Toro Rosso trainer dies at 46

A trainer working with the Toro Rosso team has died.

Spanish news agency EFE reports that physiotherapist Raniero Gianotti, 46, had a fatal heart attack whilst cycling.

"I’ve lost a brother," said Jaime Alguersuari, a driver with the Italian based team between 2009 and 2011.

Italian reports said Gianotti began working in F1 in the nineties, when Faenza based Toro Rosso was Minardi.

The reports also said he worked during his career with Ferrari, Stewart and Toyota and with drivers including Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa and world champion Sebastian Vettel.

His funeral will be in Urbino, Italy.

Jaime Alguersuari PR:

Tomorrow, God willing, I will be in Urbino (Italy), accompanying Nadia and Luca, the wife and son of the person who I have loved and who has loved me the most in Formula One, Raniero Gianotti.

For me, he was more than a friend, he was a brother.

I debuted in F1 with just 19 years old and I had never done a full lap in an F1 in any circuit.
Raniero was my guide and comfort in my troubles.

In these three years we have lived together in the most diverse countries in the world, in his house in Urbino and at my family’s house in Barcelona.

He was the best professional I’ve known both in the physical preparation applied to F1 as in knowledge of the paddock.

A few days ago he called to tell me "Don’t worry about your future, Jaime, because you are the future."

I will never forget him, and I can only say “Ever onward to victory, Raniero”.

We will continue to fight against the adversity.