Iván Palazzese

Iván Palazzese was an Italian born Venezuelan professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix road racing world championships from 1977 to 1989. In Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1977], he became the youngest person at the time to stand on a Grand Prix podium, when he finished third behind Angel Nieto and Anton Mang at the 125cc Venezuelan motorcycle Grand Prix|Venezuelan Grand Prix] at the age of 15.

Motorcycle racing career

Palazzese was born in Alba Adriatica in the Abruzzo region of central eastern Italy. His family emigrated to Venezuela when he was a child and he became a Venezuelan citizen. Palazzese began his racing career as a teenager, riding a Morbidelli 125 at the San Carlos Circuit.
Palazzese returned to Europe to compete in the Grand Prix world championships as a member of the Venemotos Yamaha racing team alongside his teammates, Johnny Cecotto and Carlos Lavado. Palazzese had his best year in 1982 when he won two 125cc Grands Prix and finished the season in third place, behind Angel Nieto and Eugenio Lazzarini. At the 1983 Dutch TT, Lavado and Palazzese finished in first and second place marking the first time that Venezuelan riders had claimed the top two places in a world championship Grand Prix race.
Palazzese was killed in a racing accident at the 1989 German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring. He was closely following Andreas Preining when the latter's motorcycle engine seized and abruptly slowed, causing Palazzese to collide with Preining and subsequently crash. While Palazzese was picking himself up off the ground, he was struck by riders Bruno Bonhuil and Fabio Barchitta who both crashed. It was fellow rider Virginio Ferrari who stopped his bike and first came to Palazzese's aid, but Palazzese was already dead having sustained massive chest injuries. He was 27 years old.
There is a monument erected in his honor in the Italian city of Alba Adriatica, where Palazzese was born.