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Téo ‘Droopy' Fabi (merged)

Started by island , May 24 2000 16:22

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44 replies to this topic

#1 island

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Posted 24 May 2000 - 16:22

Hi!
He did well in Can-Am, in Indycars (pole in
his first Indy 500 in 1983!) and in Sports
Cars. Looked also good in the F1 Benetton
in 1985/1986.
One of the last real allrounders but always
a bit underrated. Was he a potential GP
winner or even Champion?

#2 Duane

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Posted 24 May 2000 - 18:37

I think Fabi was capable of race wins. He was very quick on the fast, flowing circuits like Osteriechring and Monza. He should have won the Austrian GP in 86 when he was leading team-mate Berger before buzzing the engine and retiring. Those Benetton BMWs looked truly amazing at speed. He also had pole at Monza in 86 but was forced to start from the back. He also scored the first pole for Benetton/Toleman-Hart at the Ring in 85 in the B(TG)-185(?), after the team missed the first few races of the year - showing that the Senna TG-184 (of which thw 185 was a direct development and one of the prettiest cars!) wasn't that bad after all.

The race I really remember from Fabi however was Monza 84. He worked his way to the front and had a great battle with Lauda and Tambay before the BMW failed. He was absolutely scorching around the track and looked quite spectacular.

For all his speed and talent on the quick tracks, he seemed to suffer and lose his speed on slower or twisty tracks. A very smooth driver - so his speedway success is understandable.

[This message has been edited by Duane (edited 05-24-2000).]

#3 f1sl

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Posted 02 June 2000 - 01:06

Where is Teo Fabi from? i've heard lot's of thing from him. and is he still living?

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#4 Huw Jenjin

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Posted 02 June 2000 - 07:26

Teo and Corrado Fabi are Italians, and Corrado returned to run the family chalk business, if i remember rightly.
Both are still around.

#5 f1sl

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Posted 02 June 2000 - 20:28

but wasn't Teo Fabi racing for a while in Canada? because at the race track where i work one of the pits are called "Fabi Pits". i don't know if it's from Teo Fabi or not but it has the same name as he does. you can check it out at Shannonville Motorsort Park

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#6 f1sl

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Posted 02 June 2000 - 20:28

but wasn't Teo Fabi racing for a while in Canada? because at the race track where i work one of the pits are called "Fabi Pits". i don't know if it's from Teo Fabi or not but it has the same name as he does. you can check it out at Shannonville Motorsport Park

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#7 Dave Ware

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Posted 02 June 2000 - 22:19

If they ever had a second-generation Can Am race at Shannonville then he might have raced there, since he drove a March Can Am car for a year or so.

I'm not aware of his having driven any Formula Atlantic, which I know they raced at Shannonville, but he may have.

I have a 1975 issue of Autosport with a picture of a 15 year-old Fabi after winning, I think, the world go kart championship.

His last year in CART was '93, I think, and he was still quite quick. Had a pole or two and was unlucky to have not won a race.

D.

#8 JohanPretorius

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Posted 13 June 2000 - 11:40

Hello,

Teo Fabi was born in Italy 1955.

Bearing in mind he set 3 pole positions:
1985-Germany in a Toleman-Hart(!) - Then set Fastest Lap but retired with a clutch problem.
1986-Austria in the Benetton/BMW - set fastest lap but retired due to the engine breaking.
1986-Italy in the Benetton/BMW - set fastest lap and retired with a puncture.

YES he could have won Grands Prix. But his successes in SportsCar/GT have been more consistent.

#9 Pete Stanley

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Posted 13 June 2000 - 14:28

Actually, Dave, his last CART year was '95, with Forsythe. He was as fast as ever. His Combustion Engineering sponsorship fell through, though, and he was replaced with Greg Moore.

#10 Sc. Serrenissima

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Posted 21 September 2004 - 19:16

In 1984, Téo Fabi succedd to have the drive of the Brabham BMW n°2 as Nelson Piquet teamate. He drove this car with his brother Corrado because before the agreement with Bernie, he has already signed in C.A.R.T.

