Roberto Moreno

1.1. Karting and Junior Formulae

Moreno began his karting career in 1974, winning the Brazilian 125cc Karting championship in 1976. He then set his sights on Europe, arriving in England in 1979 to compete in Formula Ford. He initially raced with Marc Smith Racing, serving as both driver and mechanic for his Royale car, and worked out of a shed lent to him by Ralt owner/designer Ron Tauranac. His strong early results led to a contract with Van Diemen as a works driver for the 1980 season. That year, he won the Townsend Thoresen British Formula Ford title with eight victories, finished second in the EFDA Townsend Thoresen Euroseries Formula Ford 1600 Championship with three more wins, placed fourth in the RAC British series, and sixth in the P&O Ferries series. He capped off the season by winning the Formula Ford Festival. Moreno later returned to race the same car at the 50th anniversary of the Festival in 2021.

His success caught the attention of Colin Chapman, the founder of Team Lotus, who offered him a Formula One testing contract in 1981, providing enough funds to continue his racing. With this support, Moreno competed in Formula Three. Despite financial constraints, he won two races with Barron Racing. The following season, he achieved greater success in North America, competing in the CASC North American Formula Atlantic Championship, where he notably defeated Al Unser Jr. in a support race at the 1982 United States Grand Prix West in Long Beach. He also secured a significant victory at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. Prior to this, Moreno had driven in half a season of the British Formula 3 Championship with Ivens Lumar Racing, winning three races.

1.2. Australian and Macau Grand Prix Victories

During this period, Moreno, managed by Australian Greg "Pee Wee" Siddle (who also managed his friend Nelson Piquet), became a popular figure in the Australian Grand Prix. He was a triple winner of the event in 1981, 1983, and 1984, before it became a Formula One World Championship race in 1985. These victories occurred when the Grand Prix was a Formula Mondial race held at Melbourne's 1.0 mile ^{(1.6 km)} Calder Park Raceway. He frequently triumphed over current or past World Drivers' Champions, including Piquet, Alan Jones, Niki Lauda, and Keke Rosberg, as well as other F1 drivers like Jacques Laffite, Andrea de Cesaris, and François Hesnault. In the only Australian Grand Prix he competed in during this era where he did not win (1982), he finished third behind future four-time World Champion Alain Prost and Ligier F1 driver Laffite. In all his pre-Formula One Australian Grand Prix drives, Moreno utilized a Formula Pacific or Formula Mondial Ralt RT4 powered by a 1.6 L Ford 4-cylinder engine. In 1982, he also made a significant impression by winning the prestigious Macau Grand Prix.

2.1. European and Japanese Formula Two

In 1984, Roberto returned to Europe to race in Formula Three, but during pre-season testing with West Surrey Racing, he received an invitation from Ron Tauranac to join the works Ralt Formula Two team. Moreno finished as runner-up to Mike Thackwell, with the pair dominating the final European Formula Two Championship in their Ralt-Honda machines. He achieved victories at the Hockenheimring and Donington Park races. In 1985, he also participated in the Japanese Formula Two Championship, joining Nova Engineering mid-season.

2.2. International Formula 3000 Championship

Ron Tauranac had hoped Moreno would stay for the inaugural International Formula 3000 season in 1985, but Moreno was testing for Toleman with Ayrton Senna's car and almost secured a drive there, only for the deal to fall through due to a lack of tires. In 1986, when unable to secure a full-time Indycar drive, he decided to enter Formula 3000 with Bromley Motorsport. During that season, he secured a victory at the Gran Premio del Mediterraneo and, combined with consistent finishes, placed third overall.

His performance and talent were undeniable, even though he lacked significant sponsorship. In 1988, Moreno, driving an unsponsored Reynard 88D for Bromley Motorsport (with Gary Anderson as Technical Director, whom Moreno had worked with at Galles Racing), dominated the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship. He secured the title with four victories in a row: at the Pau Grand Prix, Silverstone, Monza, and the Birmingham Superprix. He notably outpaced rivals like Olivier Grouillard to claim the championship.

2.3. Early CART Stint and Ferrari Test Driver Role

Before his full-time F1 foray, Moreno had his initial experiences in the American CART series. In 1985, he joined Galles Racing for a five-race stint. The team offered him a full campaign in 1986, but they struggled with car performance and did not achieve good results.

Despite his F3000 championship, a major F1 team did not immediately recruit him. Instead, he signed a testing contract with Scuderia Ferrari in 1988. In this significant role, Moreno was entrusted with the development of the advanced Ferrari 639, a pioneering car designed by John Barnard. This car incorporated many new features that would become standard in Formula One in the 1990s, including a semi-automatic transmission with paddle shifts. Moreno's ability to maintain strict confidentiality and diligently perform his work, without giving any "lip service" to the press, earned him the deep trust of Barnard.

