Alessandro "Sandro" Nannini was born on 7 July 1959 and is an Italian former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1986 to 1990.
23 Facts About Alessandro Nannini
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Alessandro Nannini began his career rallying in a Lancia Stratos before switching to open-wheel racing in 1981.
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Alessandro Nannini made appearances in the World Sportscar Championship for Martini, winning the 1000km of Kyalami in 1984 and entering three editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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Alessandro Nannini retained his seat in 1989 after scoring podiums at the British and Spanish Grands Prix.
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Alessandro Nannini took his only victory in Formula One at the Japanese Grand Prix, inheriting the win from Ayrton Senna following his infamous disqualification.
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In October 1990, Alessandro Nannini severed his right forearm in a helicopter accident at his vineyard in Siena, ending his Formula One career with one win, two fastest laps and nine podiums.
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Alessandro Nannini became a race-winner in the 1997 FIA GT Championship with Mercedes, before retiring at the end of the year.
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Alessandro Nannini began racing in a Lancia Stratos at national rally events before switching to Formula Italia in 1981.
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For 1985, Giancarlo Minardi wanted Alessandro Nannini to drive his new Formula One car, but Alessandro Nannini was controversially denied an FIA Super Licence with his former F2 teammate Pierluigi Martini taking the drive instead.
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Alessandro Nannini continued with Lancia instead, his best result being third in the 1000km Monza.
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For 1986, Alessandro Nannini was finally granted a Super Licence and signed up with Minardi's Grand Prix team, where he stayed until 1987.
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However, Alessandro Nannini's speed was noticed by many, especially after he largely outperformed experienced teammate Andrea de Cesaris in 1986.
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Alessandro Nannini generally performed very well, often out-pacing the highly regarded Belgian if not matching his consistency.
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Alessandro Nannini scored his first point in his second race for the team and took two third places on his way to tenth overall in the championship.
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Alessandro Nannini was eventually passed by Senna who went on to cross the finish line first the Brazilian was disqualified for missing the chicane following his collision with Prost.
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The disqualification handed Alessandro Nannini what proved to be his only Formula One win.
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Alessandro Nannini rounded off the season with an impressive second place in torrential rain at Adelaide, moving him to sixth overall in the championship.
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Alessandro Nannini challenged at the following Hungarian Grand Prix, hounding leader Boutsen until being controversially pushed off by the following Senna.
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On 12 October 1990, the week after the Spanish Grand Prix, where he had finished third, Alessandro Nannini was involved in a helicopter crash over his Siena vineyard, suffering a severed right forearm.
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Alessandro Nannini had been reconfirmed by Benetton for 1991 but Ferrari had a long-standing interest in the driver and were considering him as a replacement for the departing Nigel Mansell.
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Alessandro Nannini completed a total of 38 laps driving Jean Alesi's Ferrari F92A, which featured a specially modified steering wheel.
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Alessandro Nannini competed for Mercedes in the 1997 FIA GT Championship, finishing sixth overall and winning a race at Suzuka, before hanging up his helmet.
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Alessandro Nannini agreed to take part in the short-lived Grand Prix Masters championship for Formula One veterans, alongside drivers including his former Benetton teammate Johnny Herbert.