driving a 1600 GTA.[3][4] In 1968, he won the Temporada Formula Two Championship in Argentina.[3][5]
Formula One
After previously competing at the non-championship 1967 Spanish Grand Prix,[3] de Adamich made his Formula One championship debut at the 1968 South African Grand Prix with Scuderia Ferrari alongside Chris Amon and Jacky Ickx.[6] His season was cut short due to a heavy accident during a practice session for the 1968 Race of Champions; the accident led him to fall out of team owner Enzo Ferrari's favour.[7][8]
For the 1970 season, de Adamich moved to McLaren, driving with an Alfa Romeo engine. The Cosworth engine at the time was more dominant, and de Adamich's move to March (who also used Alfa Romeo engines) in 1971 led to similar results. He joined Surtees for the 1972 season, and scored his first Formula One points when he finished fourth in the Spanish Grand Prix.[3][7][9]
In 1973, de Adamich moved to Brabham. After a promising start of the season, when he finished fourth in the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder,[4] de Adamich's career was ended abruptly due to injuries sustained in a multiple-car pile-up at the British Grand Prix. The accident happened on the first lap, and de Adamich suffered from serious leg injuries as a result.[3][7]
Endurance racing
De Adamich also competed in endurance racing, winning two races in the 1971 World Sportscar Championship behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo T33/3. He finished in fourth at the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans.[10] De Adamich retired from racing in 1974.[11]
Later career
Following his retirement, de Adamich became a TV pundit and commentator in his native Italy. From 1978 through 2012, he hosted the TV sport program Grand Prix on Mediaset's Italia 1, and served as Italy's Formula One commentator from 1991 until 1996.[11][12] He played an important role in Alfa Romeo affiliated racing company N.Technology.[3][13] De Adamich helped create the Centro Internazionale Guida Sicura, an organization that helps promote safe driving.[11][14][15]
Personal life
In 2022, de Adamich was awarded as a Commendatore of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.[12][16]
De Adamich was married and had three children.[12] He died on 5 November 2025 at the age of 84.[14][17]
Andrea's son Gordon de Adamich, born in 1973, was also a racing driver, competing in the 1996 Italian Superturismo Championship.
Racing record
Complete European Formula Two Championship results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Pos. | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Lola Racing | Lola T100 | Ford | SNE | SIL | NÜR | HOC | TUL | JAR | ZAN | PER NC |
BRH | VAL | NC | 0 | |||||||
| 1968 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 166 | Ferrari | HOC | THR | JAR | PAL | TUL | ZAN | PER | HOC | VAL 2 |
10th | 6 | ||||||||
| 1969 | Roy Winkelmann Racing | Lotus 59 | Ford | THR | HOC | NÜR | JAR | TUL | PER | VAL 7 |
NC | 0 | ||||||||||
| 1970 | Scuderia Jolly Club | Brabham BT30 | Ford | THR | HOC | BAR | ROU 14 |
PER | TUL | IMO | HOC | NC | 0 | |||||||||
| 1972 | Team Surtees | Surtees TS10 | Ford | MAL | THR | HOC | PAU Ret |
PAL DNS |
HOC | ROU | ÖST Ret |
IMO 4 |
MAN | PER Ret |
SAL | ALB | HOC 17 |
19th | 4 | |||
| 1973 | Fina | Brabham BT40 | Ford | MAL | HOC | THR | NÜR | PAU | KIN | NIV Ret |
HOC Ret |
ROU | MNZ | MAN | KAR | PER | SAL | NOR | ALB | VAL | NC | 0 |
Source:[18]
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | WDC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 312/67 | Ferrari 242 3.0 V12 | RSA Ret |
ESP | MON | BEL | NED | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | CAN | USA | MEX | NC | 0 | |||
| 1970 | Bruce McLaren Motor Racing | McLaren M7D | Alfa Romeo T33 3.0 V8 | RSA | ESP DNQ |
MON DNQ |
BEL | FRA NC |
GBR DNS |
NC | 0 | |||||||||
| McLaren M14D | NED DNQ |
GER DNQ |
AUT 12 |
ITA 8 |
CAN Ret |
USA DNQ |
MEX | |||||||||||||
| 1971 | STP March | March 711 | Alfa Romeo T33 3.0 V8 | RSA 13 |
ESP Ret |
