Steve Pizzati | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1975-04-23)23 April 1975 (age 50) |
| Occupation(s) | Racing driver, driving instructor, journalist, television presenter |
| Known for | Top Gear Australia |
| Website | Official Twitter |
Steve Pizzati is an Australian race driver, driving instructor,television presenter and free-lance motoringjournalist.He was born inMelbourne to Italian parents and did not speak English until he was at school.[1] He attendedCathedral College, East Melbourne andSt Kevin's College, Toorak.
In 2008, he was selected from over 4,000 applicants to be one of the presenters ofTop Gear Australia onSBS TV.[2] In 2010, whenNine Network purchased the rights to the entire Top Gear franchise, he was the only host selected to continue with the new broadcaster, thus making him the only host to have been a part of all four series of the show.
Prior toTop Gear Australia, Pizzati competed in various national categories of Australian motor sport including winning races in the Australian GT championship, Formula Ford, Improved Production and Production racing. Alongside his motorsport activities, he has also been a professional driving instructor for various manufacturers in Australia and Europe, (mainlyPorsche andAudi) since 1996.
In addition to the television show, Pizzati was a regular host of the Top Gear Live and Top Gear Festival shows having joinedTop Gear UK hostsJeremy Clarkson andRichard Hammond for the Top Gear Live stadium show at Acer Arena inSydney in 2009 and 2015 as well as joiningJeremy Clarkson,James May andShane Jacobson for the Top Gear Festival atSydney Motorsport Park in 2013 and 2014 in front of an audience of over 30,000 people.
Since 2008, Radio3AW Melbourne have used Pizzati as their motoring expert where he still has a regular program called "The Upshift" withTom Elliott on theMornings show every Tuesday at 10.30am.