From Ferrari to colleagues on TV: the motor world remembers Andrea de Adamich

There are numerous emotional messages in memory of Andrea de Adamich, a former driver, including in Formula 1, known for his important television career, who died Wednesday at the age of 84. Among them, there’s also the memory of Scuderia Ferrari, with which De Adamich debuted in F1 in 1968, contesting four Grand Prix.

“Andrea de Adamich, a refined and multifaceted figure in Italian motorsport (…) has passed away at the age of 84. His racing career was abruptly cut short by a serious accident at Silverstone in 1973, but not his passion – recalls the Cavallino on its official channels -: Andrea remained an authoritative voice and a familiar face in Formula 1 for decades, thanks to his work as a TV commentator and the creation of one of Europe”s most renowned driving schools.

On social media, on the other hand, there are the words of two of De Adamich’s historical colleagues in the 1990s, Guido Schittone and Claudia Peroni: “Today is for real the end of an’era– wrote the former on his Facebook profile -The one in which a little boy who dedicated his diary to him (this is not a fandom, but Andrea was my teen idol from the Temporada days) found himself working with him”.

“He was not a professional journalist and this caused envy – added Schittone -He was a talent, a strange word that in those years was peeping out of those in charge of contracts and schedules. His presence brought publicity. His commentaries credibility. Because it was that experience that changed forever the way motorsport was treated on television (…). Now, on the morning of his being somewhere else, I would feel like picking up my middle school diary and writing to him again: ‘Dear Andrea, you were born as an idol, you have become a reality of mine. Thank you'”.

“You were for me a great example of professionalism, of precious teachings, given in your own way, but always followed by me in all the years together at Mediaset, unforgettable – wrote instead Claudia Peroni, historical correspondent in the paddock for Fininvest networks -. Your demonstrations of affection and esteem are for me a source of great pride. Thank you Champion!”