Alessandro Nannini’s F1 career was brutally curtailed when a helicopter accident in 1990 severed his right arm.
He made his debut for Minardi in 1986 and endured a torrid season of repeated car failures. Much the same followed with the team again in 1987, with Nannini only able to show rare flashes of promise.
In 1988 he got a break with Benetton and scored a podium on his eighth outing for the team in the rain at Silverstone. Further podiums followed in 1989 and the cards fell his way at Suzuka when Ayrton Senna was controversially disqualified and Nannini was made the winner.
He showed up very strongly against Nelson Piquet in 1990 and nearly won in Germany. But following the Spanish Grand Prix his arm was severed in a helicopter crash and, despite having it reattached, he could no longer in Formula One any more.
He later raced in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM).