40 Facts About Johnny Cecotto

Johnny Cecotto rose to prominence as a teenage prodigy in 1975 when he became the youngest motorcycle road racing world champion at the age of 19.

At the age of 24, Cecotto turned his attention to auto racing where he reached the pinnacle of the sport as a Formula One driver.

Johnny Cecotto is the last of a select group of competitors who competed at the highest level in motorcycle and auto racing, which includes John Surtees and Mike Hailwood among others.

Johnny Cecotto was born in Caracas, Venezuela to Italian immigrant parents.

Johnny Cecotto's father was a motorcycle shop owner and former motorcycle racer who had won the Venezuelan national championship on a 500cc Norton.

Johnny Cecotto followed his father's career path and began motorcycle racing at a young age, first competing on a Honda CB750 and a Kawasaki triple before gaining the support of the Venezuelan Yamaha importer.

Johnny Cecotto rode a Yamaha TZ350 to win the 1973 Venezuelan road racing national championship at the age of 17.

Johnny Cecotto successfully defended his title by reclaiming the national championship in 1974, and won the 1974 South American motorcycle road racing championship.

Johnny Cecotto rose to international prominence at the 1975 Daytona 200 motorcycle race with one of the more inspired rides in the history of the event.

Johnny Cecotto arrived at Daytona as an unknown rookie aboard an unmodified Yamaha TZ750 sponsored by Venemotos, Yamaha's Venezuelan importer.

One month after his Daytona performance, Johnny Cecotto traveled to Europe where he continued his meteoric rise with a victory at the prestigious Imola 200 F750-championship race after Agostini's engine seized while American champion Kenny Roberts withdrew due to a wrist injury.

Johnny Cecotto continued his impressive streak by scoring a double victory in the first world championship Grand Prix race of his career.

Johnny Cecotto had originally planned to compete in two or three European events but, after his performance at the French Grand Prix, he gained full sponsorship for the remainder of the season aboard an ex-Agostini TZ350.

Johnny Cecotto went on to win three more races and defeated Agostini, for the 350cc World Championship.

Johnny Cecotto was competitive in the 250cc world championship with two victories however, a crash at the German Grand Prix and then engine problems for his motorcycle left him in fourth place in the final standings.

In 1976, Johnny Cecotto returned to the Daytona 200, now with full support from the Yamaha factory racing team.

Johnny Cecotto moved up to the premier 500cc class riding a year-old Yamaha YZR500 for a Yamaha-supported satellite team operated under the Venemotos team banner.

Johnny Cecotto began the season with a promising second-place finish behind Sheene at the season-opening French Grand Prix however, Cecotto struggled to come to grips with the Yamaha, falling 13 times in subsequent races.

Johnny Cecotto failed to score any further points after the French round and shortly after the Italian Grand Prix, he gave up on the 500cc class completely to concentrate on defending his 350cc title.

Johnny Cecotto finished the 500cc season in a disappointing 20th place as Sheene won the 500cc world championship.

Johnny Cecotto lost his 350cc crown in a tight battle with Harley-Davidson mounted Walter Villa.

At the beginning of the 1977 season, Johnny Cecotto was badly injured in a deadly four rider accident at the Austrian Grand Prix that claimed the life of Swiss rider Hans Stadelmann.

Johnny Cecotto recovered from his injuries in time for the Swedish Grand Prix where he finished in second place, 2.9 seconds behind winner Barry Sheene.

Johnny Cecotto then won two consecutive races with victories at the Finnish Grand Prix and the Czechoslovak Grand Prix where he won the 350cc Grand Prix.

Johnny Cecotto began the 1978 season by winning the Imola 200 for a second time but, he faced a new rival for the world championship with the arrival of Kenny Roberts.

Johnny Cecotto was more successful in the 1978 Formula 750 world championship, where despite four victories by Roberts, Cecotto was able to score three victories along with three second-place finishes to secure the championship.

Johnny Cecotto suffered a badly broken kneecap at the 1979 Austrian Grand Prix at the Salzburgring and missed half the season due to his injuries.

Johnny Cecotto rejoined the championship for the final four races but, with his injuries still causing him pain, he failed to score consistent results as, Roberts won his second consecutive 500cc world championship.

Johnny Cecotto went into the 1980 season competing as a privateer aboard a Bimota chassis powered by a Yamaha engine in the 350cc class and a production Yamaha in the 500cc class.

Johnny Cecotto began the year with a victory at the 1980 Imola 200, joining Kenny Roberts as three-time winners of the event.

Johnny Cecotto retired with twelve 500cc pole positions in 28 starts, giving him one of the highest pole position per start ratios in motorcycle Grand Prix history.

Johnny Cecotto made his four-wheeled debut with Minardi in the 1980 Formula Two Championship.

In Formula One, Johnny Cecotto participated in 23 races, debuting on March 13,1983 for the Theodore Racing team.

Johnny Cecotto had a promising start as he scored a sixth place in only his second race; however, the team suffered from lack of funding and he was forced to sit out the final two rounds.

Johnny Cecotto then traveled to Australia where he finished second in the 1985 James Hardie 1000 at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, driving the BMW 635 CSi he drove at Spa, jointly winning the races "Rookie of the Year" award with his co-driver Roberto Ravaglia.

Usually co-driving with defending European Touring Car Champion Thomas Lindstrom, Johnny Cecotto finished 8th in the championship with two wins, two second and two third placings.

Johnny Cecotto drove a 240T to victory at the 1986 Guia Race held during the Macau Grand Prix, as well as winning the 1986 InterTEC 500 held at Fuji in Japan alongside Anders Olofsson.

Johnny Cecotto finished in 8th place with Brancatelli in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship with 158 points.

From 1988 to 1992, Johnny Cecotto competed in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft.

Johnny Cecotto participated in endurance racing, winning the 1990 24 Hours of Spa and the 1992 24 Hours of Nurburgring.