Max Angelelli

Massimiliano 'Max' Angelelli is an Italian racing driver who was active from 1987 to 2017, spending most of his career in North American sports car racing competitions. He was the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series champion two times, in 2005 and 2013, and a runner-up two times in 2010 and 2011. At the greatest American endurance race, the Daytona 24 Hours, he won two times, in 2005 and 2017.

Earlier in a career, during the 1990s, Angelelli also scored some success in the single-seater racing, mostly in Formula 3. He was the Italian F3 champion in 1992.

Max Angelelli in 2017

Italian Formula 3 champion in 1992

Born in December 1966 in Bologna, Max Angelelli started his racing career in 1987, participating in the Italian Formula Alfa Boxer. He stayed in the series for two seasons, progressing to the Italian Formula 3 in 1989.

Driving for Venturini Racing, Angelelli was third in the 1990 Italian F3 Championship, behind Roberto Colciago and Alessandro Zanardi. Two years later, Angelelli has won the title with RC Motorsport team.

German F3 vice-champion in 1993, Le Mans debut in 1994

In 1993, Angelelli moved to the German Formula 3 Championship, driving for Volkswagen factory team. He ended a season second in the points, behind Opel's Jos Verstappen. Angelelli stayed one more season with Volkswagen Motorsport in the German F3, finishing ninth in the points.

In June 1994, Angelelli made a debut at 24 hours of Le Mans. He was driving the #29 Ferrari F40 for Strandell/Obermaier Racing, sharing a car with Anders Olofsson and Sandro Angelastro. They retired after 51 laps.

Monaco and Macau F3 podiums with Opel

In 1995, Angelelli stayed in the German Formula 3 but joined Opel Team BSR. Scoring one victory and eight podiums, he finished third in the points, behind Norberto Fontana and Ralf Schumacher.

Outside championship, Angelelli's best result was third place at 1995 F3 Monaco Grand Prix. It was his last full season in the open-wheel racing. After that, he appeared two more times with Opel Team BSR at Macau Grand Prix in 1996 and 1997. He finished second at 1996 Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, behind Ralph Firman Jr.

Max Angelelli started his sports car career with Ferrari

Starting sports car racing career in 1996

Max Angelelli started his sports car racing career, participating with Ennea/Ferrari Club Italia in the Global GT Championship. He was driving the #27 Ferrari F40 GTE in seven races, sharing a car with different co-drivers.

In 1997, Max participated in six races of the FIA GT Championship. He was driving Porsche 911 GT1 in two rounds and then Lotus Elise GT1 in four races.

In 1998, Angelelli had a double programme, driving Zakspeed's Porsche 911 GT1 in the FIA GT Championship and Toyota Celica for Racing Project Bandoh in the Japanese GT Championship. His FIA GT co-driver was Michael Bartels. In Japan, he was sharing a car with Manabu Orido.

Max Angelelli (right) and Didier de Radigues in 1999

Second place in Daytona 24h debut

In 1999, Angelelli started his North American career. He joined Doyle-Risi Racing to drive the #7 Ferrari 333 SP. In the first race with the team, he finished second at Daytona 24 Hours, sharing a car with Wayne Taylor, Allan McNish and Didier de Radigues. Later in the season, he spent a year driving the #11 Ferrari 333 SP in the American Le Mans Series, sharing a car with Didier de Radigues.

In June 1999, Angelelli returned to Le Mans 24 Hours, driving the #11 Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S for Panoz Motorsports together with Johnny O'Connell and Jan Magnussen. They were 11th.

Max Angelelli joined Cadillac in 2000

Three seasons with Cadillac

In 2000, Angelelli joined Team Cadillac to participate in their Northstar LMP project. Max had a debut in the #5 Cadillac Northstar LMP at Daytona 24 Hours, finishing in the 14th place. Later in the season, he participated in four ALMS races with Cadillac.

In 2001, Angelelli had a part-time schedule with Cadillac, participating in five ALMS rounds, not scoring wins or podiums. Angelelli finally scored few podiums in the 2002 ALMS season, sharing a car with JJ Lehto.

