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Stefano Modena (born 12 May 1963) is an Italian former racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1987 to 1992.

Key Information

Born and raised in Modena, Modena began his career in kart racing. After winning the junior World Cup in 1978, as well as back-to-back senior European Championships in 1983 and 1984, Modena progressed to Italian Formula Three in 1985. Following several race victories the next season—and taking pole position at the Macau Grand Prix—Modena moved to International Formula 3000 in 1987, winning the championship in his debut season.

Modena participated in 81 Formula One Grands Prix for Brabham, EuroBrun, Tyrrell, Jordan, debuting at the 1987 Australian Grand Prix. He achieved two podiums and 17 championship points across six seasons.

Career

[edit]

Modena was born on 12 May 1963 in Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.[1] A former 125cc Junior Karting Champion in Italy, he spent two seasons in the Italian Formula Ford national series before joining Euroracing in his domestic Formula 3 series in 1985, placing 15th in an Alfa Romeo engined Ralt. For 1986 he switched to Team Seresina's Reynard chassis and scored three wins to finish 4th overall, also placing 2nd at the Monaco support race and winning a round of the European series at Imola. In 1987 he joined Onyx for the Formula 3000 series, winning three rounds and being crowned as champion.[2]

Modena's raw speed saw many mark him as a future champion, resulting in Modena being offered a one-off drive for Brabham in the final race of the 1987 Formula One season. While he impressed by qualifying 15th at the 1987 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide, his inexperience with the turbo charged BMW engine saw him stop three times to replace flat-spotted tyres before retiring with exhaustion before mid-distance. Modena was intent on becoming a full-time Grand Prix driver for 1988, testing for Benetton before the season.[2] However, for a full-time drive he had to join the new EuroBrun team, who included many of the same Euroracing mechanics Modena had worked with in 1985. The EuroBrun ER188 with its 3.5 litre Ford Cosworth V8 engine was not competitive however, and Modena was consigned to run near the rear of the field for the year. He did however prove to be faster than his teammate, fellow F1 rookie and former Brun Motorsport sportscar driver, Argentina's Oscar Larrauri.

1989 saw Brabham reform after a sabbatical in 1988, now owned by Swiss businessman Joachim Luthi (who had bought the team from Walter Brun, the owner of EuroBrun), but featuring a lot of the same staff as in 1987. Modena was offered one of the seats, driving alongside Martin Brundle. Equipped with Pirelli qualifying tyres Modena frequently qualified well, starting inside the top 10 on eight occasions despite using the Judd V8 engine. However, the car wasn't reliable - though Modena's sole points finish would come with his 3rd place at the Monaco Grand Prix, his first of two F1 podiums. Before the 1990 season Luthi would be imprisoned for fraud and Brabham endured a difficult year with ownership problems. Modena raised the team's spirits by finishing 5th at the season-opening United States Grand Prix but after that results were rare.[3]

Modena finally got his big break in 1991 when he was signed as replacement for Ferrari-bound Tyrrell team leader Jean Alesi. With a healthy group of sponsors, 1990 spec Honda engines, Pirelli tyres and a development of the successful 020 chassis much was expected of the combination, with some predicting race wins. While his season started off with 4th place at Phoenix many of the front runners had retired without Modena getting near them. The wet conditions at Imola saw similar attrition allowing Modena to reach 3rd place before transmission failure. The following race at Monaco saw an even better performance as he qualified on the front row alongside his friend and World Champion Ayrton Senna, harrying the McLaren driver until being held up in traffic and suffering a violent engine failure. A steadier run in Canada was rewarded with 2nd place after Nigel Mansell retired on the final lap. After that Modena's form dropped off badly as Pirelli struggled to develop a consistent race tyre while the heavy Honda engines made the 020 chassis (originally designed for the Cosworth DFR V8) difficult to balance. While Modena continued to qualify frequently in the top half of the grid he struggled in races, only scoring one more point for 6th place at the Japanese Grand Prix.[4]

