Gian Luigi Picchi ( Tivoli, 28 October 1946) is an Italian racing driver.
Picchi arrives young in the world of sports motorsport, coming from Karting. Already recognized as a particular talent (he was Italian team champion with Arcionia Karting in 1963 and European team champion with the national team in 1965), he made his debut in the minor categories of single-seaters (K250 Tecno) becoming Italian vice-champion in 1966, to move on to F850, where he made his debut with the Lucky-Genovese in 1967, immediately winning two races. In 1968 he was the official driver of De SanctisF850 and becomes the Italian champion of the specialty by winning four races (he is the first driver from Kart to win a car championship in Italy). In 1968 he began racing in Formula 3 and in 1969 he became the Italian champion as an official Tecno driver.
Subject ID: 46677
MoreGian Luigi Picchi ( Tivoli, 28 October 1946) is an Italian racing driver.
Picchi arrives young in the world of sports motorsport, coming from Karting. Already recognized as a particular talent (he was Italian team champion with Arcionia Karting in 1963 and European team champion with the national team in 1965), he made his debut in the minor categories of single-seaters (K250 Tecno) becoming Italian vice-champion in 1966, to move on to F850, where he made his debut with the Lucky-Genovese in 1967, immediately winning two races. In 1968 he was the official driver of De SanctisF850 and becomes the Italian champion of the specialty by winning four races (he is the first driver from Kart to win a car championship in Italy). In 1968 he began racing in Formula 3 and in 1969 he became the Italian champion as an official Tecno driver.
Towards the end of the 1969 season he was invited by the official Alfa Romeo Autodelta team to a selection of drivers, where he was the fastest among the 25 called up. The beginning of the 1970 season saw him still winning in two F3 races, but he was then called up as official Autodelta driver for the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC), where during the season he won in two races (Nürburgring and Zandvoort) and became European vice-champion in division 2. For the 1971 season the CSAI entrusted him with the Formula 2 caras an emerging driver, but after only four races punctuated by mechanical failures Picchi leaves the F2 championship. Also in 1971 the Autodelta awarded Picchi the GTA Junior 1300, with which he won the European Touring Car Championship by winning in six of the nine races held (Monza, Salzburgring, Brno, Zandvoort, Paul Ricard, Jarama). In 1972 he was again victorious in three ETCC races and thus contributed decisively to the conquest of the European Makes Championship for Alfa Romeo. This year he participates in the tests of the Alfa Romeo 33 / 3000TT and is included as official driver for the World Championship, but due to the protest of Alfa Romeo against the regulation adopted theAutodelta leaves the 1973 season.
That same year, at the birth of the first of three children, Picchi decides to leave the professional racing activity and retires from competitions. In 1988 he was called to compete in historic races, where he won twice with the Alfa Romeo 2600 and the Ferrari 250 GTO. In 1990 he participated in the N2 Italian Touring Championship with Vaccari Motori, where he won in Magione and led the championship until the accident in Imola, which deprived him of the car. In 2004 he participated with Maurizio Flammini in the Superstars series, where he won at Mugello in the inaugural race with the BMW M5of Vaccari Motori.
During his competitive career he took part in 115 races in three years, winning 44.
Subject ID: 46677
Subject ID: 46677