WTCR legend Gabriele Tarquini announces retirement at 59

Double Touring champion (WTCC in 2009 and WTCR 2018), Gabriele Tarquini has just announced his retirement at the end of the 2021 season. At 59, the Italian will leave behind an indelible mark, punctuated by almost 50 years in motorsport. Tarquini will leave the discipline at the end of the last round of the year, on November 27 and 28 in Sochi (Russia).

Tarquini, the motorsport adventurer

The Italian still took care to announce the news before his home race weekend, on the Adria International Raceway track, in Italy (November 6 and 7). “I feel very sad, confides Tarquini in the press release published the touring car championship. After a long career that felt like it would never end, you think this moment will never come. Everything in life has a beginning and an end and I'm old enough to understand that. »

“The WTCR has been a strong series in recent years, but I struggled a bit in qualifying. Although my race pace was still there, I decided during the break between Spain and Hungary that it was time to say “stop”. It was important for me to announce my decision during my national race in Italy – it's the right time. »

Engaged in competition since 1984, Gabriele Tarquini notably participated in the championships of Formula 3, Formula 3000, 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1985, while taking part in no less than 78 Grands Prix Formula 1, between 1987 and 1992. But that was before becoming a true legend of the different touring car categories and championships: British champion in 1994, European champion in 2003, before his two world crowns in 2009 and 2018.

But the Italian will not completely take off the gloves at the end of the year, as he confided during the virtual press conference ahead of the Italian meeting this weekend:

“I don't want to stop driving completely, because racing is like a drug for me, and I'm going to have to slowly wean myself off it, because I can't go from 100% to nothing. I am also talking to Hyundai Motorsport to see if we can have a different relationship in the future. We have had so many great moments together, like winning the WTCR Drivers’ Championship in 2018.”

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