Gabriele Tarquini

Gabriele Tarquini
Born (1962-03-02) 2 March 1962
Giulianova, Abruzzo, Italy
WTCC / WTCR career
Years active1987, 20052021
TeamsAlfa Romeo, SEAT, Sunred, Lukoil, Honda, Lada, BRC
Starts269
Championships2 (2009, 2018)
Wins30
Podiums91
Poles20
Fastest laps32
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Italian
Active years19871992, 1995
TeamsOsella, Coloni, First, AGS, Fondmetal, Tyrrell
Entries78 (38 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points1
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1987 San Marino Grand Prix
Last entry1995 European Grand Prix
Previous series
Championship titles

Gabriele Tarquini (born 2 March 1962) is an Italian former racing driver, who competed in Formula One between 1987 and 1995, and World Touring Car from 2005 to 2021. In touring car racing, Tarquini won the World Touring Car Championship in 2009 with SEAT; he also won the British Touring Car Championship in 1994, the European Touring Car Championship in 2003, and the World Touring Car Cup in 2018.

Born in Giulianova, Tarquini began competitive kart racing aged 14. He participated in 78 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting at the 1987 San Marino Grand Prix. Across seven seasons, he competed for Osella, Coloni, First, AGS, Fondmetal, and Tyrrell. He scored a single championship point at the 1989 Mexican Grand Prix, and holds the record for the most failed attempts to qualify (40).

Tarquini subsequently competed in touring cars, winning the 1994 British Touring Car Championship with Alfa Romeo, and the 2003 European Touring Car Championship with Nordauto. By winning the 2009 World Touring Car Championship with SEAT, he became the oldest FIA World Champion, aged 47 years and 266 days. He later won the 2018 World Touring Car Cup with BRC, aged 56.