Paolo Barilla

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Paolo Barilla bigraphy, stories - Italian racing driver

Paolo Barilla : biography

20 April 1961 –

Paolo Barilla (born 20 April 1961 in Milan, Italy) is a former Formula One driver who raced for the Minardi team. Paolo is one of the heirs of the vast Barilla pasta empire.

Barilla started racing in 1975 and won the Italian 100cc karting title in 1976. In 1980 he entered Formula Fiat Abarth, and moved up to Formula 3 in 1981, where he won some races and finished third in the Italian Championship. Barilla then entered Formula 2 in 1982 with Minardi, but between 1983 and 1988 he concentrated in sports car racing, winning 24 Hours of Le Mans by a three lap margin in 1985, among other victories, in the Joest Racing Porsche 956, co-driven at times with Klaus Ludwig, Paul Belmondo, Marc Duez, and Louis Krages (also known at the time as John Winter).

In 1987 Barilla returned to single-seaters and raced in the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship, before returning to Minardi in 1989 for a test. This test gave him the chance to replace Pierluigi Martini at Suzuka that year and afterwards was signed to drive for the team in 1990. Barilla wasn’t quick enough to qualify regularly, and was replaced before the end of the year by Gianni Morbidelli.

Racing record

Complete European Formula Two 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 13 Pos Pts
1981 Minardi Team Minardi Fly 281 Ferrari SIL HOC THR NÜR VAL MUG PAU PERRet SPA 0
BMW DON10 MIS MAN
1982 Minardi Team Srl Minardi Fly 281B BMW SIL7 HOCRet THR7 MUGRet VAL11 PAUDNQ SPA12 HOC12 DONDSQ MANRet PERRet MIS8 0
Ferrari NÜR15
1983 Minardi Team Srl Minardi M283 BMW SIL THR HOC NÜR VAL PAU JAR DON MIS PER ZOLNC MUG 0

Complete International Formula 3000 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 DC Points
1986 San Remo Racing March 85B Cosworth SIL VAL PAU SPA IMO MUG PER ZEL BIR BUGDNQ JAR 0
1987 Pavesi Racing Ralt RT21 Cosworth SIL11 VALRet SPARet PAU8 PER7 BRHRet BIRRet IMO8 BUG17 0
Ralt RT20 DON10 JARDNQ
1988 Colin Bennett Racing March 88B Cosworth JERRet 17th 3
Spirit TOM’s Racing Ralt 88D VALDNQ PAURet SILRet MNZRet PERDNQ BRH4 BIR
Jordan Racing BUGRet ZOLRet DIJ7

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
1989 Minardi SpA Minardi M189 Cosworth V8 BRA SMR MON MEX USA CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPNRet AUS NC 0
1990 SCM Minardi Team Minardi M189 Cosworth V8 USARet BRARet NC 0
Minardi M190 SMR11 MONRet CANDNQ MEX14 FRADNQ GBR12 GERDNQ HUN15 BELRet ITADNQ PORDNQ ESPDNQ JPN AUS