During his early racing career Fabrizio Barbazza appeared to be one of the most promising young Italian drivers of his generation. He suffered a setback when he signed to drive for the struggling AGS team. In total Barbazza started just eight Grands Prix, for Minardi. His career was ended by a horrific accident in 1995.
Formula 3 and Indycar Racing
Barbazza was born on April 4th, 1964, in the town of Monza, just a stone’s throw from the famous Autodrome. Motorbikes were his first love, before he turned to racing cars in the early 1980s. Barbazza impressed in the Italian Formula 3 championship, winning four races over the course of two seasons. Unusually, he chose not to stay in European racing, moving to America instead.
1986 was Barbazza’s first year stateside and his decision to relocate was justified as he won the inaugural American Racing Series title. Staying with Frank Arciero’s team Barbazza moved into the CART series in 1987. In an extraordinary debut season he finished third in the Indianapolis 500 and 12th overall in the standings, giving him the Rookie of the Year title.
Formula 3000 and Formula 1 with AGS
Barbazza returned to Europe at the end of 1987 to compete in the Formula 3000 championship. 1988 was a disaster and he failed to score a single point. A move to Japanese Formula 3000 in 1989 failed to bring an upturn in Barbazza’s fortunes. Back in Europe the following year, Barbazza did manage a fourth place finish, but it was a rare highlight in a season blighted by unreliability and accidents.
Formula 3000 was again the focus of Barbazza’s attention in 1991, but he only entered one event before landing a drive with the AGS Formula 1 team. Stefan Johansson, the experienced ex-McLaren and Ferrari driver, had started the year with the team but quickly grew disillusioned. Barbazza made his Formula 1 debut at Imola, as team-mate to countryman Gabriele Tarquini. The AGS was showing its age and Barbazza never did qualify it for a Grand Prix in 12 attempts, although he did come agonisingly close in Canada.
Formula 1 with Minardi and Barbazza's Road Atlanta Crash
AGS withdrew from Formula 1 before the end of the 1991 season, leaving Barbazza without a drive. He returned to America in 1992, failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in a car entered by his old boss Arciero. For 1993, he was offered an opportunity to return to Formula 1 with Minardi.
Barbazza impressed more than a few during the 1993 Formula 1 season. He qualified at all eight races he entered, and even managed two sixth place finishes. One of these was in changeable conditions at Donington, where Ayrton Senna treated spectators to a driving masterclass. Barbazza was eventually replaced at Minardi by Pierluigi Martini and never raced a Formula 1 car again.
It was while driving a Ferrari 333SP in the American IMSA series that Barbazza suffered a career-ending accident at Road Atlanta. After spinning to avoid another accident Barbazza’a car was hit broadside by Jeremy Dale’s Oldsmobile. The Ferrari split in two and Barbazza received life-threatening injuries. The accident also marked the end of Dale’s racing career, his leg injuries confining him to a wheelchair for many months.
Barbazza eventually recovered from his injuries and started to pursue other interests. These included developing improved crash barrier systems for racing circuits and running a fishing resort in Cuba.
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