Marco Apicella


Marco Apicella is an Italian professional racing driver. He competed in one Formula One Grand Prix for the Jordan team in the 1993 Italian Grand Prix.

Career

International Formula 3000 (1987–1991)

Apicella's first season in International Formula 3000, 1987, was uncompetitive in the EuroVenturini Dallara car, only scoring one point thanks to a fifth place at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. During the same year, he tested the Minardi Formula One car at the Autódromo do Estoril circuit. Apicella moved to the FIRST team for the 1988 season and was a title favourite for the season. The team underperformed, but in 1989, again with FIRST, Apicella achieved several podium finishes on his way to finishing fourth overall in the Drivers' Championship. Apicella looked like a championship contender for the 1990 season and continued with the FIRST team, but his performances worsened as the season progressed, ending with a disqualification in the Brands Hatch round. Despite a poor 1990 season, Apicella had the chance to test drive with the Modena and Minardi teams. Late in the year, he went to Japan and did some tests for Bridgestone in a Reynard-Mugen Formula One prototype car. Apicella chose to change teams for the 1991 season, moving to Paul Stewart Racing, teaming up with Stewart himself. He was classified fifth overall at the end of the season.

Japanese Formula 3000 (1992–1993)

With no offers for a drive in International F3000 for 1992, Apicella went to Japan to drive in the Japanese Formula 3000 series, setting up a relationship with the Dome team.
Apicella, driving the Dome F103 won the fifth round of the championship that year. He continued to improve, finishing fourth in the 1993 season, winning at the Sugo race circuit.

Formula One

Apicella's good performances in Japan during 1992 and early 1993 gave him a drive at the Jordan Formula One team for his home race in the 1993 season, with team boss Eddie Jordan wanting to try out up-and-coming Formula 3000 drivers. He qualified in 23rd position, but retired on the first corner of the first lap of the race after a multi-car collision. He was replaced by Emanuele Naspetti for the following round in Portugal. As a result of this, he is falsely considered to have had the shortest Formula 1 career out of any driver, a record held by Ernst Loof.

Japanese Formula 3000/Formula Nippon (1994–1996)

For 1994, Apicella continued with Dome in Japanese Formula 3000, winning at the Mine, Suzuka and Fuji circuits on his way to winning the title. He continued in Japanese F3000 for 1995 and 1996, this time with Team 5Zigen, but his activities were limited, as he chose to do other motor sport activities such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Apicella was appointed Chief Test Driver with Dome for 1996, testing the Dome F105 car alongside Shinji Nakano and Katsumi Yamamoto from April to June 1996 at the Suzuka Circuit. The aim was for the car to produce a base for them to mount a challenge into Formula One, but the project was shelved after the car was substantially damaged in an accident.
Apicella's last season in the Formula Nippon series was in 1997, driving for the Stellar International team. His best result for the team was a fourth place at the Mine circuit.

Other series (1999–present)

Apicella moved back to Italy for 1999, competing in the Italian Formula 3000 championship. He scored two wins during the season on his way to third place in the championship. Apicella also tried to qualify for the Spa round of the International Formula 3000 championship in 1999 for Monaco Motorsport, but failed to do so due to adverse weather conditions. Apicella has since gone back to Japan, to compete in touring cars with the All Japan GT Championship.
Apicella has also competed in several 24 Hours of Le Mans races. He was scheduled to compete in the 2007 event with the JLOC Isao Noritake team, but on the first day of practice he was involved in an accident on the Mulsanne Straight, which heavily damaged his Lamborghini Murciélago car. Apicella is competing in the 2009 event again with the JLOC team.

Racing record

Complete International Formula 3000 results

YearEntrant1234567891011DCPoints
1987EuroVenturiniSIL
15		VAL
Ret		SPA
5		PAU
Ret		DON
7		PER
Ret		BRH
DNQ		BIR
13		IMO
13		BUG
15		JAR
7		19th1
1988First RacingJER
13		VAL
7		PAU
5		SIL
6		MNZ
2		PER
Ret		BRH
Ret		BIR
Ret		BUG
Ret		ZOL
Ret		DIJ
Ret		11th9
1989First RacingSIL
8		VAL
Ret		PAU
2		JER
3		PER
4		BRH
Ret		BIR
2		SPA
3		BUG
Ret		DIJ
Ret		4th23
1990First RacingDON
13		SIL
3		PAU
Ret		JER
2		MNZ
5		PER
Ret		HOC
2		BRH
DSQ		BIR
Ret		BUG
Ret		NOG
5		6th20
1991Paul Stewart RacingVAL
Ret		PAU
4		JER
Ret		MUG
2		PER
2		HOC
Ret		BRH
4		SPA
Ret		BUG
Ret		NOG
11		5th18
1999Monaco MotorsportIMOMONCATMAGSILA1RHOCHUNSPA
DNQ		NÜRNC0

Complete Japanese Formula 3000/Formula Nippon results

YearEntrant1234567891011DCPoints
1989Team LeMansSUZFUJMINSUZSUGFUJSUZSUZ
4		16th3
1992DomeSUZ
9		FUJ
Ret		MIN
6		SUZ
11		AUT
1		SUG
5		FUJ
8		FUJ
6		SUZ
Ret		FUJ
18†		SUZ
Ret		10th13
1993DomeSUZ
7		FUJ
2		MIN
Ret		SUZ
5		AUT
C		SUG
1		FUJ
C		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
4		FUJ
4		SUZ
9		4th23
1994DomeSUZ
2		FUJ
4		MIN
1		SUZ
1		SUG
6		FUJ
4		SUZ
2		FUJ
1		FUJ
2		SUZ
Ret		1st48
1995Team 5ZIGENSUZ
Ret		FUJ
C		MIN
Ret		SUZ
8		SUG
Ret		FUJ
8		TOK
Ret		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
10		NC0
1996Team 5ZIGENSUZ
12		MIN
4		FUJ
8		TOK
8		SUZ
14		SUG
13		FUJ
12		MIN
Ret		SUZ
10		FUJ
Ret		16th3
1997STP StellarSUZMINFUJSUZ
8		SUG
5		FUJ
8		MIN
4		MOT
Ret		FUJ
6		SUZ
8		12th6

† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.

Complete Formula One results

YearEntrantChassisEngine12345678910111213141516WDCPoints
1993Sasol JordanJordan 193Hart V10RSABRAEURSMRESPMONCANFRAGBRGERHUNBELITA
Ret		PORJPNAUSNC0

24 Hours of Le Mans results