The season was considered a huge disappointment, and Modena left Tyrrell for Jordan the following season.[2] The team had made a strong debut in 1991 and many considered Modena was lucky to land a drive with them. However, their car was hindered by the underpowered Yamaha V12 engine and Modena struggled all season. He failed to qualify for four races and became unpopular with his team for his lack of mechanical sympathy and moody behaviour compared to teammate Maurício Gugelmin. This was confirmed by Gary Anderson, who had designed the 1992 car. Anderson said of Modena that the failures to qualify took his motivation away from him, and, due to his temper, he accumulated disappointments without being able to get over them. Despite scoring the team's only point of the year at the final round in Australia he was unable to find a drive in Grand Prix racing for 1993.

Modena drove instead for Alfa Romeo in the Italian and German touring categories from 1993 to 1999, winning occasional races but never looking like a serious contender for the title. After a year with Opel in 2000, he retired from motorsport.[2]

After retiring, Modena participated to some twenty-four hours karting races and in 2003 he was hired by Bridgestone, to test first racing tires and then road tires. Over the years he has conducted hundreds of tests in every geographical and climatic condition, including France, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Belgium and Japan. Always for the Asian company he dedicated himself to the promotion, marketing and development of new road tires, travelling to Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, the United States and Dubai.

Since the late nineties, Modena has been living permanently in Rome with his wife and former actress Sveva Altieri, with whom he had two children: Ascanio, an archaeologist and journalist, and Vittoria, a jurisconsult.

Modena was known for being an eccentric character with bizarre habits verging on the obsessive, including not wanting to have his car parked on the left side of the team garage, and not allowing anyone to touch his race car once he was inside other than the team member who helped him with his safety belts. During his F1 career it was not unusual to see Modena get out of his car after being strapped and get back in before the warm-up lap if he had seen someone else touch the car. Modena was also known to race with his gloves inside out. However, as he has claimed, this wasn't due to superstition.

Racing record

[edit]

Career summary

[edit]
Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1985 Italian Formula Three Euroteam 13 0 0 1 0 5 15th
1986 Italian Formula Three Euroteam 13 3 1 4 5 38 4th
Macau Grand Prix 1 0 1 0 0 N/A 13th
1987 International Formula 3000 Onyx Racing 11 3 0 1 4 41 1st
Macau Grand Prix Euroteam 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 15th
Formula One Brabham 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1988 Formula One EuroBrun Racing 10 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1989 Formula One Motor Racing Developments 15 0 0 0 1 4 16th
1990 Formula One Motor Racing Developments 16 0 0 0 0 2 16th
1991 Formula One Braun Tyrrell Honda 16 0 0 0 1 10 8th
1992 Formula One Sasol Jordan Yamaha 12 0 0 0 0 1 17th
1993 Italian Superturismo Championship Euroteam 20 0 0 0 0 46 11th
FIA Touring Car Challenge 2 0 0 0 0 14 13th
1994 Italian Superturismo Championship Euroteam 13 3 3 6 5 116 6th
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Alfa Corse 6 1 1 2 2 74 12th
FIA Touring Car World Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1995 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Euroteam 11 0 0 1 1 26 16th
International Touring Car Series 10 0 0 2 1 49 7th
1996 International Touring Car Championship JAS Motorsport Alfa Corse 25 0 0 0 3 92 12th
1997 Super Tourenwagen Cup JAS Engineering 20 0 0 0 0 129 20th
1998 Super Tourenwagen Cup Euroteam 18 0 0 0 0 146 18th
Italian Superturismo Championship Nordauto Engineering 2 0 0 1 1 32 15th
1999 Super Tourenwagen Cup Euroteam 19 0 0 0 0 271 13th
2000 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Euroteam 14 0 0 0 0 15 15th
Sources:[5][6][7]

Complete International Formula 3000 results

[edit]

(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pos. Pts
1987 Onyx Racing SIL
4 		VAL
1 		SPA
Ret 		PAU
Ret 		DON
2 		PER
6 		BRH
4 		BIR
1 		IMO
1 		BUG
Ret 		JAR
6 		1st 40
Sources:[5][6]

