Alboreto, early years

Wins in the Italian Formula Three championship and a European Formula Three championship crown in 1980, five wins between the two series, paved the way for Michele Alboreto’s entrance into Formula One with the Tyrrell team.

At the age of 24, Alboreto made his Formula One debut at the 1981 San Marino Grand Prix for the Cosworth-powered Tyrrell Racing team. He failed to score a point in the uncompetitive Tyrrell, but impressed enough Ken Tyrrell to be retained for another season.

The 1982 season was much more successful. The Italian took the first podium of his Grand Prix career at Imola and, at the last round in Las Vegas, Alboreto took his first Grand Prix win. A year later, Michele won the 1983 Detroit Grand Prix in his Benetton-sponsored Tyrrell (picture-below), this paved the way for him to join Ferrari in 1984.