It's not unusual for racing drivers to have daytime jobs away from the track. Not everyone can pay the bills on the track, leading to a sort of "living two lives" scenario. Oftentimes, these jobs don't have skills that immediately translate into driving fast; after all, it's hard for a lawyer to learn about IMSA on the bar exam.
Then there are the outliers, those whose careers almost directly help them hone their racing skills away from the track. Romanian-born cardiothoracic surgeon Alexander Marmureanu is one such outlier.
If you ever find yourself standing at the starting lane during the Mille Miglia-straining to catch the shriek of a flat-six engine echoing over Italy's winding roads-keep an eye out for Dr. Alex Marmureanu. As he flashes by in his Porsche 356 Speedster, restored to gleaming perfection, you'd never suspect that in a matter of days, he'll swap driving gloves for surgical gloves, performing life-saving heart and lung procedures with equally electrifying precision.
From Dacias to Daytona
Racing, of course, came first. Dr. Marmureanu's earliest motorsport experiences were a far cry from today's high-powered racecars. What started with a Dacia, Renault 8 Gordini, and ARO in the days of old has morphed into modern machines the likes of a Porsche Manthey GT3R, Ligier LMP3 Prototype, Mitsubishi EVO VI, Lamborghini Urus, and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon. Occasionally, four wheels gave way to two atop now-rare Soviet motorcycles like those from Izh and Ural.
"Racing under the constraints of a communist regime required a blend of passion, ingenuity, and resilience. Resources were scarce, so mechanical failures were a constant challenge, but that only fueled our creativity and camaraderie," Dr. Marmureanu recalls. "It wasn't just about racing-it was about pushing boundaries, proving what was possible, and finding joy in overcoming obstacles."
Surgery and racing might be more similar than you think
Inspiration away from the track came from his father, who was a radiologist, and his mother, an internal medicine doctor. Both motorsport and surgery demand precision, technical mastery, and the ability to make split-second decisions under intense conditions. The adrenaline of a race mirrors the high-stakes environment of the operating room, where every move must be deliberate and accurate.
As his life path led him into cardiothoracic surgery, he refused to abandon his passion for speed. Instead, he embraced both worlds with fervor.
Analyzing telemetry and performance metrics to refine driving technique and optimize the car's setup is like depending on advanced imaging, robotics, and surgical data to plan and execute procedures in the operating room. Both fields require adaptability, teamwork, and the ability to remain calm and composed under intense pressure.
"Whether I'm navigating a high-speed hairpin turn or performing a complex minimally invasive surgery, the principles of preparation, precise execution, and relentless pursuit of improvement are the same. I often say that a surgeon and a racecar driver should never be afraid-but they must always be concerned."
You can find him wherever there's a track
Dr. Marmureanu's racing resume is as packed as his career one. He's raced in everything from the Baja 1000, Pike's Peak, Porsche Carrera Cup North America, and Lamborghini Super Trofeo to the Daytona 24 Hours, Porsche Rennsport Reunion, and multiple iterations of the Mille Miglia. The latter holds a special place in his heart, both at the wheel of his 121/200 1954 Porsche 356 Speedster, restored by John Willhoit, and also with Ugo Beretta's 1947 Fiat Stella Alpina.
"Each race tells its own story-whether it's the camaraderie, the challenges, or the triumphs-and I cherish the lessons learned from every lap I've driven," he added.
Thankfully, the hardships of maintaining race cars in communist times are long gone, and professional teams like Flying Lizard Motorsports, Forte Racing/US Racetronics, MRS Racing, and Reardon Racing keep his speed machines ready to roar.
A garage that's equally as impressive
His love for things on wheels follows him wherever he goes. Among his eclectic personal collection is arguably the most unusual: a decommissioned 1994 AM General Humvee (yes, the real thing) once used by the US Marines as an airplane tow rig in Afghanistan. Where most would have a coffee table or some other kind of centerpiece, Dr. Marmureanu instead has a 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR, a homologated racebike limited to 1,500 examples.
"Each vehicle embodies a different chapter of my racing journey, representing the diverse challenges and rewards that motorsport has brought into my life. Interestingly, driving different cars during varying events reminds me of surgery-each operation is unique, requiring adaptation to different patients with diverse anatomies in different hospitals and for different conditions."
Racing with a conscience
Beyond racing and surgery, charity work takes pride of place among his hobbies. Beyond international medical missions on all 5 continents, where he provides pro-bono surgical care and training to local physicians in underserved regions, Dr. Marmureanu also mentors and trains young surgeons and contributes to the field of cardiothoracic surgery through research and innovation.
The final lap
"Balancing a high-octane lifestyle with meaningful contributions to medicine and society is what drives me every day," he said. "For me, it's not just about crossing the finish line first or completing a successful surgery-it's about the legacy we leave behind and the lives we touch along the way."
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This story was originally published January 4, 2025 at 2:26 PM