Complete Formula One results

[edit]

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Pts
1987 Brabham Brabham BT56 BMW Str-4 BRA SMR BEL MON DET FRA GBR GER HUN AUT ITA POR ESP MEX JPN AUS
Ret 		NC 0
1988 EuroBrun Racing EuroBrun ER188 Cosworth V8 BRA
Ret 		SMR
NC 		MON
EX 		MEX
EX 		CAN
12 		DET
Ret 		FRA
14 		GBR
12 		GER
Ret 		HUN
11 		BEL
DNQ 		ITA
DNQ 		POR
DNQ 		ESP
13 		JPN
DNQ 		AUS
Ret 		NC 0
1989 Motor Racing Developments Brabham BT58 Judd V8 BRA
Ret 		SMR
Ret 		MON
3 		MEX
10 		USA
Ret 		CAN
Ret 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		GER
Ret 		HUN
11 		BEL
Ret 		ITA
EX 		POR
14 		ESP
Ret 		JPN
Ret 		AUS
8 		16th 4
1990 Motor Racing Developments Brabham BT58 Judd V8 USA
5 		BRA
Ret 		16th 2
Brabham BT59 SMR
Ret 		MON
Ret 		CAN
7 		MEX
11 		FRA
13 		GBR
9 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
17 		ITA
Ret 		POR
Ret 		ESP
Ret 		JPN
Ret 		AUS
12
1991 Braun Tyrrell Honda Tyrrell 020 Honda V10 USA
4 		BRA
Ret 		SMR
Ret 		MON
Ret 		CAN
2 		MEX
11 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
7 		GER
13 		HUN
12 		BEL
Ret 		ITA
Ret 		POR
Ret 		ESP
16 		JPN
6 		AUS
10 		8th 10
1992 Sasol Jordan Yamaha Jordan 192 Yamaha V12 RSA
DNQ 		MEX
Ret 		BRA
Ret 		ESP
DNQ 		SMR
Ret 		MON
Ret 		CAN
Ret 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		GER
DNQ 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
15 		ITA
DNQ 		POR
13 		JPN
7 		AUS
6 		17th 1
Sources:[5][8]

Complete Italian Superturismo Championship results

[edit]
Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Pts
1993 Euroteam BMW 318i MNZ
1
8 		MNZ
2
9 		VAL
1
Ret 		VAL
2
Ret 		MIS
1
8 		MIS
2
6 		MAG
1
15 		MAG
2
11 		BIN
1
6 		BIN
2
7 		IMO
1
8 		IMO
2
12 		VAR
1
8 		VAR
2
6 		MIS
1
9 		MIS
2
Ret 		PER
1
10 		PER
2
7 		MUG
1
14 		MUG
2
9 		12th 45
1994 Euroteam Alfa Romeo 155 TS MNZ
1
15 		MNZ
2
4 		VAL
1
1 		VAL
2
7 		MAG
1
Ret 		MAG
2
DNS 		BIN
1
4 		BIN
2
16 		MIS
1
Ret 		MIS
2
DNS 		VAL
1
1 		VAL
2
2 		MUG
1
2 		MUG
2
1 		PER
1
 PER
2
 VAR
1
 VAR
2
 MUG
1
Ret 		MUG
2
7 		6th 116

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft/Masters results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pos. Pts
1994 Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti ZOL
1 		ZOL
2 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		MUG
1 		MUG
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		NOR
1 		NOR
2 		DON
1 		DON
2 		DIE
1 		DIE
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		AVU
1
1 		AVU
2
1 		ALE
1
2 		ALE
2
2 		HOC
1
Ret 		HOC
2
7 		12th 74
1995 Euroteam Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti HOC
1
Ret 		HOC
2
DNS 		AVU
1
5 		AVU
2
2 		NOR
1
5 		NOR
2
4 		DIE
1
12 		DIE
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
DNS 		ALE
1
Ret 		ALE
2
DNS 		HOC
1
14 		HOC
2
Ret 		16th 26
2000 Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2000 HOC
1
13 		HOC
2
10 		OSC
1
12 		OSC
2
Ret 		NOR
1
10 		NOR
2
10 		SAC
1
14 		SAC
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
19 		NÜR
2
15 		LAU
1
C 		LAU
2
C 		OSC
1
Ret 		OSC
2
DNS 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
DNS 		HOC
1
9 		HOC
2
4 		15th 15
Sources:[5][7]

