Alessandro Nannini

Alessandro “Sandro” Nannini is an Italian former racing driver who competed in Formula One between 1986 and 1990. Driving for Benetton, he achieved his only Grand Prix victory at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix.

Nationality	Italian
Born	7 July 1959 Siena, Italy

Born in Siena, Nannini is the younger brother of renowned Italian singer Gianna Nannini. His racing career began in rallying before he moved into single-seater racing in the early 1980s. After competing in Formula Two with Minardi and racing sports prototypes for Lancia, he made his Formula One debut in 1986.

His F1 career was tragically cut short in 1990 after a helicopter accident severed his right forearm. Remarkably, he later returned to motorsport in touring cars and endurance racing, winning races in both disciplines.

Sportscar racing

While racing in Formula Two, Nannini also drove in the World Sportscar Championship for Lancia. He competed in the powerful but notoriously fragile Lancia LC2 prototype.

At the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans, Nannini set the race’s fastest lap while battling for the lead with the Kremer Racing Porsche 956 driven by 1980 Formula One world champion Alan Jones. Sharing the car with French driver Bob Wollek, the pair eventually finished eighth.

Later that year, Nannini scored a major victory at the 1000 km of Kyalami, winning alongside Riccardo Patrese.

Formula One debut with Minardi (1986–1987)

Giancarlo Minardi originally intended to promote Nannini to Formula One in 1985, but the sport’s governing body, FISA, controversially refused to grant him the required Super Licence. Instead, the seat went to his former Formula Two teammate Pierluigi Martini.

Nannini continued racing sports cars in 1985 before finally receiving his Super Licence in 1986, allowing him to debut in Formula One with Minardi at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Minardi cars were both slow and unreliable, largely due to their underpowered Motori Moderni V6 engine. Across two seasons, Nannini suffered 26 retirements in 30 race starts, finishing only four races.

Despite this, his pace did not go unnoticed. In 1986, he often outperformed his more experienced teammate, Andrea de Cesaris, whose frustration reportedly led him to demand that the team give him Nannini’s car if the younger driver proved faster.

Away from Formula One, Nannini added an unusual victory to his résumé by winning the 1987 Mille Miglia alongside veteran driver Giorgio Marin.

Benetton years (1988–1990)

Nannini’s breakthrough came when Benetton signed him for the 1988 season alongside Thierry Boutsen.

He immediately demonstrated his potential, scoring his first championship point in only his second race for the team. By the end of the season, he had claimed two podium finishes and placed 10th in the Drivers’ Championship.

With Boutsen moving to Williams for 1989, Nannini effectively became team leader alongside rookie Johnny Herbert. That season produced the defining moment of his Formula One career.

At the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Nannini ran third behind the McLaren teammates Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. When the two collided while battling for the lead, Prost retired, and Senna rejoined the race after receiving assistance and replacing his damaged front wing.

Although Senna crossed the finish line first, he was later disqualified for cutting the chicane, which handed victory to Nannini — the only Formula One win of his career.

He ended the season strongly with second place in torrential rain at Adelaide, finishing sixth in the championship.

In 1990, triple world champion Nelson Piquet joined Benetton, placing Nannini back in a supporting role. Nevertheless, he continued to impress by frequently matching the Brazilian’s pace.

At the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, he briefly led the race by staying out on worn tyres, holding off Senna’s faster McLaren for 16 laps before eventually finishing second. He was also competitive at the Hungarian Grand Prix before being controversially forced off the track by Senna while chasing leader Thierry Boutsen.

Helicopter accident and the end of Formula One career

On 12 October 1990, only a week after finishing third at the Spanish Grand Prix, Nannini was involved in a helicopter accident at his family vineyard near Siena.

When the helicopter attempted to land, the ground beneath it gave way. In the resulting crash Nannini suffered a catastrophic injury that severed his right forearm.

Thanks to advanced microsurgery, the arm was successfully reattached, but the injury effectively ended his Formula One career. Nannini had already been confirmed at Benetton for the 1991 season, and both Ferrari and McLaren had reportedly shown interest in signing him.

Return to racing

Despite regaining only partial use of his right hand, Nannini was determined to race again.

Ferrari invited him to test at its Fiorano circuit in 1992 using Jean Alesi’s Ferrari F92A fitted with a specially modified steering wheel. He completed 38 laps during the test.

Benetton team boss Flavio Briatore later honoured a promise to give him another opportunity behind the wheel, arranging a further test at Estoril in 1996.

Touring cars and GT racing

Nannini successfully reinvented himself in touring car racing during the 1990s, driving for Alfa Romeo in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM), later known as the International Touring Car Championship.

He finished fourth overall in the 1994 DTM season and achieved his best championship result in 1996, placing third in the ITC standings.

In 1997, he moved into GT racing with Mercedes in the FIA GT Championship. That season he claimed a race victory at Suzuka and finished sixth in the championship before retiring from professional racing.

Later life

After stepping away from motorsport, Nannini became a successful businessman. He operates a chain of upscale cafés bearing his name, with locations not only in Italy but also internationally, including Indonesia.

He briefly returned to the track in 2007 to compete in the short-lived Grand Prix Masters series for former Formula One drivers, where he was reunited with his former Benetton teammate Johnny Herbert.

Motorsport remains part of the Nannini family: Matteo Nannini, the son of one of Alessandro’s cousins, has also pursued a racing career, competing in Formula 3 and later in Indy NXT.