DRIVERS (A)
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Even with lots of work still do be done this list have reached a state
where it must be considered one of the most complete and accurate ever assembled on
the subject. This has only been possible due to the tremendous help from people
all over the world, each of them experts of their local drivers and events.
Short biographies of drivers with BLUE background, will come up in due time.
If you have any information about any driver with GREEN background, please
contact me!
Abad - SEE: Léoz-Abad
George Edgar Abecassis (GB) |
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* 21 Mar 1913
† 18 Dec 1991 |
Oatlands, Surrey
Ibstone, Buckinghamshire |
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George Abecassis began his successful racing career 1935 with a 746 cc Austin at Donington and Brooklands. He took on a small filling station at
Cranford to finance his racing. The elegant Englishman was the son-inlaw of
David Brown, owner of Aston Martin and Lagonda. He also raced 1936 and 37 an older 1.5-liter Alta racecar at Brooklands.
In 1937 he bought a wreck of the latest Alta version that Philip Jucker had had a fatal accident with at Isle of Man. Rebuilt by Geoffrey Taylor,
Abecassis entered it for the 1938 season, starting of at Brooklands Easter Monday meeting. Soon he was known as the fastest Alta driver to battle against the 1.5-liter ERA and Maserati.
At times Abecassis raced also a 2-liter Alta. He drove in England also at Crystal Palace and Prescott. The Alta was badly damaged at Albi 1939.
During WW II Abecassis piloted RAF bombers, was shot down and became PoW.
After 1945 he carried on with the 1.5-liter Alta, then ERA and 3.3-liter Bugatti T59 but also drove Maserati, Aston Martin, Cicitalia and Cooper.
In 1948 George Abecassis and John Heath founded Hersham & Walton Motors (HWM) outside London, buiding racing and sportcars until 1955. After John Heath's fatal accident at
the 1956 Mille Miglia George Abecassis retired from racing to spend more time with Hersham & Walton Motors, who ended racing the following year.
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| (Info supplied by Hans Etzrodt) |
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1938: DNA Campbell Trophy /
1 Crystal Palace Cup (handicap) /
? JCC 200 (Voiturette + GP) /
1 Imperial Trophy (handicap) /
DNF Siam Challenge (Voiturette)
1939: DNA/DNS Brooklands Road Championship /
DNF French GP (Voiturette) /
4 (heat) Albi (Voiturette)
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Louis Emile Abit (F) |
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* 22 Apr 1897
† 6 Aug 1951 |
Voulangis, Île-de France
Thorigny |
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| (Info supplied by Jean-Charles Colombier) |
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1931: 6 Picardie GP /
3 Vaucluse Circuit
1933: 14 Dieppe GP
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Angelo "Lino" Abriani (I) |
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* 1898
† Feb 1997 |
Castelguglielmo, Rovigo
Milano |
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Founding member of the Verona Automobile Club. Born to a wealthy family of Veronese landowners, Abriani became a successful clothing trader, owner of the ‘il Disco Rosso’ chain. He was also
Borletti's partner in the Rinascente chain of stores. After moving to Milan, he became famous posthumously for having left his estate, valued at between 70 and 100 billion lire, to the
Milanese Curia. He was active in motor racing in 1924/26, especially behind the wheel of a Chiribiri.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1924: DNF Cremona Circuit (1500cc) /
DNF Coppa Acerbo (1500cc) /
DNA Garda Circuit (1500cc)
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Fabrizio Adragna (I) |
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* 11 May 1912
† 15 Nov 1955 |
Trapani, Sicily
Torino (Turin) |
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Graduate engineer. President of AC Trapani.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1937: DNF Targa Florio (Voiturette)
1938: DNA Napels (Voiturette)
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Agabeg - SEE: Fane
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Giulio Agnelli (I) |
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Not in the official list of licensed Italian racing drivers. Possibly Dante Agnelli.
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1929: DNF Alessandria GP (1100cc)
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Aimini - SEE: Aymini
d'Ahetze - SEE: d'Ahetze
Hon. Peter Rudyard Aitken (GB) |
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* 22 Mar 1912
† 4 Aug 1947 |
Belgravia, London
Stockholm, Sweden |
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Son of British/Canadian press magnate and former Wartime Government Minister Lord Beaverbrook. Gained the rank of Captain of the Royal Fusiliers.
Voiturette driver who raced with his own Maserati 6CM during 1937-38. He bought the Alfa Romeo Bimotore from Austin Dobson at the end of 1937.
Then he bought Reggie Tongue's ERA in August 1938 and raced it in South Africa in 1939. In In 1939 he also drove a ex-Gérard Delage.
Aitken died in 1947 while on vacation in Stockholm, Sweden. After a trip to Sandhamn in the archipelago he found nobody who could take him back to Stockholm. He borrowed a motorboat but ran aground.
While trying to save the boat he had to get into the water. Finally he got ashore, fatigued and wet and with broken ribs and was taken to his hotel where a doctor gave him pain-killers.
Later that night he was found dead in his bed, probably due to a heart attack.
