De Cesaris made over 200 Grand Prix starts between 1980 and 1994 in an F1 career which included spells with teams including McLaren, Ligier, Minardi, Jordan, Tyrrell and Sauber.
Although famous for his high retirement rate and his record for the most Grand Prix outings without a win (208), the popular Italian also scored points for nine of the 10 teams he raced for and made a total of five podium appearances.
In 1982, aged 22, De Cesaris became the then-youngest driver to start a Grand Prix from the front of the grid after he took his sole career pole, with Alfa Romeo, at the US West round at Long Beach. His best results were second places at the 1983 German and South African races, again with Alfa Romeo, for whom he also set the fastest lap in the ’83 Belgian round.
Following his retirement from motorsport he became a successful currency trader, as well as pursuing his love of windsurfing.