Teo Fabi, pole chaser

The 1980 European Formula Two season was contested over 12 rounds. It was a quality field that year, and many of the participants – Henton, Warwick, Fabi, de Cesaris, Thackwell, Stohr… – later made it into the Formula One. Toleman driver Brian Henton clinched the championship title with three victories and six podium finishes.

Picture above: Teo Fabi won three of the twelve rounds of the 1980 F2 championship and finished third in the standings. He’s seen here racing his ICI Roloil March 802-BMW at Thruxton where he finished seventh.

Teo Fabi is an Italian former racing driver. He competed in Formula One from 1982 till 1987 for the Toleman, Brabham and Benetton teams and claimed two podiums and 23 career points. Very fast over one lap, the diminutive Italian started three times from pole position.

He later raced for 10 years in Champ Car, where he took 5 wins, 14 podiums and 10 poles. Most notably, Teo Fabi claimed pole position at the wheel of a March 83C-Cosworth, in his rookie year at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. He led for 23 of the first 47 laps before retiring due to a broken fuel filter… Teo won nevertheless the Rookie of the Year award. He’s the elder brother of former Formula One driver Corrado Fabi.