I think I've followed Riccardo Patrese since his first days of F. Italia, but not always on the race fields and I probably had a quite different idea of him from the one I have now. I perfectly remember some of his beautiful races of the '75 season, such as that one... A pursuit that he played at the end of the championship at Imola…

Champion-proof / Patrese-Lancia Turbo: “I drove this car for 300km (Kyalami's distance) and found it exciting as a motor and roadholding. Immediately after my victory at Kyalami, here I am at the wheel of the Lancia Delta HF Turbo that Autosprint asked me to try for its readers…”

A prova di campione/Patrese-Lancia Turbo: “Ho guidato questa vettura per 300 km (la distanza di Kyalami) e l'ho trovata entusiasmante come motore e tenuta di strada. Subito dopo la mia vittoria a Kyalami, eccomi al volante della Lancia Delta HF Turbo che Autosprint mi ha chiesto di provare per i suoi lettori…”

William Shakespeare wrote in his comedy Twelfth Night “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” On Sunday, 17th October 1982, events at Brands Hatch proved the validity of that assertion. The catalyst for the greatness was “Mister Le Mans”: the great Belgian driver, Jacky Ickx…

Thirty is a turning point in most people's lives, a time to take stock. The day after the French Grand Prix, we met a Patrese quite unlike his public image. He spoke to us kindly and with insight about his career and his hopes, not to mention a certain contract with Ferrari…

Brilliant but brittle, fast but fallible, he is fearless on the track, yet afraid of the unknown off it. He has a tendency towards superstardom matched only by his tendency to attract controversy. Those are the characteristics of the controversial young Italian, Riccardo Patrese.

Now in his 15th season of Formula 1, Riccardo Patrese is driving better than ever and taking the limelight with a seemingly permanent smile on his face. Shaun Campbell tries to find out what lies behind the Williams driver's astonishing form and why he finds life so amusing.

Credo di aver seguito Riccardo Patrese fin dalle sue prime gare di F. Italia, ma non sempre sui campi di gara e di lui probabilmente mi ero fatto una idea abbastanza diversa da quella che ho adesso. Ricordo perfettamente alcune sue gare bellissime della stagione '75, come ad esempio quella... A inseguimento che disputò a fine campionato a Imola…

Chi è il giovane pilota padovano che ha sbalordito in Sud Africa: la corsa africana ha avuto un grande merito, quello di aver rivelato in tutto il suo potenziale un nuovo formidabile campione dal passaporto tricolore: Riccardo Patrese…

Who is the young driver from Padua who amazed in South Africa: the African race had a great merit, that of having revealed in all its potential a new formidable champion with a tricolor passport: Riccardo Patrese…