Moreno also almost joined the Brabham Formula One team in 1984. At the suggestion of his friend, Brabham's lead driver and defending World Champion Nelson Piquet, team owner Bernie Ecclestone nearly signed Moreno to drive the team's second car, the Brabham BT53. However, this opportunity fell through when Brabham's Italian sponsor, Parmalat, insisted on having an Italian driver as Piquet's teammate. This led to the unique situation where Ecclestone signed brothers Teo Fabi and Corrado Fabi to share the drive; Teo was the main driver, but due to his prior commitments in the US-based CART/PPG World Series, Corrado substituted for him in three races where the F1 and CART schedules conflicted.

3.1. Initial Attempts and Official Debut (1982, 1987)

Moreno's first opportunity in Formula One came unexpectedly in 1982. While he was winning races in Formula Atlantic, Formula Mondial, and Formula Three, Colin Chapman of Team Lotus called him up to replace an injured Nigel Mansell at the 1982 Dutch Grand Prix. Earlier, Theodore Racing owner Teddy Yip had sought Moreno to replace an injured Jan Lammers, but Chapman refused to release him. When Mansell injured his wrist, Moreno got the call. However, this turned into a difficult experience. Moreno had barely driven the Lotus 91, as regular drivers Mansell and Elio de Angelis conducted most of the testing, leaving Moreno familiar only with older Lotus models. Struggling to come to grips with the powerful Lotus 91, his best qualifying lap was over two seconds off the pace, and he failed to make the grid. At the end of 1982, Lotus released him as a test driver, and his reputation took some time to recover from this poor showing.

Five years later, at the end of the 1987 season, Moreno received another chance. He was called to replace Pascal Fabre for the AGS team at the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix. Although he was the slowest in qualifying and initially did not make the cut, WilliamsF1 driver Nigel Mansell withdrew after injuring himself in practice, allowing Moreno to make his official Grand Prix debut. In the subsequent race, the 1987 Australian Grand Prix, he skillfully navigated the challenging AGS JH22 through the streets of the Adelaide Street Circuit, finishing seventh. Following post-race scrutineering, Ayrton Senna's Lotus-Honda was disqualified from second place due to oversized brake ducts, promoting Moreno to sixth place. This earned him and the AGS team their first-ever Formula One championship point.

3.2. Breakthrough with Benetton (1989-1991)

Despite his point-scoring debut, Moreno did not secure a full-time F1 seat for 1988, instead focusing on his victorious F3000 campaign and Ferrari test role. For 1989, he finally landed a full-time F1 drive with the ambitious, but underfunded, Coloni outfit. The car proved uncompetitive, and Moreno only managed to qualify for four of the 16 attempts, often falling into the pre-qualifying group.

The 1990 season initially seemed even less promising as Moreno signed with the struggling EuroBrun team, qualifying for only two of the first 14 races and failing to pre-qualify in many others. The team's financial difficulties forced them to withdraw from the final two rounds of the season, leaving Moreno without a seat. However, before this, Moreno had been in discussions with Brabham for a 1991 drive, with Martin Brundle even expecting him as a teammate. His fortunes dramatically changed when, shortly before the Japanese Grand Prix, he received a call from Benetton. Their driver, Alessandro Nannini, had suffered a severe helicopter crash that nearly cost him a hand. Benetton offered Moreno the drive. Interestingly, the team first approached Kazuyoshi Hoshino for the substitute role, but Hoshino declined due to financial terms.

Moreno seized the opportunity. At the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit, he qualified an impressive eighth. In the race, he closely followed his teammate, Nelson Piquet, to finish an excellent second place on his Benetton debut. This result, Benetton's first 1-2 finish, was also aided by numerous top competitors dropping out, including the famous collision between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna on the first corner, and retirements from Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Berger. After the race, an emotional Moreno openly wept as he embraced Piquet and Barnard, overwhelmed by his first podium finish since his F3000 days twelve years earlier. At the post-race press conference, when Aguri Suzuki, who had also struggled with pre-qualifying the previous year, said he "finished races on Friday morning from 8 to 9", Moreno famously interjected, "I know this feeling!", drawing laughter from the media. He then qualified eighth again at the 1990 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide, finishing seventh.

