(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000

Родился: 14.01.1973 Рим Сезонов в Ф1: 14 Лет в Ф1: 14 Гран При: 231 Старты: 229* *не стартовал: 2 Победы: 3 - подряд: Подиумы: 19 - подряд: 2 Поул-позиции: 4 - подряд: Первый ряд: 11 - подряд: 2 Быстрые круги: 2 - подряд: Лучший финиш: 1 Лучший старт: 1 Дубли: 2 Хет-трики: Лидирование старт/финиш: Большие шлемы: Круги: 11509 - лидирования: 214 Километры: 55697.54 - лидирования: 1120.94 Очки: 275 - за один сезон: 72 - подряд: 11

Ф1: 1996-2009

Год	Команда	Шасси
1996	Minardi Team SpA	Minardi M195B
1997	Benson & Hedges Total Jordan Peugeot	Jordan 197
1998	Mild Seven Benetton Playlife	Benetton B198
1999	Mild Seven Benetton Playlife	Benetton B199
2000	Mild Seven Benetton Playlife	Benetton B200
2001	Mild Seven Benetton Renault	Benetton B201
2002	DHL Jordan Honda	Jordan EJ12
2003	Benson & Hedges Jordan Ford	Jordan EJ13
2004	Sauber Petronas	Sauber C23
2005	Mild Seven Renault F1 Team	Renault R25
2006	Mild Seven Renault F1 Team	Renault R26
2007	ING Renault F1 Team	Renault R27
2008	Force India F1 Team	Force India VJM01 (Spyker F8-VIIB)
2009	Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro	Ferrari F60B (660)
	Force India F1 Team	Force India VJM02

A quiet and open-minded Italian, Fisichella was surrounded by cars from an early age when he played among the machines in his father's garage workshop. By the time he was ten he was competing in the national Minikart series and he soon progressed through the karting ranks, becoming runner-up in both the World and Intercontinental Championship series, only misfortune denying him the ultimate prize.

Moving up to Italian F5 in 1992, Fisichella spent two seasons learning his trade before switching to the official RC Motorsport team. Giancarlo then simply scorched away from the opposition, winning ten of the twenty rounds of the series and adding the prestigious one-off Monaco and Macau races to his impressive CV.

Obviously a talent to watch, Fisichella was snapped up by Minardi on a long-term contract and given the test driver role for 1995 while he gained experience and polished his racecraft in the ITC with an Alfa Romeo 156. Another full season in the high-tech category was successfully completed in 1996, but of greater significance was his Grand Prix baptism with Minardi. Joining the rather more seasoned Pedro Lamy in the Faenza squad, Fisichella immediately showed the speed to eclipse his team-mate, but the young lions blotted their copybooks by colliding on the opening lap at Monaco when points were there for the taking. Fisichella was obliged to make way for Giovanni Lavaggi after the British GP, but his stock was high enough for him to be placed in the Jordan team for 1997 alongside rookie Ralf Schumacher. Certainly it was Giancarlo who looked the brighter prospect with some mature and accomplished performances and the fact that his season tailed off somewhat was no barrier to the young Italian's transfer to Benetton after a contract wrangle between Jordan and Flavio Briatore was settled in court.

Fisichella undoubtedly brought a new sense of purpose to Benetton in 1998 and his two second places in Monaco and Montreal showed that here was a potential Grand Prix winner of the future. His second term presented a similar picture: occasional outstanding performances mixed with lacklustre showings when he failed to cut the mustard.

Ironically his long-term contract could be a double-edged sword. Already comfortably ensconced in a multi-million-dollar lifestyle, the pleasant, easy-going Roman has yet to produce the goods on a consistent basis. When everything is right he shows the skills to deliver, but such is the pace of Formula 1 that he could rapidly find himself surplus to requirements if he fails to progress.

(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000