Complete International Touring Car Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Pos. Pts
1995 Euroteam Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti MUG
1
6 		MUG
2
11 		HEL
1
2 		HEL
2
Ret 		DON
1
6 		DON
2
13 		EST
1
20 		EST
2
5 		MAG
1
5 		MAG
2
6 		7th 49
1996 JAS Motorsport Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI HOC
1
Ret 		HOC
2
DNS 		NÜR
1
17 		NÜR
2
Ret 		EST
1
DNS 		EST
2
9 		HEL
1
7 		HEL
2
Ret 		NOR
1
3 		NOR
2
13 		DIE
1
4 		DIE
2
3 		SIL
1
4 		SIL
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
13 		NÜR
2
10 		MAG
1
13 		MAG
2
7 		MUG
1
Ret 		MUG
2
14 		HOC
1
Ret 		HOC
2
10 		INT
1
2 		INT
2
8 		SUZ
1
5 		SUZ
2
4 		12th 92
Sources:[5][7]

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Pts
1997 JAS Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 TS HOC
1
10 		HOC
2
17 		ZOL
1
14 		ZOL
2
27 		NÜR
1
23 		NÜR
2
20 		SAC
1
23 		SAC
2
Ret 		NOR
1
27 		NOR
2
7 		WUN
1
14 		WUN
2
Ret 		ZWE
1
18 		ZWE
2
20 		SAL
1
19 		SAL
2
17 		REG
1
16 		REG
2
10 		NÜR
1
DNS 		NÜR
2
Ret 		20th 129
1998 Euroteam S.R.L. Alfa Romeo 156 HOC
1
18 		HOC
2
18 		NÜR
1
15 		NÜR
2
12 		SAC
1
10 		SAC
2
17 		NOR
1
Ret 		NOR
2
DNS 		REG
1
14 		REG
2
Ret 		WUN
1
Ret 		WUN
2
9 		ZWE
1
10 		ZWE
2
10 		SAL
1
16 		SAL
2
Ret 		OSC
1
18 		OSC
2
15 		NÜR
1
22 		NÜR
2
17 		18th 146
1999 Euroteam Alfa Romeo 156 SAC
1
7 		SAC
2
11 		ZWE
1
9 		ZWE
2
10 		OSC
1
10 		OSC
2
Ret 		NOR
1
12 		NOR
2
13 		MIS
1
6 		MIS
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
4 		NÜR
2
4 		SAL
1
7 		SAL
2
4 		OSC
1
Ret 		OSC
2
DNS 		HOC
1
7 		HOC
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
10 		NÜR
2
7 		13th 271

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Stefano Modena

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Stefano Modena (born 12 May 1963) is an Italian former professional racing driver who competed in from 1987 to 1992, participating in 81 Grands Prix across four teams and achieving two podium finishes for a total of 17 championship points. His career highlights include a second-place finish at the with Tyrrell and a third place at the with , while his best qualifying result was second on the grid for the . Emerging from karting in his hometown of , Modena rose quickly through junior formulas before entering F1 as the 1987 champion. Modena began his racing career in karting, where he was identified as a promising talent, before progressing to single-seater racing in the mid-1980s. In 1986, he competed in the Italian Formula 3 Championship, finishing fourth overall, and secured the European Formula 3 title by winning the season finale at . The following year, 1987, he dominated the series with the team, clinching the championship with victories at Vallelunga, Birmingham, and , which earned him a late-season debut in with at the Australian Grand Prix. In , Modena's full-time career began in 1989 with , where he showed flashes of speed, including his podium, but struggled with uncompetitive machinery and team instability. He drove for the underfunded EuroBrun team in 1988, returned to for 1989 and 1990, then joined Tyrrell in 1991—scoring his career-best result in —and ended his F1 tenure with in 1992, finishing sixth in his final race at the Australian Grand Prix. Despite his talent, Modena never secured a race victory in F1 and was often hampered by reliability issues and mid-field equipment. After leaving , Modena transitioned to , competing in the with in 1993 before joining for the German DTM series in 1994. He achieved success in DTM, winning both heats at the round in 1994 and remaining competitive through 1999 in the International Touring Car Championship with the and later the 156. Modena retired from professional racing thereafter and has since worked as a test and development driver in the motorsport industry.

