Overview

Johnny Cecotto is a former professional motorcycle racer and Formula One driver from Venezuela. He made a significant impact in the world of motorsports, becoming one of the few athletes to compete at the top levels in both motorcycle racing and car racing. Cecotto began his career in motorcycle racing, where he achieved notable success, including winning the 1975 FIM 350cc World Championship and securing several victories in the 250cc and 750cc categories. He became the youngest World Champion in the 350cc class at the age of 19.

Transitioning to car racing, Cecotto competed in Formula One from 1983 to 1984 with the Theodore Racing and Toleman teams. While his F1 career was cut short due to a serious crash, Cecotto continued to race in other motorsport categories, including touring cars and sports cars. He achieved success in touring car racing, particularly in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) and the International Touring Car Championship (ITC), driving for prominent teams such as BMW.

Cecotto is respected for his versatility and skill across different forms of racing. After retiring from competitive racing, he remained involved in motorsport as a driver coach and advisor, as well as supporting the career of his son, Johnny Cecotto Jr., who also pursued a career in racing.