Andrea, a former McLaren driver and later respected Formula 1 journalist, passed away on 5 November at the age of 84. Born in Trieste on 3 October 1941, he combined his studies in law with a passion for motorsport, quickly making a name for himself on the racing circuit.
During his early career, Andrea won the 1965 Italian F3 Championship and the 1966 and 1967 European Touring Car Championships driving for Alfa Romeo’s Autodelta team. These successes earned him an invitation to race a Ferrari 312 F1 in the non-championship Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama, where he qualified fifth and was running fourth before a puncture ended his race. He later raced in the 1968 South African Grand Prix alongside Chris Amon and Jacky Ickx, starting seventh but retiring on the 13th lap after a crash.
Andrea faced further challenges at the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch, where a practice crash left him with neck injuries that required a long recovery. Once healed, he returned to support Ernesto Brambilla in the Argentine F2 Temporada series that winter, winning races in Córdoba and San Juan and helping the Ferrari team dominate the series.
His 30 Grand Prix starts, coupled with his deep knowledge of the sport, later allowed Andrea to transition into a respected career as an F1 journalist, sharing insights and stories that reflected his firsthand experience in racing. His contributions to motorsport, both on and off the track, left a lasting impression on the F1 community.
