Roberto Ravaglia - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Roberto Ravaglia (born May 26, 1957, in Venice

Venice

Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

) is a former auto racing

Auto racing

Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...

driver, who currently runs ROAL Motorsport

ROAL Motorsport

ROAL Motorsport is an Italian auto racing team, which operated the BMW Team Italy-Spain team in the World Touring Car Championship...

, who operate the BMW Team Italy-Spain operation in the World Touring Car Championship

World Touring Car Championship

For the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...

. Before retiring in 1997, he was one of the most successful touring car racing drivers, primarily for BMW, and won seven titles in four different championships.

Racing career

He was twice Italian karting champion and raced in Formula 3 in the early 1980s. In 1984 he made his touring car

Touring car

A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...

debut, becoming European Touring Car Championship

European Touring Car Championship

The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004...

champion in 1986, and successfully defending the title in 1987 and 1988 (though in 1987 it was the World Touring Car Championship

World Touring Car Championship

), with some races outside Europe including the Macau Grand Prix

Macau Grand Prix

The Macau Grand Prix is a motor-racing event held annually in Macau, one of China's Special Administrative Regions. It is known for being the only street circuit racing event in which both car and motorcycle races are held...

Guia Touring Car races

Guia Race

The Guia Race of Macau is an international touring car race, and currently a round of the World Touring Car Championship. It is held on the temporary Guia Circuit on the steets of Macau, the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China as part of the Macau Grand Prix weekend...

and the James Hardie 1000

1987 James Hardie 1000

The 1987 James Hardie 1000 was the eighth round of the inaugural World Touring Car Championship, the first round to be held in the southern hemisphere. The race was held for cars eligible for Group A touring car regulations. It was the 25th anniversary of the original touring car endurance race...

in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. Later in the 1988 season he was unable to defend his Macau win due to breaking a rib in a road accident driving his Fiat Uno

Fiat Uno

The Fiat Uno is a supermini car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat. The Uno was launched in 1983 and built in its homeland until 1995, with production still taking place in other countries.-First series :...

. He switched with BMW to the DTM

Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide....

in 1989, and the Italian Superturismo Championship

Italian Superturismo Championship

The Italian Superturismo Championship was Italy's national motorsport series for touring cars. It was established in 1987 and its drivers' title has been held by such notable drivers as Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro and two-time Champ Car champion Alex Zanardi.-History:Established in 1987 the...

in 1990, winning both on the first attempt. He was also champion in 1991 and 1993. One of the few unsuccessful seasons of his career was 1996 in the British Touring Car Championship

British Touring Car Championship

The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...

, despite finishing a credible 5th and picking up a win at the British GP support race. He also came in 4th at Supertourismo that year. He was now approaching 40 and did not win another championship as a driver.

Roberto Ravaglia was also successful in the famed Spa 24 Hours

Spa 24 Hours

The Total 24 Hours of Spa is an endurance racing event held annually in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Conceived by Jules de Their and Henri Langlois Van Ophem just one year after the first 24 Hours of Le Mans, the race was run under the auspices of the Royal Automobile Club Belgium...

race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...

in Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, winning the race three times. He won his first 24 hours in 1985 driving a BMW 635CSi

BMW E24

The BMW E24 series was the first BMW 6 Series coupé, produced by the German automaker BMW between the 1976 and 1989 model years. The 6 Series name reappeared with the BMW E63 chassis beginning in the 2004 model year. The E24 borrowed heavily from contemporary 5-series cars .- Model history :The...

partnered by Formula One

Formula One

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

drivers Gerhard Berger

Gerhard Berger

Gerhard Berger, is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver, who previously owned 50% of the Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula One team until he sold his share back to energy drink owner Dietrich Mateschitz in November 2008....

and Marc Surer

Marc Surer

Marc Surer is a former racing driver from Switzerland. He participated in 88 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 9 September 1979. He scored a total of 17 championship points....

. He followed that win with a 3rd place in 1986 and second in 1987 before winning again in 1988 in a BMW M3 partnered by Dieter Quester

Dieter Quester

Dieter Quester is an active touring car racing driver from Austria. Dieter has participated in 53 24-Hour Races. He competed in a single Formula One race in which he finished ninth....

and Altfrid Heger

Altfrid Heger

Altfrid Heger is a German racing driver who competed in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship. He won the 1988 Guia Race. Heger is the co-founder of Hegersport, a German company which organizes auto racing series such as the V8Star Series....

. His last win in the Ardennes

Ardennes

The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...

round the clock classic came in 1994. Again driving a BMW, this time the BMW 318is partnered by Thierry Tassin and Alexander Burgstaller.

Ravaglia made three visits to Australia during his racing career, all to drive in the Bathurst 1000

Bathurst 1000

The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...

. In his debut race in 1985

1985 James Hardie 1000

The 1985 James Hardie 1000 was the 26th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 6 October 1985 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. It was the first time the race was held exclusively for cars complying with the Australian version of International Group A...

he finished a fine second with Venezuelan

Venezuelan people

Venezuelan people are from a multiethnic nation in South America called Venezuela. Venezuelans are predominantly Roman Catholic and speak Spanish, and a majority of them are the result of a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...

