Laurent Aïello


Laurent Aïello is a French former race car driver, most notable for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998, the British Touring Car Championship in 1999, and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series in 2002.
His racing career lasted from 1988 until 2005, and, in addition to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the BTCC and DTM, saw him enter the International Formula 3000, the French Supertouring Championship, the Italian Super Touring Championship, and the Super Tourenwagen Cup, in addition to several other series. He took the CFS title in 1994, and the STW title in 1997.

Career

Early career

Aïello won the French Karting Championship for three years in a row, in 1983, 1984, and 1985. He made his car racing debut in 1988 in the Volant Avia, and his professional racing debut in 1989, entering 11 rounds of the French Formula 3, driving for Daniel Gache Racing, with his best result being a solitary podium. In 1990 Aïello won the Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three support race, in addition to finishing fourth in the Macau GP for Bowman Racing, and fifth in the French F3 for Graff Racing, with four wins from 11 races. He moved to the International Formula 3000 for 1991 and 1992 but he was not successful, finishing 15th overall in both seasons. He did, however, take the 1992 French Formula 3 title.

1993-1996

In 1993, Aïello switched to touring car racing in the French Supertouring Championship, finishing runner up, whilst driving for the non-works team Oreca. In 1993, he also entered the Italian Super Touring Championship, finishing 17th overall, with 11 points. His first title was the 1994 French Supertouring Championship, where he won five races driving for the works Peugeot team in their 405 MI-16 model. Due to Peugeot's links with Jordan Grand Prix, he tested a Jordan 194 Formula 1 car in an Estoril test session, and set the tenth fastest time. After a less-successful 1995 season, where he finished third overall, and won just one race, he made the switch to the Super Tourenwagen Cup in Germany for 1996, still driving for Peugeot, but in their new 406 model, following their withdrawal from the CFS. He finished third overall in this first season, with 3 wins. He also entered a round of the Porsche Carrera Cup France, winning the race.

1997-1999

Aïello took the STW title for the first time in 1997, with 11 wins, finishing 52 points ahead of BMW's Joachim Winkelhock. 1998 would be his third and final season in the STW, with 6 wins only being enough for a second place, with the Venezuelan driver Johnny Cecotto beating him by just 3 points. During the 1998 season, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in a Porsche 911 GT1, his first attempt at the endurance race.
For 1999, Aïello switched to the British Touring Car Championship, driving for the works Nissan team in their Primera model, replacing the outgoing Anthony Reid, whom had moved to Ford. He had initially been offered the drive at Renault, but rejected the offer as WilliamsF1, whom ran the team, refused to allow him to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The season would prove to be highly successful, as he took the title in his one and only season in the series, with 10 wins helping him finish 16 points ahead of teammate David Leslie, and Nissan taking a comfortable Manufacturer's and Team's championship victory. His performances in the BTCC saw him win the National Racing Driver of the Year award in the Autosport Awards. He also entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999, this time for Audi in their Audi R8R, and he finished third in class.

2000-2002

Following Nissan's withdrawal from the BTCC at the end of the 1999 season, a potential drive for Honda fell through, he made the switch to the new Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series, driving for the Abt Sportsline team in their Audi TT-R, a move that surprised some. The first season was unsuccessful, with no victories, as the Audi TT proved to be uncompetitive against the faster Mercedes-Benz CLK and Opel Astra rivals, its best finish being Aïello's fifth place at the second Oschersleben sprint race. He entered his third 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving for Audi, and finished second.
Following heavy development on the car, 2001 would prove to be more successful: Aïello was the first member of the Abt team to win in the series, at the Nürburgring sprint race. He would take 3 more victories that season, all 3 at the Nürburgring. He once more returned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Audi, and finished second once more.
2002 would be an even more successful year — Aïello defeated reigning champion Bernd Schneider to take the title by six points, winning 12 races in the process. Although initially signed to drive once more for Audi in the 2002 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he would not appear, with Christian Pescatori being entered instead.

2003-2005

Abt Sportsline, and Aïello, would be much less successful in 2003, winning just one race, and after switching to Opel for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, without any further victories, Aïello announced his retirement from racing at the end of the season, aged 36, finishing ninth in his final race at Hockenheim. During his final season, he tested a "breathable overall" at the Nürburgring round.
In a 2005 poll run by Motorsport Magazine, Aiello was voted the 13th best touring car driver of all time.

Personal life

Aïello is married to Geraldine, and has two children: a daughter named Marie, and a son named Tom. He has a passion for jetskis, and enjoys DJing.