MON | NED | FRA Ret |
GBR NC |
GER Ret |
AUT | ITA Ret |
CAN | USA 11 |
NC | 0 | ||||
| 1972 | Ceramica Pagnossin Team Surtees | Surtees TS9B | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG Ret |
RSA NC |
ESP 4 |
MON 7 |
BEL Ret |
FRA 14 |
GBR Ret |
GER 13 |
AUT 14 |
ITA Ret |
CAN Ret |
USA Ret |
17th | 3 | |||
| 1973 | Ceramica Pagnossin Team Surtees | Surtees TS9B | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG | BRA | RSA 8 |
16th | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Ceramica Pagnossin Team MRD | Brabham BT37 | ESP Ret |
BEL 4 |
MON 7 |
SWE | FRA Ret |
||||||||||||||
| Brabham BT42 | GBR Ret |
NED | GER | AUT | ITA | CAN | USA | |||||||||||||
Source:[18]
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Non-championship Formula One results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 312/67 | Ferrari 242 3.0 V12 | ROC | SPC | INT | SYR | OUL | ESP 9 |
| 1968 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 312/67 | Ferrari 242 3.0 V12 | ROC DNS |
INT | OUL | |||
| 1969 | Team Surtees | Surtees TS5 | Chevrolet 5.0 V8 | ROC | INT | MAD | OUL 3 |
||
| 1972 | Ceramica Pagnossin Team Surtees | Surtees TS9B | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ROC | BRA | INT | OUL | REP 2 |
VIC 3 |
Source:[18]
| |||||||||
Complete European F5000 Championship results
(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 | Pos. | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Team Surtees | Surtees TS5 | Chevrolet 5.0 V8 | OUL DNS |
BRH 7 |
BRH 12 |
MAL 4 |
SIL DNS |
MON 13 |
KOK 4 |
ZAN | SNE | HOC | OUL | BRH | 12th | 625 |
Source:[18]
| |||||||||||||||||
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Alfa Romeo 33/3 | P 3.0 | 222 | DNF | DNF | ||
| 1972 | Alfa Romeo 33/3 | S 3.0 | 307 | 4th | 4th | ||
Source:[19]
| |||||||
References
- ^ FIA Year Book of Automobile Sport 1975. Patrick Stephens Ltd. 1975. white p. 34. ISBN 0-85059-195-3.
- ^ a b "Andrea De ADAMICH". Stats F1. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Turner, Kevin (6 November 2025). "Ex-F1 racer and touring car champion Andrea de Adamich dies aged 84". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b Spencer, Ed (5 November 2025). "F1: Former Ferrari and McLaren Ace Andrea De Adamich Passes Away Aged 84". autoevolution. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "1968 Temporada F2 Championship". Motor Sport. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ Giraldi, Luca (4 October 2021). "The Man Who Conquered Speed". Ferrari. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Widdows, Rob (October 2013). "Tale of the unlikely F1 driver: Andrea de Adamich's leap from law school to Ferrari". Motor Sport. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "Andrea de Adamich ist tot, Trauer in Italien / Formel 1 - SPEEDWEEK.com". www.speedweek.com (in German). 5 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "Andrea de Adamich". McLaren. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "Bahrain Wednesday Notebook – Sportscar365". 5 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b c "Andrea de Adamich: from F1 to driving school in the Motor Valley". Motor Valley. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Jackson, Kieran (6 November 2025). "Former McLaren and Ferrari F1 driver dies aged 84". The Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Andrea de Adamich". Historic Racing. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Farewell, Andrea de Adamich". Ferrari. 5 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "Learn More". Centro Guida Sicura. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "De Adamich Mr. Andrea". www.quirinale.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Leb wohl, Andrea de Adamich". www.ferrari.com (in German). Retrieved 12 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Andrea de Adamich – Biography". MotorSportMagazine. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "All Results of Andrea de Adamich". RacingSportCars. Retrieved 3 February 2019.