My Take
Elio de Angelis was one of those rare racing drivers who seemed too cultured, too elegant for the brutal world of Formula One — a classically trained pianist from a wealthy Roman family who just happened to be genuinely, devastatingly quick behind the wheel. I always find myself drawn to his story: eight seasons in F1, two Grand Prix wins with Lotus, a third-place finish in the 1984 championship, and through it all this air of quiet sophistication that set him apart from the macho posturing of the era. He was a real artist in both senses of the word, and it makes the loss all the sharper — killed at a Brabham test session in France in May 1986, just 28 years old, right when he seemed poised for more. Formula One lost something genuinely irreplaceable that day.
Overview
Elio de Angelis (26 March 1958 – 15 May 1986) was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1979 to 1986. In Formula One, De Angelis drove for Shadow, Lotus and Brabham, winning two Grands Prix across eight seasons. He finished third in the 1984 World Drivers' Championship with Lotus.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Elio de Angelis
- Name (Japanese)
- エリオ・デ・アンジェリス
- Reading
- えりお・で・あんじぇりす
- Born
- March 26, 1958 – May 15, 1986
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Dog
- Origin
- Rome, Province of Rome, Italy
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- motorcycle racer / racing automobile driver / Formula One driver / pianist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.