While driving Cadillac Northstar LMP in North America, Angelelli participated three times with that car at Le Mans 24 Hours. In all three attempts, his partner was Wayne Taylor. Their best result was 9th place in 2002 when Christophe Tinseau was the third driver.

Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor in the early 2000s

Wayne Taylor Racing story began in 2004

Max Angelelli was out of racing in 2003 and then he returned in 2004 with Wayne Taylor Racing in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. The new team had a factory support of Riley Technologies and strong sponsorship from Sun Trust Bank, starting the story which resulted in great results in the following years.

In the first season with #10 Riley-Pontiac, Angelelli and Wayne Taylor scored three wins to finish fourth in the final standings. In the same year, Angelelli was driving Cadillac CTS-V in the Speed World Challenge, finishing third in the GT class.

Daytona 24h victory and championship title in 2005

Wayne Taylor Racing scored full success in 2005, winning the season-opening Daytona 24 Hours and winning the Grand-Am Rolex Series championship title.

The #10 SunTrust Riley-Pontiac scored a victory at Daytona driven by Max Angelelli, Wayne Taylor and Emmanuel Collard. Later in the season, the #10 car was victorious four more times, at Homestead, Barber Motorsports Park, Watkins Glen (twice).

2005 Daytona 24 Hours winners - Collard, Taylor, Angelelli

One more Daytona podium in 2007

In 2006, Angelelli was a race winner just once in the #10 SunTrust Riley-Pontiac, finishing third in the points. He won at Laguna Seca together with Wayne Taylor and Jan Magnussen. In 2007, Angelelli was again third in the final standings, winning two times during the season and finishing third at Daytona 24h.

Angelelli added one Grand-Am victory to his account in 2008, winning the race at Infineon Raceway together with Michael Valiante. In the mid-season, the team switched from Riley to Dallara chassis.

In 2009, he was a race winner two times in the #10 Dallara-Ford, at Daytona 250 Miles and Montreal 200 Miles. His co-driver was Brian Frisselle. At the end of the season, Angelelli was third in the points.

Brian Frisselle and Max Angelelli were teammates in 2009

Championship runner-up for two years in a row

In 2010, Angelelli started a season with 6th place at Daytona 24 Hours and ended a year as the championship runner-up, together with Ricky Taylor. They were race winners once in the #10 Dallara-Ford, winning the race at Lime Rock Park.

In 2011, Angelelli and Ricky Taylor managed to win three races but they were again second in the points, again losing a title to Scott Pruett/Memo Rojas. Max and Ricky triumphed at Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen (twice).

2013 -  championship title in a Chevrolet Corvette DP

In 2012, the team switched to new Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype. Max Angelelli and Ricky Taylor were the race winners three times (Homestead, New Jersey, Lime Rock ) but it was enough for a just sixth place in the championship.

In 2013, Angelelli and Jordan Taylor captured the last Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series title before a merger with American Le Mans Series. For his second title, Angelelli had to win five times in the #10 Corvette DP. At Daytona 24h, Angelelli and Taylor were second, with Ryan Hunter-Reay as the third driver.

Max Angelelli and Jordan Taylor were champions in 2013

Sebring 12 Hours podium in 2015

In 2014, the IMSA United SportsCar Championship has been launched. Angelelli continued to race in the #10 Corvette DP just in endurance races, joining regular drivers Jordan and Ricky Taylor in four events. They were second at Daytona 24 Hours and the winners at Petit Le Mans.

Angelelli had the same schedule in 2015, scoring his maiden podium at Sebring 12 Hours after finishing second.

Max Angelelli (left) among 2017 Daytona 24h winners

Closing a career with Daytona 24h victory

Angelelli returned to Daytona podium in 2016, finishing second in the #10 Corvette DP, sharing a car with Taylor brothers and Rubens Barrichello. At the end of the season, he was third at Petit Le Mans.

For the 2017 IMSA SportsCar Championship season, the new Cadillac DPi-V.R prototype has been introduced. Angelelli decided to close his career at Daytona 24 Hours. His farewell gift was a victory! He won the race in the #10 Cadillac together with Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor and Jeff Gordon.

Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor are partners since 1999

Photos: Wayne Taylor Racing, Getty Images, AP Photo/John Raoux, John Brooks, motorsport.com,