Racing record

Complete International Formula 3000 results

YearEntrantChassisEngine12345678910DCPoints
1991DAMSLola T91/50MugenVAL
Ret		PAU
DNS		JER
7		MUG
Ret		PER
Ret		HOC
7		BRH
9		SPA
3		BUG
Ret		NOG
Ret		15th4
1992Pacific RacingReynard 92DMugenSIL
Ret		PAU
Ret		CAT
15		PER
11		HOC
10		NÜR
5		SPA
6		ALB
15		NOG
7		MAG
Ret		15th3

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete German Super Tourenwagen Cup results

Source:


YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920PosPts
1996Peugeot EssoPeugeot 406ZOL
1
20		ZOL
2
Ret		ASS
1
2		ASS
2
1		HOC
1
Ret		HOC
2
DNS		SAC
1
9		SAC
2
6		WUN
1
9		WUN
2
2		ZWE
1
1		ZWE
2
1		SAL
1
7		SAL
2
4		AVU
1
14		AVU
2
12		NÜR
1
2		NÜR
2
2		3rd422
1997Peugeot EssoPeugeot 406HOC
1
1		HOC
2
1		ZOL
1
3		ZOL
2
3		NÜR
1
1		NÜR
2
1		SAC
1
2		SAC
2
2		NOR
1
2		NOR
2
Ret		WUN
1
1		WUN
2
1		ZWE
1
1		ZWE
2
4		SAL
1
1		SAL
2
1		REG
1
2		REG
2
20		NÜR
1
1		NÜR
2
1		1st696
1998Peugeot EssoPeugeot 406HOC
1
4		HOC
2
2		NÜR
1
4		NÜR
2
3		SAC
1
3		SAC
2
5		NOR
1
6		NOR
2
1		REG
1
12		REG
2
10		WUN
1
1		WUN
2
Ret		ZWE
1
3		ZWE
2
5		SAL
1
1		SAL
2
1		OSC
1
1		OSC
2
1		NÜR
1
3		NÜR
2
6		2nd592

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526PosPts
1999Vodafone Nissan RacingNissan Primera GTDON
1
11		DON
2
Ret		SIL
1
1		SIL
2
6		THR
1
1		THR
2
1*		BRH
1
3		BRH
2
1*		OUL
1
1		OUL
2
1*		DON
1
Ret		DON
2
2*		CRO
1
5		CRO
2
3		SNE
1
Ret		SNE
2
7		THR
1
1		THR
2
5*		KNO
1
1		KNO
2
DSQ		BRH
1
2		BRH
2
1*		OUL
1
1		OUL
2
2		SIL
1
9		SIL
2
Ret		1st244

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920Pts
2000Abt SportslineAbt-Audi TT-RHOC
1
15		HOC
2
DNS		OSC
1		OSC
2		NOR
1
Ret		NOR
2
DNS		SAC
1
12		SAC
2
14		NÜR
1
11		NÜR
2
14		OSC
1
5		OSC
2
11		NÜR
1
9		NÜR
2
7		HOC
1
Ret		HOC
2
DNS		16th14
2001Abt SportslineAbt-Audi TT-RHOC
QR
8		HOC
CR
7		NÜR
QR
1		NÜR
CR
1		OSC
QR
2		OSC
CR
5		SAC
QR		SAC
CR		NOR
QR
10		NOR
CR
12		LAU
QR
6		LAU
CR
12		NÜR
QR
1		NÜR
CR
1		A1R
QR
4		A1R
CR
2		ZAN
QR
5		ZAN
CR
Ret		HOC
QR
Ret		HOC
CR
DNS		5th75
2002Abt SportslineAbt-Audi TT-RHOC
QR
2		HOC
CR
1		ZOL
QR
1		ZOL
CR
1		DON
QR
18		DON
CR
DSQ		SAC
QR
1		SAC
CR
1		NOR
QR
4		NOR
CR
1		LAU
QR
1		LAU
CR
4		NÜR
QR
2		NÜR
CR
2		A1R
QR
3		A1R
CR
5		ZAN
QR
DSQ		ZAN
CR
6		HOC
QR
1		HOC
CR
6		1st70
2003Abt SportslineAbt-Audi TT-RHOC
3		ADR
3		NÜR
3		LAU
8		NOR
6		DON
Ret		NÜR
1		A1R
4		ZAN
9		HOC
5		6th41
2004OPC Team PhoenixOpel Vectra GTS V8 2004HOC
9		EST
8		ADR
6		LAU
4		NOR
Ret		SHA1NÜR
9		OSC
6		ZAN
Ret		BRN
15		HOC
Ret		10th12
2005OPC Team PhoenixOpel Vectra GTS V8 2005HOC
Ret		LAU
10		SPA
7		BRN
16		OSC
7		NOR
12†		NÜR
9		ZAN
14		LAU
4		IST
6		HOC
9		11th12

1 – A non-championship one-off race was held in 2004, in Shanghai, China.