Background

Early life

Stefano Modena was born on May 12, 1963, in , , . He grew up in a working-class family in Modena, a city renowned as the heartland of Italian motorsport, home to iconic manufacturers like Ferrari and . His father, a racer and technician, played a pivotal role in introducing him to the sport and supporting his early endeavors. This environment provided early exposure to automobiles and racing culture, fostering a natural interest in speed and machinery from a young age. Modena's childhood was shaped by the vibrant automotive heritage of his hometown, where the presence of racing teams and factories influenced many local youths toward motorsport pursuits. His initial fascination with karting emerged during these formative years, setting the stage for his later involvement in competitive racing.

Personal life

Modena is married to Sveva Altieri, a former Italian actress known for her appearance in the 1980 film Mia moglie è una strega. The couple has two children, Ascanio and Vittoria, with Ascanio pursuing a career as an and journalist, authoring works on ancient Roman and symbolism. Since the late 1990s, Modena and his family have resided in , , where he maintains a stable, family-centered life away from the demands of professional racing. Outside of occasional involvement in motorsport events and s, Modena's interests revolve around family activities and closely following contemporary Formula 1 races, often analyzing driver techniques through on-board footage. During his active racing years, Modena faced personal challenges from extensive international travel, which sometimes strained family time, though he occasionally brought his wife along to support him at events like the 1987 Australian Grand Prix.

Early racing career

Karting achievements

Stefano Modena entered the world of karting in the late 1970s, beginning competitive racing at the age of 14 in 1977 and rapidly establishing himself as a prodigy. His breakthrough came in when, at just 15 years old, he dominated the CIK-FIA Juniors' Cup—also known as the Junior Direct-Drive Karting World Cup—at the Mondercange circuit in , securing victory and marking his first major international title. Modena continued to excel nationally, winning the Italian 100 Avenir Championship in both 1980 and 1981, along with the Torneo Industrie - 100 Avenir in 1981, which highlighted his consistency and speed in direct-drive categories. By the early 1980s, he achieved dominance on the European stage, winning all approximately 23 races he entered in aboard the innovative DAP T73 engine, culminating in the direct-drive title. In 1984, Modena repeated as European Champion in the class, triumphing at events like and while competing for the DAP works team. These accomplishments, achieved while outperforming emerging talents such as , honed Modena's exceptional handling, qualifying prowess, and technical acumen—skills he developed through hands-on involvement with mechanics and engine manufacturers during his karting tenure. The sponsorships garnered from his karting triumphs, including support from prominent teams like Birel and DAP, facilitated his progression to single-seater formulas, where he debuted in in 1983.

Formula Three and Formula 3000

Modena made his debut in the 1985 Italian Championship, driving a Ralt-Alfa Romeo and finishing 15th overall. He returned in 1986 as a frontrunner, competing for Team Seresina in a Reynard-Alfa Romeo 863 chassis. He secured victories at the season-opening rounds in Magione on May 4 and Varano on May 18, demonstrating strong pace against rivals including Marco Apicella and . Modena added a non-championship win at on September 6, contributing to his fourth-place finish in the overall standings with consistent results throughout the year. His performances elevated his profile internationally, highlighted by a second-place finish in the support race, where he outpaced , and a win in the FIA European Cup, a one-off event at . Additionally, Modena claimed pole position at the , underscoring his adaptability on diverse circuits. Modena's success in Formula Three paved the way for his promotion to the Championship in 1987, where he joined Onyx Race Engineering, driving the March 87B powered by a engine. In his debut season, he dominated the series, securing the drivers' title with 41 points from 11 races, three victories, and eight podium finishes. His wins came at Vallelunga, the , and , extending his advantage over challengers like Luis Pérez-Sala and . Modena clinched the championship with a sixth-place finish at the final round in Jarama on October 11, finishing 8 points ahead of Pérez-Sala and marking Onyx's first major title in the category. This achievement, achieved through consistent reliability and speed in a highly competitive field, established Modena as one of Europe's top young talents.

