23 Facts About Stefano D'Aste

Stefano D'Aste's early racing career included competing on motorcycles and the Monza International Rally.

Stefano D'Aste has competed in the World Touring Car Championship between 2004 and 2013.

In 2005 D'Aste competed for Proteam Motorsport in a BMW 320i, finishing third in the Independents' Trophy, with second overall in the second race at Spa-Francorchamps as his best result.

Stefano D'Aste continued with Proteam in 2006, again finishing third in the Independents' Trophy, with a best overall finish of tenth.

For 2007, Stefano D'Aste moved to the Wiechers-Sport team, where he won the Yokohama World Independents Trophy in a BMW 320si.

Stefano D'Aste won the gold helmet, one of the most important awards during a racing car drivers career.

Stefano D'Aste failed to retain his Independents' crown, finishing third in the final standings.

Stefano D'Aste decided not to attend the final rounds in Macau as a protest at being given a five-place grid penalty after an incident at the previous round in Japan.

For 2009 Stefano D'Aste was due to continue in the WTCC for Proteam, but the deal collapsed and returned instead to Wiechers-Sport.

Stefano D'Aste finished the season nineteenth in the drivers' standings with a best result of sixth at the Race of Germany.

In 2010, Stefano D'Aste returned for a third stint at Proteam.

Stefano D'Aste elected to again miss the season finale at Macau in order to attend the Monza Rally Show, this despite still being in contention for the Independents' Trophy and leaving teammate Hernandez as Proteam's only title challenger.

Stefano D'Aste ended the season sixth in the Independents' Trophy and nineteenth in the overall standings with a best finish of ninth at the 2010 FIA WTCC Race of the Czech Republic.

Stefano D'Aste returned to the WTCC midseason in 2011, replacing Urs Sonderegger at Wiechers-Sport from the sixth round in Portugal.

Stefano D'Aste took the first point of the season for the team in race one but finished out of the points in the second race.

Stefano D'Aste finished the season 17th in the overall standings, by this time his best finish in the WTCC despite having only competed in three events.

Stefano D'Aste took his first overall WTCC win at the Salzburgring, where a series of punctures for the front wheel drive cars allowed him to pass race leader Robert Huff at the last corner.

Stefano D'Aste finished on the podium at the Race of China, finishing third behind Chevrolet drivers Huff and Menu in race one.

Stefano D'Aste ran as high as second in race two but the drivers' door on his car was stuck open and he dropped down the order.

Stefano D'Aste went to the Race of Macau in contention for the Yokohama Trophy, 15 points behind trophy leader Norbert Michelisz.

Stefano D'Aste established his own team called PB Racing for the 2013 season which he would drive a BMW 320 TC for.

Stefano D'Aste crashed out of the first race of the Race of Italy when he spun on the exit of Ascari on lap four and hit the barriers, skating over the track and then hitting the barriers on the other side before coming to a halt.

Stefano D'Aste started race 2 from the back of the grid, but finished in 9th.