I can understand why, because within the web I can't find some pics of Téo (and Corrado) driving this car during the 1984 season !!!
There is a picture which can always been seen, but it's impossible to find other original pictures !!!
Can someone help me.

Thank U.

#11 Twin Window

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Posted 21 September 2004 - 19:26

Originally posted by Sc. Serrenissima

In 1984, Téo Fabi succedd to have the drive of the Brabham BMW n°2 as Nelson Piquet teamate. He drove this car with his brother Corrado...

...and Manfred Winkelhock

#12 FRWL

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Posted 21 September 2004 - 19:32

Originally posted by Twin Window
...and Manfred Winkelhock

;)

#13 Twin Window

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Posted 21 September 2004 - 19:38

That looks like me in the red jacket, actually!

#14 Th�odore33

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Posted 23 September 2004 - 15:27

Hy,

One picture of Téo during a test at Spa.

Posted Image

Copyright : Bob Vandenholt

One more question :
- Who were the others drivers who were offered the drive ?
- Why Téo and Corrado were choosen by Bernie ?

Thanks.

#15 David McKinney

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Posted 23 September 2004 - 16:18

...and why has Teo Fabi suddenly become Téo? :confused:

#16 ensign14

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Posted 23 September 2004 - 17:46

Originally posted by Théodore33
One more question :
- Who were the others drivers who were offered the drive ?
- Why Téo and Corrado were choosen by Bernie ?

Teo couldn't have the drive full time cos he was contracted to Forsythe Racing in CART, where he had been a revelation in 1983. So where there was a clash of races he was stuck in the States, freeing up the 2nd car for Corrado before his retirement.

I guess this suited Piquet down to the ground.

As for why Bernie went for Teo, I wonder whether that has anything to do with the 1982 Drivers' Strike? Teo was the 'scab' who escaped and grassed to the team owners - including a certain B C Ecclestone who seemed to be the least impressed by the whole palaver.

Plus an Italian must have been pretty decent for Parmalat, ISTR Mauro Baldi (who had had an ineffectual couple of seasons being outdriven by Surer and de Cesaris) was being touted for the drive - and Martini had a test at the beginning of 1983.

One comment though...the Brabhams under Bernie always had the most immaculate paint jobs. They totally looked the part. Shame they turned into painted harlots in the "AD"* era...

* = after BCE

#17 FLB

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Posted 23 September 2004 - 20:45

Originally posted by ensign14
As for why Bernie went for Teo, I wonder whether that has anything to do with the 1982 Drivers' Strike? Teo was the 'scab' who escaped and grassed to the team owners - including a certain B C Ecclestone who seemed to be the least impressed by the whole palaver.

Plus an Italian must have been pretty decent for Parmalat, ISTR Mauro Baldi (who had had an ineffectual couple of seasons being outdriven by Surer and de Cesaris) was being touted for the drive - and Martini had a test at the beginning of 1983.

Well, I don't think the choice was so far fetched, the 1982 drivers' strike notwithstanding. Parmalat definately wanted an Itailan driver to replace Patrese. Both Teo and Corrado were March works drivers in F2, so they definately must have had BMW connections (Corrado was Euro F2 Champion in 1982). Of the two, Corrado probably seemed like a bargain, but Teo had the best results. He even looked like a possible winner at Monza.

Don't forget the dreadful Brabham reliability record for 1984 as well. They had a lot of problems finishing races, so I can very well imagine Piquet saying to them 'Get the first car right... Then, worry about the second!'

#18 Frank S

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Posted 23 September 2004 - 20:50

Originally posted by ensign14
Teo couldn't have the drive full time cos he was contracted to Forsythe Racing in CART, where he had been a revelation in 1983...

My Teo 1983 CART photo:

Posted Image

Captions at your option.

#19 Th�odore33

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Posted 02 October 2004 - 23:58

Teo during the British grand prix 1985 with the stickers "USA for Africa" :

Posted Image

I always not succed in finding some pictures of Teo driving the Brabham-BMW during the 1984 season.

#20 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 03 October 2004 - 08:18

Originally posted by Théodore33
Hy,

One more question :
- Who were the others drivers who were offered the drive ?
- Why Téo and Corrado were choosen by Bernie ?

Thanks.