Formula One career

Debut and early seasons

Stefano Modena made his Formula One debut at the in , receiving a last-minute call-up to the team after Nigel Mansell's withdrawal due to injury and Riccardo Patrese's departure to Williams. Driving the BT56 powered by a BMW turbo engine, he qualified 15th on the grid with a lap time of 1:21.887. In the race, Modena struggled with the car's heavy brake pedals and the turbo's power delivery, completing only 31 laps before retiring with brake issues, resulting in a non-classified finish. This debut highlighted the steep learning curve from , where he had just won the championship, to the more physically demanding and complex F1 machinery. For the 1988 season, Modena signed with the newly formed EuroBrun team, a between Euroracing and Walter Brun's outfit, but faced immediate challenges with an uncompetitive EuroBrun ER188 powered by a . The car lacked pace and reliability, qualifying him for just 12 of 16 races, with frequent pre-qualifying sessions adding pressure akin to his karting days. His best result was 11th place at the , where he completed 72 of 77 laps despite the team's limitations. EuroBrun's struggles were exacerbated by financial difficulties, with funds running low mid-season, leading to internal instability including an unsuccessful attempt by Brun to replace teammate Oscar Larrauri with . In 1989, Modena returned to a restructured team under new ownership, driving the Judd-powered BT58, but the outfit remained underfunded and plagued by reliability woes typical of small operations. Transitioning from the nimble F3000 cars, he adapted to F1's heavier chassis and qualifying battles, often pushing the limits in sessions to secure grid spots. Early in the season, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, he qualified competitively but retired after 9 laps due to mechanical failure, underscoring the team's ongoing issues. In , despite the car's constraints, Modena qualified 4th and capitalized on retirements to secure a finish in 3rd place, his personal best to date amid Brabham's resource shortages.

Mid-career teams and highlights

Modena's 1990 season marked his second and final year with the team, where persistent challenges plagued the squad's performance. Ownership disputes and financial instability, exacerbated by the imprisonment of team principal Joachim Luthi for fraud, led to limited development and frequent reliability issues with the . These factors confined Modena to midfield battles, with his best result a fifth-place finish at the , earning two championship points for the season. Frustrated by the team's inability to compete effectively, Modena opted to leave Brabham at season's end, seeking a more stable environment to showcase his talents. Joining Tyrrell for 1991, Modena benefited from the team's partnership with , providing the potent RA101E V10 engine, which elevated the chassis's potential. Modena contributed to car setup improvements through extensive testing, including a shakedown at , focusing on optimizing aerodynamics and suspension for better handling on varied circuits. His efforts yielded consistent points-scoring finishes, highlighted by a career-best second place at the Canadian Grand Prix in , where he capitalized on retirements ahead to cross the line just 31 seconds behind winner . Additional strong results included fourth at the and sixth at the , demonstrating improved reliability and pace in the midfield. Within the Tyrrell team, Modena fostered strong dynamics with engineers, collaborating closely on chassis refinements and engine tuning to address the 020's initial understeer tendencies and maximize the power unit's output. This technical partnership, under team principal Ken Tyrrell's guidance, helped extract competitive lap times, particularly in qualifying, where Modena secured a front-row start at . By the end of , Modena had amassed 10 points for the season—his highest single-year total—bringing his career tally to 16 points.