Johnny Cecotto

Alberto "Johnny" Cecotto is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver...

in a Schnitzer BMW 635CSi with both drivers sharing the "Rookie of the Year" award. He returned in 1986

1986 James Hardie 1000

The 1986 James Hardie 1000 was an endurance motor race held on 5 October 1986 at the Mount Panorama Circuit, just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia...

, again in a Schnitzer 635 and initially qualified a surprising 2nd before ending up 9th on the grid after the "Hardies Heroes" Top 10 run-off. Partnering former ETCC champion Dieter Quester his race unfortunately ended early when he clashed on lap 2 of 163 with the Jaguar XJS of 1985 winner John Goss

John Goss

Sir John Goss was an English organist, composer and teacher.Born to a musical family, Goss was a boy chorister of the Chapel Royal, London, and later a pupil of Thomas Attwood, organist of St Paul's Cathedral...

. In an uncharacteristic show of raw emotion, Ravaglia physically attacked Goss in the pits after Goss finished his opening driving stint believing the Australian to be totally at fault for the accident and had to be restrained by his team. He later apologised to Goss and professed regret for his actions. Goss, who said in an interview with race broadcaster Channel 7

Seven Sport

Seven Sport is the brand that all sporting events broadcast on the Seven Network are broadcast under.-History:The Seven Network is a major player in Australian sports broadcasting. Before 1999, Seven telecasted all matches of the Australian Football League. However, in 2000 Nine and pay TV provider...

that he was "astounded" about incident in the pits (but didn't name Ravaglia as the other driver), declined the option from race officials to have action taken against the Italian believing it to be just "one of those things".

Ravaglia's last race in Australia was the 1987 James Hardie which was not only Round 8 of the 1987 WTCC but a disaster for the Schnitzer team and Roberto. After heavily crashing his BMW M3 at the top of the mountain during qualifying he suffered heavy bruising to his ribs. Following his last stint at the wheel during the race he was taken to the tracks medical centre after collapsing from exhaustion and dehydration from the physical effort of having to drive the little BMW around the 6.213km long Mount Panorama Circuit

Mount Panorama Circuit

Mount Panorama Circuit is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Bathurst 12 Hour motor race, held each February, and the Bathurst 1000 motor race, held each October...

with heavily bruised ribs making it hard to breathe.

Roberto Ravaglia was also successful in other 24 hour races, twice winning the famous Nürburgring 24 Hours

24 Hours Nürburgring

The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a touring car and GT endurance racing event on the Nürburgring Nordschleife . With a lap length of over , it allows the participation of more than 200 cars, and over 700 drivers.-Overview:...

. His first win came in 1989 driving a BMW M3 with another F1 driver (and regular ETCC/WTCC co-driver) Emanuele Pirro

Emanuele Pirro

Emanuele Pirro is an Italian former Formula One driver and five time Le Mans 24 hour winner.- Biography :...

and Frenchman Fabien Giroix

Fabien Giroix

Fabien Giroix is a French racing driver from Saint-Maur.-Formula cars:Giroix began his career in French Formula Renault in 1984, finishing 4th. In 1985 he drove in the French Formula Three Championship and finished 12th. In 1986 he only participated in a handful of Formula 3 races in the British...

. His last 24 hour win at the famous Nürburgring

Nürburgring

The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...

was in 1995 driving a BMW 320i with Marc Duez

Marc Duez

Marc Duez is a race and rally driver from Belgium.He won the 24 Hours Nürburgring several times, and also the 24 Hours Spa.Duez also has competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Andros Trophy....

and Alexander Burgstaller.

Team management

In 2001, he founded his own racing team, Ravaglia Motorsport (now ROAL Motorsport), with Aldo Preo. The team took part in the European Touring Car Championship

European Touring Car Championship

with support from BMW Motorsport

BMW Motorsport

BMW Motorsport is the division of BMW responsible for motorsport-related activities, including works-run competition programmes in touring car racing, sportscar racing and Formula One.-See also:* BMW M* BMW in motorsport* BMW Sauber* Schnitzer Motorsport...

, and their driver Peter Kox

Peter Kox

Peter Kox is a racecar driver from the NetherlandsKox began racing in karts in 1978, winning five titles until 1982. In 1983 he moved to automobiles, winning the Marlboro Formula Ford Challenge and was second and third in the Benelux and Dutch Formula Ford 2000 Championships, respectively, the...

won the Super Production class championship in the first season. The entry name of the BMW squad was BMW Team Germany in 2001, but it changed to BMW Team Spain in the next season and has been BMW Team Italy-Spain since 2003. The team currently competes in the World Touring Car Championship

World Touring Car Championship

as Driver

1985

Winner of the 24 Hours of Spa

1986

European Touring Car Championship

champion

1987

World Touring Car Championship

champion

Winner of the Guia Race

Guia Race

1988

European Touring Car Championship

champion

Winner of the 24 Hours of Spa

1989

Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide....

(DTM) champion

Winner of the 24 Hours Nürburgring

24 Hours Nürburgring

Nordschleife

1990

Italian Touring Car Championship champion

1991

Italian Touring Car Championship champion

1992

Third in Guia Race

Guia Race

1993