For Formula 1, this was a particularly sad weekend with the life-threatening crash of Jules Bianchi in the Japanese Grand Prix and the fatal motorcycle accident of former Grand Prix racer Andrea de Cesaris. Much better than his reputation suggests, the Italian's Formula 1 career spanned the better part of fourteen seasons, racing for the likes of Alfa Romeo, McLaren, Jordan and Sauber. To pay tribute to De Cesaris, we have today highlighted the very first Grand Prix car he raced; the Alfa Romeo 179. Introduced in late in 1979, this V12-engined machine was campaigned by the Italian manufacturer well into the 1982 season. Success was limited as Alfa Romeo never quite managed to grasp the intricacies of the ground effect aerodynamics. De Cesaris debuted with one of the featured examples late in 1980 during the Canadian Grand Prix. His race lasted only eight laps after the V12 engine in his Alfa Romeo failed. He nevertheless impressed and was signed by McLaren for the 1981 season.
We saw the ex-De Cesaris and ex-Giacomelli Alfa Romeo 179 in action at the recent Historic Grand Prix Zandvoort and have captured every angle in this 33-shot gallery.
Enjoy the links:
1979 - 1981 Alfa Romeo 179 - Images, Specifications and Information