His strong performances earned him a full contract with Benetton for the 1991 season. However, the Benetton B191 on Pirelli tires proved less competitive than anticipated. Moreno's best results were two fourth-place finishes, at the 1991 Monaco Grand Prix and the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. In Belgium, he also recorded the fastest lap of the race. This achievement, however, was largely overshadowed by the sensational Formula One debut of Michael Schumacher for the Jordan team. Benetton management, led by Tom Walkinshaw and team manager Flavio Briatore, were actively seeking a driver to build the team around, feeling that neither the aging Piquet nor Moreno fit the bill. Through high-level dealings, Briatore and Walkinshaw controversially poached Schumacher from Jordan, and Moreno was abruptly paid off and dropped. There were even rumors that Moreno had been intentionally driving below his full potential that season to avoid overshadowing Piquet (who later admitted in 2012 that after a qualifying accident in 1987, he stayed in F1 "for the money" despite losing significant depth perception). Moreno was then offered the vacant Jordan drive for the 1991 Italian Grand Prix, where he qualified a respectable ninth (ahead of teammate Andrea de Cesaris) but retired early. He raced the next event in Portugal, and then replaced Gianni Morbidelli at Minardi for the final race in Adelaide, but Formula One seemed to be slipping away. His career once again returned to a nomadic existence, racing for three different teams in 1991 alone.

3.3. Later Stints and Final Season (1992, 1995)

For the 1992 season, Moreno found himself back with an underfunded team, signing for Andrea Moda. This outfit had emerged from the ashes of Scuderia Coloni. After two non-starting races with previous drivers, Andrea Moda decided to restart with Moreno and Perry McCarthy. Moreno and McCarthy faced an immense struggle, with the team often barely managing to arrive at races with uncompetitive, under-tested, and under-funded cars. Miraculously, Moreno qualified the car once, for the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix, a feat considered incredible given the team's state. The team ultimately collapsed after owner Andrea Sassetti's arrest at the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, leading to the team's expulsion from F1.

After the Andrea Moda disaster, Moreno spent the next two seasons competing in Italian and French Touring Car championships. He also attempted to qualify for the 1994 Indianapolis 500. In 1995, Moreno made a brief comeback to Formula One with the newly established Forti team. His Brazilian heritage played a role in securing the drive. Unfortunately, the Forti FG01 car was comparatively slow. Moreno's best result was a 14th-place finish at the 1995 Belgian Grand Prix. He often played a supporting role to his teammate, Pedro Diniz. Moreno's final Formula One race ended with a crash into the pitlane wall at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix. Notably, for the 1995 Japanese Grand Prix and Pacific Grand Prix, Moreno was initially supposed to hand over his seat to Hideki Noda, who had a sponsor. However, the FIA denied Noda a superlicence just days before the Japanese Grand Prix, leading to Moreno being urgently recalled from Hong Kong to race in Japan.

4.1. Return to CART/Champ Car

In 1996, Moreno resumed his Champ Car career, driving a Lola-Ford for Payton-Coyne Racing and achieving a third-place finish at Michigan. At the beginning of 1997, he left Payton-Coyne due to their lack of commitment. He drove for three different teams during the 1997 season, which is when he earned the enduring nickname "Supersub" due to his frequent role in filling in for injured drivers. His best result that year was a fifth-place finish at Detroit with a Newman-Haas Swift-Ford, where he replaced an injured Christian Fittipaldi. Despite often out-qualifying team leader Michael Andretti, he was unable to secure a competitive full-time drive for 1998, instead accepting a testing role with Team Penske.

The 1998 season was largely barren, with only three race appearances. In 1999, he drove for two different teams (Newman/Haas and PacWest), securing two fourth-place finishes as his best results. Despite missing seven races that season, he still managed to finish 14th overall in the championship standings.
In 2000, after substituting for Patrick Racing the previous season, Moreno was granted a full-time seat in one of their Reynard-Fords. He led the series for a significant portion of the season before a downturn in form saw him finish third overall, behind Gil de Ferran. He secured his first Champ Car victory at the Cleveland Grand Prix, an emotional moment where he openly wept, as it was his first race win in 12 years. He later famously said in an interview after this victory, "Even if you say 'I want to go to the moon' and no one takes you seriously, you keep trying, and finally, you reach the moon. That's life." The following year, 2001, he won again for Patrick Racing at Vancouver, but his overall consistency dipped, and he finished 13th in the standings.

In 2003, he drove for Herdez Competition, taking his Lola-Cosworth to a second-place finish at Miami. At the end of that year, he announced his retirement from motorsport. In 2007, Moreno became the first driver to test the new Panoz-built Champ Car, with former series champion Paul Tracy stating, "He's a guy who's not going to go out there and make mistakes and go off the road. They need to put miles on the car and run it fairly quickly, and he's the perfect guy for the job." He later raced the Panoz DP01 at the 2007 Grand Prix of Houston, substituting for the injured Alex Figge at Pacific Coast Motorsports. In 2008, Moreno participated in the Long Beach Grand Prix for Minardi Team USA, which marked the final season for the Champ Car series before its unification with IndyCar.