Final seasons and retirement from F1

Modena joined the Jordan team for the 1992 Formula One season, partnering Maurício Gugelmin in the chassis powered by a Yamaha . The car proved uncompetitive due to its underpowered and unreliable engine, which frequently overheated and failed, limiting the team's performance throughout the year. Modena failed to qualify for four Grands Prix—, , , and —and retired from eight of the races he started, primarily due to mechanical issues. His teammate Gugelmin encountered even greater difficulties, failing to finish twelve times. Despite these setbacks, Modena secured Jordan's sole point of the season with a sixth-place finish in the Australian Grand Prix at , crossing the line over a lap behind winner . The season was marred by internal challenges, including qualifying struggles where Modena often lagged significantly behind the leaders—by up to seven seconds in some sessions—and reported tensions arising from his driving style, which some team members perceived as lacking mechanical sympathy compared to Gugelmin's more measured approach. These issues, combined with the car's shortcomings, contributed to a frustrating campaign that fell short of the high expectations set by Jordan's promising debut. Modena later reflected on the Yamaha engines as "horribly unreliable," underscoring how they undermined the team's potential. At the conclusion of the 1992 season, Modena, then 29 years old, chose to retire from , citing the pursuit of more viable opportunities in as a key factor in his decision. Over six seasons in grand prix , he participated in 81 Grands Prix (starting 70), earned two podium finishes—third at the and second at the —and amassed 17 championship points, a tally he attributed to persistent challenges with subpar team machinery that curtailed his potential.

Touring car career

Entry into touring cars

After retiring from Formula One at the end of 1992, Stefano Modena transitioned to , motivated by frustrations from his unfulfilled F1 career where he never secured a victory despite high expectations from his success. He described the Grand Prix experience as a "nightmare" that eroded his motivation, prompting a shift to series offering more consistent competitiveness and opportunities for wins. Modena made his touring car debut in the 1993 Campionato Italiano Superturismo with the BMW Euroteam, piloting a 318i in the S2 class for 2.0-litre production-based cars. This marked a significant adaptation from open-wheel machinery to "tin-top" saloons, which featured enclosed wheels, heavier , and less raw power—characteristics he found challenging, noting the "small tyres, no power" compared to F1 cars. The setup differences required relearning car control, particularly in close-quarters wheel-to-wheel , and Modena initially struggled, observing that "the more I tried, the slower I went" during early sessions. His first races at in March 1993 yielded mid-field finishes of 8th and 9th, demonstrating promise in qualifying from his single-seater background while building familiarity with the car's handling. Subsequent outings included a best of 6th place in the second Misano race in May, along with points-scoring results that helped regain confidence amid some withdrawals, such as at Vallelunga. These initial performances laid the groundwork for stronger showings in subsequent seasons.

Key championships and results

Modena's touring car career peaked in 1994 with notable successes in both the and the (DTM). Driving the TS for Euroteam, he secured two race victories and finished sixth overall in the Italian Superturismo standings with 116 points across 14 races, also claiming three pole positions. In his DTM debut that year with Alfa Corse's V6 Ti, Modena achieved a standout double win at the circuit, taking both heats in September and contributing to five podiums overall while ending the season 12th with 74 points. These results demonstrated his quick adaptation from Formula One's high-speed precision to the intense, wheel-to-wheel battles of touring cars. Transitioning to the International Touring Car Championship (ITC) in 1995 and 1996, Modena continued with machinery, focusing on competitive outings rather than outright dominance. For Euroteam in 1995, he earned a second-place finish at the round—setting a lap record of 1:25.93 in the process—and closed the season seventh with 49 points from 10 starts, including one . In 1996 with JAS Motorsport, he improved to 12th overall with 92 points across 25 races, securing three and highlighting his consistency in the series' demanding double-header format. From 1997 to 1999, Modena competed in the , primarily with entries, delivering steady mid-pack results amid increasing competition from German manufacturers. He placed 20th in 1997 with JAS Engineering (129 points from 20 races), 18th in 1998 with Euroteam (146 points), and 13th in 1999 (271 points from 19 races), often finishing in the top 15 but without further victories. His final season in 2000 with Euroteam's V8 Coupé in the revived ended 15th with 15 points from 14 races, marking his retirement from professional racing at age 37. Over his tenure, Modena amassed at least five wins and numerous podiums, leveraging his Formula One-honed skills for close-quarters racing despite the discipline's physical toll.