I don't think any other drivers were offered the drive but there was pressure from Parmalat to have an Italian in the team. Pier-Luigi Martini's name was mentioned but apparently Bernie wasn't too keen on him.

Early in 1984 Mauro Baldi was being touted as the most likely person to get the drive though John Watson was also a possibilty if Parmalat could be persuaded to back down on their demand.

Even at that stage Teo Fabi was being considered but his CART contract was thought to be a problem.

Carlos Reutemann was another name mentioned around that time.

Bernie admitted he "wouldn't mind Fabi ... he's gone well in every category he's raced in" and he quite liked the idea of pinching a CART driver. The fact that Fabi was already well known in America was a bonus.

#21 man

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 14:29

What exactly is Teo doing these days? Although his 1987 season was a bit flat, did he have any further offers to drive in F1?

Would he be interested in GP Masters?

#22 Frank de Jong

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 14:42

Originally posted by f1sl
but wasn't Teo Fabi racing for a while in Canada? because at the race track where i work one of the pits are called "Fabi Pits". i don't know if it's from Teo Fabi or not but it has the same name as he does. you can check it out at Shannonville Motorsport Park

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There was a Canadian called Betrand Fabi who was destined for greater things (he was a winner in FF2000) but had a fatal accident (F3 testing?). I would guess that the pits are named after him.

#23 bigears

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 15:59

Is that true that he never led a single lap although he clocked up 3 poles during his F1 career?

I read it somewhere in one of the recent Autosport magazines.

#24 FLB

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 17:11

Originally posted by Frank de Jong

There was a Canadian called Betrand Fabi who was destined for greater things (he was a winner in FF2000) but had a fatal accident (F3 testing?). I would guess that the pits are named after him.

Bertrand Fabi is THE greatest 'unknown' talent Canada's ever lost...

He came from Rock Forest, Quebec. He was on his way to F1. He started out on very little money, but was later helped by Raymond David, an insurance broker. David was the money man behind the Spénard-David racing school at Shannonville, Ontario.

Fabi made his mark in Canadian FF2000 before winning the 1985 Euro FF2000 championship, beating Martin Donnelly. My only worry about his future F1 career was that he might reach it at a time when very few drivers were sharing the good drives. I was afraid he might wind up with a bad drive, an F1-career killer type of drive, which, in retrospect, is exactly what happened to guys like Ivan Capelli and Stefano Modena despite their talent.

I still remember the day it was announced he'd had a bad accident while F3 testing at Goowood. It was in February 1986. IIRC, he had just signed to drive for West Surrey Racing in the 1987 British F3 Championship. He died the follwing day

#25 SEdward

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 17:20

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember Teo comfortably leading a Grand Prix until his car broke. Was it Austria in 1986? I think he would have won that race if he had made it to the finish.

Edward

#26 Geza Sury

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 17:25

Originally posted by bigears
Is that true that he never led a single lap although he clocked up 3 poles during his F1 career?

Yes, it is. Fabi took his first pole at the 1985 German Grand Prix, but according to Autocourse "was creeping slightly and had to dip the cluth to check the car's progress. At that moment, the green light came on". That of course meant that he dropped down the order. The next time Fabi started from pole was in Austria the following year, but this time his team-mate and local boy Gerhard Berger shot into the lead and held it for several laps. Fabi took pole at the following race in Italy too only to start behing the field as his engine had stalled at the beginning of the warm-up lap. Considering he drove a superb race afterwards setting up fastest lap in the process he might have easily won the race! (This was his opinion on the matter anyway.)

#27 man

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 17:43

Fabi did actually lead the 1986 Austrian GP but for a few a corners at most if I remember correctly. He overtook Berger but as soon as he did, his car failed ( cannot remember if the BMW engine was the reason for his retirement). Berger was also let down by mechanical problems in the same race and had to make a long pitstop when he was leading comfortably.

So, any ideas as to what Teo is doing now?

#28 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 18:27

http://www.oldracing...tn.asp?letter=F

#29 man

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Posted 30 September 2005 - 18:44

Originally posted by Richie Jenkins
http://www.oldracing...tn.asp?letter=F

Of course! His son! How could I forget. Thanks for the link.

