Iván Palazzese (2 January 1962 – 28 May 1989) was an Italian born Venezuelan professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix road racing world championships from 1977 to 1989. In 1977, he became the youngest person at the time to stand on a Grand Prix podium, when he finished third behind Angel Nieto and Anton Mang at the 125cc Venezuelan Grand Prix at the age of 15.50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix. (1999)(1st Ed). Hazelton Publishing Ltd. __TOC__ Motorcycle racing career
Palazzese was born in Alba Adriatica in the Abruzzo region of central eastern Italy. His family emigrated to Venezuela when he was a child and he became a Venezuelan citizen. Palazzese began his racing career as a teenager, riding a Morbidelli 125 at the San Carlos Circuit.
Palazzese returned to Europe to compete in the Grand Prix world championships as a member of the Venemotos Yamaha racing team alongside his teammates, Johnny Cecotto and Carlos Lavado. Palazzese had his best year in 1982 when he won two 125cc Grands Prix and finished the season in third place, behind Angel Nieto and Eugenio Lazzarini. At the 1983 Dutch TT, Lavado and Palazzese finished in first and second place marking the first time that Venezuelan riders had claimed the top two places in a world championship Grand Prix race.
Palazzese was killed in a racing accident at the 1989 German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring. He was closely following Andreas Preining when the latter's motorcycle engine seized and abruptly slowed, causing Palazzese to collide with Preining and subsequently crash. While Palazzese was picking himself up off the ground, he was struck by riders Bruno Bonhuil and Fabio Barchitta who both crashed. It was fellow rider Virginio Ferrari who stopped his bike and first came to Palazzese's aid, but Palazzese was already dead having sustained massive chest injuries. He was 27 years old.
There is a monument erected in his honor in the Italian city of Alba Adriatica, where Palazzese was born.
Motorcycle Grand Prix results
Source:
Points system from 1968 to 1987 Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 Points system from 1988 to 1992 Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Points 20 17 15 13 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Points Rank Wins 1977 125cc Morbidelli VEN3 AUT- GER- NAT- ESP- FRA- YUG- NED- BEL- SWE- FIN- GBR- 10 16th 0 1980 125cc Morbidelli NAT6 ESP2 FRA- YUG- NED- BEL- FIN- GBR4 CZE8 GER- 28 7th 0 1981 125cc Morbidelli ARGRET AUT- GER- NAT- FRA7 ESP2 YUG6 NED5 RSMRET GBR- FIN- SWE3 CZE- 37 7th 0 1982 125cc Morbidelli ARG5 AUTRET FRA- ESPRET NAT- NED6 BELRET YUG5 GBR5 SWE1 FIN1 CZE2 75 3rd 2 1983 250cc Venemotos Yamaha RSA10 FRA14 NAT8 GERRET ESP10 AUT18 YUGRET NED2 BEL8 GBR16 SWE15 20 13th 0 1984 250cc Venemotos Yamaha RSA8 NATRET ESPRET AUT- GERRET FRADNQ YUG6 NED20 BEL4 GBRDNS SWE16 RSM12 16 15th 0 1985 250cc Venemotos Yamaha RSA14 ESP17 GERRET NAT16 AUTRET YUG- NED- BEL- FRA- GBR- SWE- RSM- 0 - 0 1986 250cc Rotax ESP- NAT20 GER- AUT- YUG- NED- BEL- FRA- GBR- SWE- RSM- 0 - 0 1987 250cc F.M.V. Yamaha JPN- ESP- GER- NAT- AUT- YUG10 NED- FRA- GBR- SWE- CZE8 RSM12 POR- BRA- ARG- 16 9th 0 1988 250cc Team Manoca-Yamaha JPN- USA- ESP- EXP21 NAT- GER- AUT9 NED13 BEL- YUG- FRA- GBR11 SWE6 CZE17 BRA- 25 18th 0 1989 250cc Aprilia JPN- AUS18 USA11 ESP11 NAT7 GER- AUT- YUG- NED- BEL- FRA- GBR- SWE- CZE- BRA- 19 22nd 0
References