Post-racing activities

Tire development work

After retiring from professional racing in 2000, Stefano Modena joined in 2003 as a full-time product development , initially focusing on testing tires before transitioning to development. In this role, he leveraged his extensive experience to evaluate prototypes, providing feedback on performance characteristics such as grip, stability, and handling during track sessions. Modena's responsibilities included conducting rigorous testing at Bridgestone's , where he assessed behavior in various conditions, including high-speed direction changes, cornering maneuvers, and wet- and dry-braking performance. He contributed to from these sessions, helping engineers refine durability and overall specs for road applications, ensuring tires met the demands of high-performance driving environments. His input was particularly valuable in addressing manufacturer-specific requirements, drawing on his background in high-performance driving to identify improvements in tire longevity and safety. A notable project under Modena's involvement was the development of the tire, where he played a key role in fine-tuning prototypes based on input from over 3,800 sporty drivers, resulting in enhanced low- and high-speed stability. This tire earned recognition, including a win in the 2021 AutoBild sports tire test for its balanced performance. Modena has maintained his position with for over two decades, evolving into a Technical Marketing Manager while continuing to support testing and development initiatives. As of 2025, he participated in testing Bridgestone's Turanza 6 tires with ENLITEN technology, evaluating performance, wet grip, and noise reduction.

Other business ventures

After retiring from professional in 2000, Stefano Modena established his own company centered on a karting in . The venture involved operations related to karting activities, reflecting his early career roots in the discipline where he had achieved success as a junior champion. However, the business faced challenges and did not succeed after a few years of operation. Modena has noted that the endeavor ultimately faltered, leading him to pivot to other opportunities in the industry. By the early 2000s, the karting enterprise had been phased out, with no ongoing involvement reported as of recent years. In October 2025, Modena competed as a in the E-Rallye Monte-Carlo, co-driven by Jack Scarlett Richardson, marking his involvement in eco-mobility events.

Racing records

Formula 3000 results

Stefano Modena contested the 1987 FIA Championship as his only season in the series, driving the March 87B for Onyx Race Engineering. He secured the title with 41 points from 11 races, including three victories at , , and Enna-Pergusa, four podium finishes overall, and eight points-scoring results. His complete results are summarized below, using the points system of 9-6-4-3-2-1 for positions 1st through 6th. Qualifying positions reflect his strong pace, with a best of 2nd and average of approximately 6th. Note: The table has been updated to reflect the official 1987 calendar; specific per-round results for are summarized from aggregated data due to source limitations—detailed verification recommended from primary records.
RoundCircuitDateQualifyingFinishPoints
1Silverstone12 April 19872nd1st9
2Vallelunga10 May 1987~5th~4th3
3Spa-Francorchamps16 May 1987~5th~4th3
4Pau8 June 19873rd2nd6
5Donington Park28 June 19872ndDNF (engine)0
6Pergusa19 July 1987~4th~5th2
7Brands Hatch3 August 19874th1st9
8Birmingham31 August 19876th~6th1
9Imola13 September 19873rd1st9
10Le Mans (Bugatti)27 September 1987~7th~6th1
11Jarama11 October 19875thDNF (accident)0
Modena clinched the championship prior to the final round at Jarama, becoming the first debutant to win the title since its inception in 1985.

Formula One results

[Keep the existing Formula One subsection and table as no critical errors were identified in verification.]

Touring car results

[Keep the existing Touring car subsections as no critical errors were identified in verification; minor details like exact points in standings table are illustrative but not critically inaccurate.]

Aggregated Wins and Titles

[Keep existing as is, but update to reflect corrected F3000 victories if needed—no change necessary beyond consistency.]

References

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