Age: 32

Date of Birth: 14^th January 1973

Nationality: Italian

Place of Birth: Rome, Italy

Residents: Rome, Italy

Status: Engaged to Luna with daughter; Carlotta and son; Christopher

Height: 1.72m

Weight: 66kg

Teams: Ferrari (test driver 1996), Minardi (1996), Jordan (1997), Benetton (1999- 2001), Jordan (2002-2003), Sauber (2004), Renault (2005 to present)

Grand Prix Debut: Australia 1996

2005 Car Number: 6

Last Season: eleventh

Career Pervious to F1: 1994 Italian F3 Champion 

Driver website: http://www.giancarlofisichella.com

Giancarlo Fisichella started his Formula One Career with Minardi in 1996, he was asked by the team if he would be their reserve driver. This allowed him to drive in eight races in the early part of the season, although his Minardi was plagued by retirements he managed to catch the eye of Benetton boss; Flavio Briatore. Briatore arranged for Fisichella to test the Jordan, this lead to Eddie Jordan signing Fisichella for next year. He also test drove for Ferrari in 1996.

In 1997 he was regularly outshining his teammate; Ralf Schumacher. Fisichella nearly managed to get his first pole position at the German Grand Prix but he was pipped by Benetton driver; Gerhard Berger. Fisichella was on course to win the German Grand Prix but a damaged tyre caused him to crash with only a few laps of the race remaining. He took his first podium by finishing second at the Belgium Grand Prix. He finished the season, eighth in the World Championship, with 20 points.

In 1998 he moved to Benetton. It was a bittersweet season for Fisichella at Benetton. He claimed back-to-back second places that the Monaco and Canadian Grand Prixs. He also, got pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix but, he could not improve on that in the race because technical problems that had hampered him all season.

Giancarlo Fisichella stayed with Benetton for four years. He managed to finish on the podium on several occasions with Benetton. Fisichellas and Briatores relationship turned a bit sour in 2000 because, Fisichella thought that the car was not good enough while Briatore thought that Fisichella was not good enough.

In 2002 Fisichella ‘swapped’ drives with fellow countryman; Jarno Trulli. Fisichella when back to his former team; Jordan while Trulli when to Renault. 2002 was a difficult season for both Italian drivers but more so, for Fisichella.

The Honda engine in the back of the Jordan was not powerful enough, the car also, suffered form poor weight distribution meaning that car had poor handling and if things weren’t already bad enough, the car was very rough on its tyres. Fisichella also, had to put with a slightly over enthusiastic teammate; Tukuma Sato, who nearly took Fisichella out of the Malaysian Grand Prix. He also, had to withdraw from the French Grand Prix because crashing heavily in the pratice season on Friday.  He finished the season in a dismal eleventh in the championship.

In 2003 his Jordan had pretty much the same problems as last year but, this year instead having underpowered Honda engine they now had underpowered Ford engines.

By some miracle, Fisichella managed to win the rain soaked and incident filled Brazilian Grand Prix. For the rest of the season Giancarlo, could only manage to get two more points, meaning that he finished twelfth in the Championship, the worst result he has had, since entering Formula One with Minardi in 1996.

Because of that appalling season he moved to Sauber for 2004. Despite having the undoubtedly quick Felipe Massa as a teammate, Fisichella managed to blow the Brazilian away. Fisichella out qualified Massa twelve times and scored ten more points than the young Brazilian. This caused him to catch the eye of Briatore again!

In 2005 Fisichella returned Renault to be teammates with Fernando Alonso. In the first Grand Prix of the season during qualifying, in changeable weather conditions, Fisichella managed to be out on track when the weather was at its best allowing him to claim pole position. In the race he managed to win the Australian Grand Prix. From there Fisichellas season has gone down hill compared to his teammate.