Lamberto Leoni Explained

Lamberto Leoni
Nationality: Italian
Birth Date:24 May 1953
Birth Place:Argenta, Italy
Years:
Races:5 (1 start)
Championships:0
Wins:0
Podiums:0
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
Points:0
Last Race:1978 United States Grand Prix West

Lamberto Leoni (born 24 May 1953) is a former racing driver from Italy. He participated in five Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, failing to qualify for three of them. He scored no championship points.

Career

After racing in Italian Formula 3, Leoni graduated to European Formula 2 in 1976. He had a promising start, finishing third in his first race with Massimo Ciccozzi's team Scuderia del Passatore at Autódromo do Estoril. He then raced for Giancarlo Minardi's Scuderia Everest, with mixed results. His best result came the following season, when he won at Misano with a car fielded by Scuderia Trivellato.

In 1977 Leoni made his Formula One debut with Surtees at the 1977 Italian Grand Prix, replacing Vern Schuppan, but failed to qualify. The following year he joined Morris Nunn's Ensign. Leoni qualified for the opening event, the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix, but was forced to retire the car after 28 laps because of an engine failure. At the following race in Brazil, Leoni once again managed to qualify but was prevented from starting the race after his transmission broke down during the formation lap. After failing to qualify the car in the following two races in South Africa and the United States, Leoni departed from the team and was replaced by Jacky Ickx.

Leoni returned to Formula 2 and then Formula 3000. In 1987 he formed his own First Racing team. Following a few moderately successful seasons, with wins for drivers Marco Apicella and Pierluigi Martini, in 1989 Leoni made an abortive attempt to enter Formula One with a car designed by Richard Divila and Gabriele Tarquini at the wheel. The car, however, was poorly assembled and although Leoni commissioned a second chassis, he eventually elected to end the team experience in Formula One. The second chassis was then purchased by Ernesto Vita for his unsuccessful Life outfit.

Leoni subsequently managed the career of Apicella, who ended up winning the Super Formula Championship in 1994 and have an outing in Formula One with Jordan Grand Prix in 1993.

In the early 1990s, Leoni resumed his racing career by becoming involved in powerboat racing. He was able to win several races and narrowly missed the 1993 World Championship.[1]

Racing record

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011121314Pts
Scuderia del PassatoreMarch 752BMWEST
THR
HOC
NÜR
PAUHOC
SALROUMUG
PER
SILZOLNOGVAL18th4
Scuderia EverestRalt RT1FerrariSILTHR
HOC
NÜRVAL
PAU
MUG
ROU
NOG
11th9
Trivellato Racing TeamChevron B40BMWPER
MIS
EST
DON
Lamberto LeoniAmaroliSILHOCTHRNÜRVAL
MUG
PAUHOCZANPERMISDONNC0
Team MerzarioBMWSILHOCTHRNÜRMUGVALPAUSPAHOCDONMANPERMIS
NC0
Schweizer Automobil RennsportBMWSIL
20th1
James Gresham RacingTHR
HOC
NÜR
VAL
PAU
JARDONMISPERZOLMUG
Emco SportsMinardi M283BMWSIL
HOC
NC0
Minardi TeamTHR
VALMUGPAUHOCMIS
PER
DON
BRH

Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112Pts
1985PMC MotorsportSIL
THR
ESTNÜRVAL
PAU
SPA
DIJ
11th 8
Corbari ItaliaPER
ÖST
ZAN
DON
1986ITI 3000SIL
VAL
PAU
SPA
IMO
MUG
PER
ÖST
BIRBUGJARNC0
1987First RacingMarch 87BCosworthSIL
VAL
SPA
PAU
DON
PER
BRH
BIR
IMO
9th12
JuddBUG
JAR

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617Pts
1977Team SurteesSurtees TS19Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARGBRARSAUSWESPMONBELSWEFRAGBRGERAUTNEDITA
USACANJPNNC0
1978Team Tissot EnsignEnsign N177Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARG
BRA
RSA
USW
MONBELESPSWEFRAGBRGERAUTNEDITAUSACANNC0

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 8W - Who? - Lamberto Leoni.