Although I'm pretty sure(?) that Italian MotoGP
rider Franco Morbidelli isn't related to Gianni, nonetheless, that name made me
think of a long forgotten Formula 1 racer, not to mention the current lack of
Italian's competing in thy pinnacle 'O motorsport!
And although Franco's actually won a title,
taking the 2013 600 Super Sport crown, I'm more familiar with Gianni, who after
all got his dream of driving a Ferrari Formula 1 car for la Scuderia,
substituting for the ousted Frenchman Alain Prost, who'd rubbed Scuderia
Ferrari's nose one too many times, with Morbidelli getting the drive at the
1991 season ending Australian Grand
Prix, where he finished sixth, but was only awarded one-half point due
to the race ending prematurely due to inclement weather conditions.
Gianni drove for a variety of Formula 1
teams, including Scuderia Italia, Minardi, Ferrari, Footwork and Sauber, with
his best season being 1995 where he finished third at Adelaide, in a race of
attrition, with Damon Hill winning the Australian GP by a 'Mega two-laps ahead
of Olivier Panis's Ligier Mugen-Honda and Morbidelli's Footwork-Hart.
While I'm also
pretty certain that Alex de Angelis isn't related to Elio...
As interestingly, Alex replaced the
"Texas Tornado," aka Colin Edwards midway thru last season, and will
contest the 2015 MotoGP season for Octo Ioda Racing, aboard their ART Open
Class Scooter.
Yeah, Yuhs guessed I-T! Elio's another Gran
Primo Piloto from the past, who tragically died in 1986 during a test session
in Gordon Murray's radical "laydown" BT55 chassis at Paul Ricard.
Although the accident itself was fairly light with De Angelis dying due to
oxygen starvation from fire - where there was a lack of track safety personnel
for such incidents...
And lastly, albeit not connected to Scooter racing;
Hya! I've already cleverly noted my Cornfusion' over reigning Indy Lights
champion and rookie IndyCar racer Gabby Chaves, who I'm hoping has a very
successful rookie campaign this year for the Minnowesqe Bryan Herta Autosport
team. Whilst NO idea what Pedro's up too...
