Andrea de Adamich, former F1 driver and commentator, dies at 84

Andrea de Adamich, the Italian racing driver who went on to become a prominent Formula 1 commentator, has died at the age of 84, his passing prompted widespread tributes across the Italian motorsport community. De Adamich lived in Varano, near the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti, and remained closely associated with Alfa Romeo and Italian racing for decades after retiring from competition.

Born in Trieste in 1941, de Adamich rose through hillclimbs and junior formulas, winning the 1965 Italian Formula 3 title before establishing himself as a touring car and sportscar specialist. Driving for Alfa Romeo, he won the European Touring Car Division 2 title in 1966 and repeated the class success the following year, taking several high-profile victories including the Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park.

Those results opened the door to single-seater racing. De Adamich competed in Formula 1 between 1968 and 1973, driving for Ferrari, McLaren, March, Surtees and Brabham. He recorded his best World Championship results with two fourth-place finishes, at the 1972 Spanish Grand Prix and the 1973 Belgian Grand Prix. He also scored notable sportscar results with Alfa Romeo, including a fourth place at Le...