4.2. IndyCar and Endurance Racing

After his initial retirement announcement, Moreno made sporadic appearances in the IndyCar Series. In April 2006, after a single outing in a Brazilian Stock Car race, he substituted for Ed Carpenter at Vision Racing in the 2006 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. He qualified 11th and finished 10th. In 2007, he drove as a replacement for an injured Stéphan Grégoire at the 2007 Indianapolis 500 for Chastain Motorsports, though he crashed early in the race and finished in last place.

Moreno also participated in major endurance races. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1984, finishing as a retirement due to an accident. He also raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona, retiring in 2005 due to a cooling system issue, but achieving a strong fourth-place finish in 2007. Additionally, he participated in the 24 Hours of Spa in 1987, retiring due to a piston issue.

6.1. The "Super Sub" and Perseverance

Moreno earned the nickname "Super Sub" in the latter part of his career, particularly during his return to CART/Champ Car, for his frequent role in filling in for injured drivers. This moniker highlights his resilience and adaptability, as he consistently stepped into unfamiliar cars and environments to deliver strong performances. His career demonstrates an enduring spirit, overcoming financial challenges, team instability, and controversial removals from competitive drives, always seeking new opportunities to race. His famous quote, "Even if you say 'I want to go to the moon' and no one takes you seriously, you keep trying, and finally, you reach the moon. That's life," perfectly encapsulates his philosophy of persistence and belief in achieving seemingly impossible goals through continuous effort.

6.2. Notable Incidents and Personality

Moreno's career included several memorable incidents and personal traits that endeared him to the racing community.

• AGS Unpaid Wages: After scoring his first F1 point with AGS at the 1987 Australian Grand Prix, Moreno was not paid his salary, and the team also failed to cover his hotel and cleaning expenses, forcing him to pay out of pocket. This financial dispute later led to a lawsuit against AGS.
• Physical Appearance: With a slender physique of 66 in ^{(168 cm)} and 128 lb ^{(58 kg)}, and thinning hair, Moreno often looked older than his age. Following his 1-2 finish with Nelson Piquet at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, sports magazines jokingly remarked that it was hard to tell who was older when the two embraced.
• Benetton Call-up Circumstances: On the day he was confirmed to drive for Benetton as Alessandro Nannini's replacement, Moreno had initially been rebuffed by Brabham while seeking a 1991 seat. He then received a call from John Barnard of Benetton, inviting him for "tea" and a look at next year's car. During their conversation, news of Nannini's helicopter accident broke, leading to an emergency meeting where Moreno was ultimately offered the drive, after Benetton's initial offer to Kazuyoshi Hoshino was rejected due to financial terms.
• Emotional Japanese GP Podium: After his second-place finish at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, a visibly emotional Moreno wept openly at the scrutineering bay, hugging Piquet and Barnard. On the podium, standing alongside Piquet and Aguri Suzuki, he frequently smiled. When Piquet reminded him to remove his hat during the national anthem, Moreno humorously patted his head with his licked palm, drawing laughter from the crowd. He received an ovation from the spectators that rivaled those for Piquet and Suzuki.
• Press Conference Humor: At the post-race press conference of the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, after Aguri Suzuki, who had previously struggled with pre-qualifying, remarked that his races often ended on Friday mornings, Moreno spontaneously interjected with "I know this feeling!", a line that became famous and often cited in motorsports circles.
• Fan Support at 1995 Japanese GP: During a qualifying session at the 1995 Japanese Grand Prix, when his car stopped at the hairpin curve, fans loudly cheered "Roberto!" and "Moreno!" in support. Moreno responded by waving cheerfully to the stands, showcasing his amiable nature.
• "Moon" Quote: After his first CART victory at Cleveland in 2000, Moreno's emotional interview included the memorable philosophy: "Even if you say 'I want to go to the moon' and no one takes you seriously, you keep trying, and finally, you reach the moon. That's life." This quote is still regarded as one of the most iconic and inspiring statements in motorsport history.
• 1999 Dual-Race Weekend: In 1999, Moreno demonstrated his exceptional endurance and commitment by competing in two major races on consecutive days: the CART round in Madison (Motorola 300, approx. 298 mile ^{(480 km)}) on May 29, and the IRL Indy 500 (approx. 497 mile ^{(800 km)}) the next day. He completed approximately 603 mile ^{(970 km)} across both events.
• 2017 Suzuka Sound of Engine: In 2017, Moreno returned to Suzuka Circuit for the "Suzuka Sound of Engine" event, his first visit since the 1995 F1 season. He participated in a talk show with Ukyo Katayama and drove historic F1 cars in demonstration runs.

8.1. Career Summary

8.2. Complete Race Results by Series