Top 5 Worst Performing Osella Squadra Corse drivers


Top 5 Worst Performing Osella Squardra Corse drivers
A List By Brian Cotnoir

While not as a famous or as known as a Ferrari, Minardi, or even BMS Scuderia Italia, Osella Squadra Corse (or Osella) managed to last a decade in Formula 1, and only scored 5 total Championship points in their 10 years of existence   This was another Formula 1 team, I never heard of before I started doing research for this article, but as some of you may see some of the worst drivers for Osella have also made appearances on some of the other Worst Performing F1 drives lists.

5.)  Eddie Cheever, 1 Season (1980), 0 Championship points scored, 4 DNQ’s, Best Finish 12th at the Italian Grand Prix

I was very surprised to find out that American and future Indy 500 winner, Eddie Cheever was the first driver for Osella in 1980.  He ran Formula 2 the year prior for Osella team and won 3 races.  He ran a single-car entry for the team, and had some very unfortunate results.   In 14 starts with Osella, Cheever failed to qualify for 4 Grand Prix’s, and failed to finish all, but 1 race that season.  His only finish was a 12th place at the Italian Grand Prix, and would leave the following season for greener pastures with Tyrrell.


4.)   Alex Caffi, 1 Season (1987), 0 Championship Points Scored, DNQ’s, best Finish 12 at San Marino Grand Prix

Italian Alex Caffi made his F1 debut with the Osella team in a—mostly—single car entry.   Like Cheever, Caffi’s time at Osella was plagued with race retirements.   He failed to finish 13-of-the-14 Grand Prix’s he entered.  His only finish with Osella was a 12th place at the San Marino Grand Prix.    Caffi also failed to qualify for that year Spanish and Australian Grand Prix’s.


3.)  Olivier Grouillard, 1 Season (1990), 0 Championship Points scored, Best Finish 13th (2X)

Olivier Grouilliard has the unfortunate distinction of being the first driver to appear on my Worst F1 drivers list three times!  He’s already appeared as #5 on my worst Ligier drivers and #3 on my worst performing Tyrrell drivers.   Grouilliard ran a single car entry in Osella’s final year of existence.  He failed to qualify for 7-of-the-16 races that season and his best finish was a dismal 13th which he achieved at the Canadian and Australian Grand Prix’s.   Grouilliard would stay with the team once they were sold off and became Fondemental, but could not yield any better results.


2.)  Nicola Larini, 2 Seasons, 0 Championship Points scored, 13 DNQ’s, Best Finish 9th at the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix

Italian Nicola Larini would run two seasons for the Osella in the late 1980’s.   Like everyone else on this list, he struggled in qualifying and did not qualify for 13-of-the-32 Grand Prix’s he entered.   His first season with the team he ran a single car entry.  The following year, in 1989 he was teamed up with Piercarlo Ghinzanni (who raced on & off with the team throughout the 1980’s).   Larini would be disqualified from the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix for making an illegal start, and what’s most bizarre to me is he actually managed to score a ride for 4 races with Ferrari!   He had two pointless finishes at the end of the 1992 season, and in 1994 while filling in for the injured Jean Alesi, he almost won the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, finishing 2nd to Michael Schumacher.   Unfortunately, what should have been the greatest day in Larini’s racing career was overshadowed by the tragic death of F1 legend, Ayrton Senna.


1.) Beppe Gabbiani, 1 season (1981), 0 Championship points Scored, 12 DNQ’s, and 3 race retirements

Beppe Gabbiani, was Osella’s only full-time entrant for Osella in 1981, and he ran with several different teammates throughout the season.   He only qualified for 3 races all season, and failed to finish all three races, which is really sad.  One of his teammates, Jean-Pierre Jarier (despite having the mental age of 10 as James Hunt put it)   qualified for all seven races he entered for Osella and finished four of the races he entered.




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