A good addition for GP Masters I think.

#30 LittleChris

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 11:47

Would the other drivers want him there after Kyalami 1982 ?

#31 Th�odore33

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:30

Some pics of our "Droopy"

[IMG]http://img57.imagesh...bispa7ju.th.jpg[/IMG]

[img=http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/2082/86fabidtroit9zs.jpg]

[IMG]http://img57.imagesh...etton5ib.th.jpg[/IMG]

Copyright Unknown

#32 don hodgdon

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:46

Teo at Riverside, driver's meeting before a "new" Can-Am event.

Posted Image

#33 subh

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Posted 01 March 2006 - 16:56

His full name is apparently Teodorico, and he started off as a downhill skier (it says here). How many others followed this career path? Galica and Tambay. Anyone else?

Another note - how did they manage to design the B186 to fit both Berger and Fabi?

#34 petefenelon

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Posted 01 March 2006 - 17:10

Originally posted by subh
His full name is apparently Teodorico, and he started off as a downhill skier (it says here). How many others followed this career path? Galica and Tambay. Anyone else?

Another note - how did they manage to design the B186 to fit both Berger and Fabi?

Jean-Claude Killy competed in racing at a fairly high level in GTs. Luc Alphand of GT team and Dakar fame, too.

#35 Paolo

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Posted 01 March 2006 - 17:14

Fabi is an engineer, that explains a lot of his set-up abilities.
Always liked him and Corrado.
I heard, anyway, that they are not on the best terms these days.

#36 Collombin

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Posted 01 March 2006 - 20:48

Originally posted by subh
His full name is apparently Teodorico, and he started off as a downhill skier (it says here). How many others followed this career path? Galica and Tambay. Anyone else?

Werner Grissmann is the most obvious example I can think of.

#37 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 02 March 2006 - 00:07

Dean Hall, Indianpolis 500 driver was a ski-ier of some repute, apparently.

#38 David M. Kane

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Posted 02 March 2006 - 00:39

Paolo:

Yes, he is an Engineer. The last I heard he was living in Torino.

#39 Alan Cox

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Posted 02 March 2006 - 22:44

A photo of young Teo at Silverstone for the 1978 August Bank Holiday meeting. A race won, I think, by Alain Prost

Posted Image

#40 subh

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Posted 03 March 2006 - 00:19

Originally posted by subh
started off as a downhill skier (it says here). How many others followed this career path?

Apparently, motorcycle racer Victor Palomo started out as a water skier...

#41 philippe7

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Posted 03 March 2006 - 09:56

Originally posted by subh
His full name is apparently Teodorico, and he started off as a downhill skier (it says here). How many others followed this career path?

The man who reached a very high level both in downhill skiing ( if I remember correctly he was drafted in the french junior team) and in car racing is certainly the late Bob Wollek...

In the two wheel world, Patrick Pons was "university" french skiing champion.....although in slalom .

By the way, there is a thread somewhere about "car racers who succeeded in other sports....."

#42 Maldwyn

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Posted 03 March 2006 - 10:37

Originally posted by subh
His full name is apparently Teodorico, and he started off as a downhill skier (it says here). How many others followed this career path? Galica and Tambay. Anyone else?

Riccardo Patrese was, and remains, a talented skier. Before motorsport he competed in skiing and swimming to a high level.

#43 petefenelon

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Posted 03 March 2006 - 14:51

Originally posted by Maldwyn

Riccardo Patrese was, and remains, a talented skier. Before motorsport he competed in skiing and swimming to a high level.

Isn't Riccardo also a horseman of some repute as well?

#44 Maldwyn

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Posted 03 March 2006 - 15:09

Originally posted by petefenelon
Isn't Riccardo also a horseman of some repute as well?

Certainly is. He is competing regularly in showjumping events.

#45 giacomo

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Posted 03 March 2006 - 18:13

Originally posted by subh
His full name is apparently Teodorico, and he started off as a downhill skier (it says here). How many others followed this career path? Galica and Tambay. Anyone else?

Austrian Franz Klammer drove touring cars.
Frenchman Luc Alphand is currently driving Rallye Raids.

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