Iván Palazzese


Iván Palazzese 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.

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.
He 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

Points system from 1968 to 1987
Position12345678910
Points1512108654321

Points system from 1988 to 1992
Position123456789101112131415
Points201715131110987654321


YearClassTeam123456789101112131415PointsRankWins
1977125ccMorbidelliVEN
3
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
ESP
-
FRA
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
-
1016th0
1980125ccMorbidelliNAT
6
ESP
2
FRA
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
FIN
-
GBR
4
CZE
8
GER
-
287th0
1981125ccMorbidelliARG
RET
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
FRA
7
ESP
2
YUG
6
NED
5
RSM
RET
GBR
-
FIN
-
SWE
3
CZE
-
377th0
1982125ccMorbidelliARG
5
AUT
RET
FRA
-
ESP
RET
NAT
-
NED
6
BEL
RET
YUG
5
GBR
5
SWE
1
FIN
1
CZE
2
753rd2
1983250ccVenemotos YamahaRSA
10
FRA
14
NAT
8
GER
RET
ESP
10
AUT
18
YUG
RET
NED
2
BEL
8
GBR
16
SWE
15
2013th0
1984250ccVenemotos YamahaRSA
8
NAT
RET
ESP
RET
AUT
-
GER
RET
FRA
DNQ
YUG
6
NED
20
BEL
4
GBR
DNS
SWE
16
RSM
12
1615th0
1985250ccVenemotos YamahaRSA
14
ESP
17
GER
RET
NAT
16
AUT
RET
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
RSM
-
0-0
1986250ccRotaxESP
-
NAT
20
GER
-
AUT
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
RSM
-
0-0
1987250ccF.M.V. YamahaJPN
-
ESP
-
GER
-
NAT
-
AUT
-
YUG
10
NED
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
CZE
8
RSM
12
POR
-
BRA
-
ARG
-
169th0
1988250ccTeam Manoca-YamahaJPN
-
USA
-
ESP
-
EXP
21
NAT
-
GER
-
AUT
9
NED
13
BEL
-
YUG
-
FRA
-
GBR
11
SWE
6
CZE
17
BRA
-
2518th0
1989250ccApriliaJPN
-
AUS
18
USA
11
ESP
11
NAT
7
GER
-
AUT
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
CZE
-
BRA
-
1922nd0