Emanuele Pirro in the Audi R10 at St. Petersburg. [Photo by Jack Webster]
by Jack Webster & Eddie LePine
When we think of all of the drivers we have seen and met over the years, a few stand out as genuine champions and all around nice guys. Italian Emanuele Pirro certainly belongs at the top of that list.
Always quick with a smile and always accommodating with requests from both journalists and fans, Emanuele fits the very definition of niceguy.
However, don’t let that easy going personality and friendly manner disguise the soul of a real competitor – a no holds barred, flat out fast race driver who has the race results to prove it.
Emanuele will be forever known for his outstanding success as an Audi factory driver. He first started driving Audis in 1994, in the German Touring Car Championship. In 1995 he won the Italian Touring Car Championship driving an Audi A4 Quattro and in 1996 he won the German Super Touring Car Cup, again in an Audi A4 Quattro.
In 1999 he joined forces with Audi for their new R8R prototype program, and finished 3rd that year at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in what would be a harbinger of things to come.
In a career with Audi that would go through the 2008 season, Pirro would amass the following record: 5 Le Mans victories (including three in a row from 2000-2002), 2 victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring, 3 victories at Petit Le Mans, the American Le Mans Championship in 2005and 14 total American Le Mans overall victories. In addition to his victories at Le Mans and in the American Le Mans series, he visited the podium at Le Mans and in the ALMS another 32 times in his career!
The results speak for themselves – the man could drive. He was also the consummate endurance driver as well, fitting in well with his co-drivers and as the victories and podiums prove – able to bring the car home with excellent results for the benefit of the team.
These days, Emanuele travels the world as an ambassador for Audi, and if you follow him on Facebook or Instagram, you will get an idea the scope of his travels. We love his signature “thumbs up” photos, whether it is in Japan, Brazil, the Middle East or the Alps.
While we miss seeing Emanuele driving, it is always a pleasure to run into him at the races and we are looking forward to hopefully seeing him this year at the FIA WEC race in Austin.
Emanuele Pirro – proof positive that nice guys do finish first.