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| (Info supplied by Tomas Karlsson) |
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1937: 3 Coronation Trophy (Voiturette) /
DNF Campbell Trophy /
DNA Isle of Man (Voiturette) /
DNA JCC 200 GP /
DNF Dublin (Voiturette)
1938: ? JCC 200 (Voiturette + GP) /
5 Mountain
1939: 7 South African GP (Voiturette) /
2 Grosvenor (Voiturette) /
DNA/DNS Brooklands Road Championship
7 Nuffield Trophy (Voiturette) /
3 Campbell Trophy
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Giuseppe Albanese (I) |
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* 1897
† 1989 |
?
? |
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Bugatti agent in Palermo. He won the hill climb of Monte Pellegrino three times, twice finishing second. Albanese had enlisted as a volunteer in the First World War as a spotter on the balloons,
then in the navigating roles of the Air Force. When the war was over, he collaborated with Vincenzo Florio in the organisation of the Targa and participated in it for several editions. A well-known
sports personality in his city, he was the founder of the Tennis Club in 1928, the Aeroclub in 1932, the Sailing Club in 1933, and the Motoclub in 1935. In 1949, taking his cue from a stage of the
Giro d'Italia air race that was held in Sicily, he invented the International Tour of Sicily for tourist planes, which, from one edition to the next, would become of worldwide importance.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1921: DNF Targa Florio
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Fausto Alberti (I) |
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From Milan. Owner of Officine Meccaniche Fausto Alberti, which produced precision machining machinery and engines. From 1932, Officine Alberti began the production of motorbikes under the Sertum
brand name. Alberti is known to have driven a Bugatti T13 converted by Botta and Silvani (1922/23).
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1922: DNF Autumn GP (3000cc)
1923: DNA Garda Circuit
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Harold John "Aldy" Aldington (GB) |
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* 5 Sep 1902
† 1 Apr 1976 |
Southwark, London
Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire |
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Harold John Aldington was the second oldest of three brothers.
His father, Henry, worked for the Post Office.
Harold hated his name and insisted on being called Aldy. he took an apprenticeship in Civil Engineering before joining GN as an apprentice in the greasing shop,
Aldy started competing in trials in the early 1920s competing in long distance trials such as the London to Lands End. He was also a regular
competitor at Brooklands. After the war Aldington brought the BMW designer Fiedler to England where he updated the 328 design for Bristol
and helped Frazer Nash develop their cars.
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| (Info supplied by Richard A. Salomon) |
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1931: DNF Mountain
1932: DNA German GP (Voiturette) /
DNF Mountain
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Giordano "Nando" Aldrighetti (I) |
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* 14 Nov 1905
† 12 Aug 1939
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Milano (Milan)
Pescara |
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Alddigrette made himself internationally known as a motorcycle drive, racing a 4 cyl Gilera in TT races, before turning to cars.
Made his debut as Voiturette driver for Alfa Corse at Tripoli 1939 where he retired.
He was also a DNF at Coppa Ciano with gearbox troubles.
During Friday practice for the 1939 Coppa Acerbo at Pescara Aldighetti had a heavy crash, the car destroyed in flames
while the driver was thrown out. At first it seemed Aldrighetti had survived with only minor wounds but then
it was realized that the driver in fact had received serious internal injuries. Aldigretti succumbed at soon
after midnight.
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| (Info supplied by Hans Etzrodt) |
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1934: DNF Coppa Ciano
1939: DNF Tripoli (Voiturette) /
DNF Coppa Ciano (Voiturette) /
DNS Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette)
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Alessandro Alessandrelli (I) |
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* 21 Oct 1886
† 12 Aug 1939
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Perugia
? |
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From Perugia. Motorbike racer.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1927: DNF Coppa Perugina (1100cc)
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Girolamo Alessi (I) |
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Raced a Bugatti in the 1929 Giro di Sicilia, a sports car race.
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1930: DNA Targa Florio
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Francesco Alfano (I) |
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Raced a Fiat 508 Balilla
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1935: DNA Cosenza GP
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Guido Alberto Alfieri (I) |
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* 3 Jun 1904
† 29 Jun 1944 |
Brescia, Lombardy
Varzi, Pavia, Lombardy |
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From Milan, engineer. Lieutenant Colonel in the Regia Aeronautica - Fighter pilot. Legionnaire with D'Annunzio at Fiume (1919-1920). Participates in the Fascist March on Rome (1922). Volunteer in the Spanish Civil War under Franco (1935), in East Africa (1937) and in World War II (1940). After 1943 he organised Italian SS units under German command. Died under friendly fire during a night operation.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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Cavaliere Giovanni Alloatti (I) |
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* ?
† 9 Jun 1934 |
Torino (Turin)
Palermo |
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Little is known about this driver from Torino who, after his
victory in the 1926 Alessandria GP, was judged as a "driver of
good class and an excellent prospect". It seems though that his
prospects were to be limited mostly to the Alessandria race, which he
entered almost every year until 1934. His other main victory was the
1929 Circuito del Pozzo, in Verona. It is somehow distressing to see
that Alloatti, having for once extended his range of activity to far
away Sicily, left the road falling from a bridge during the first lap of
the 1934 Targa Florio. Alloatti died after 20 days of painful agony in a
Palermo hospital.
Certainly he was no longer in his prime when he died. He was entered in
the 1934 Mille Miglia as Cavaliere Giovanni Alloatti, a honorific title
awarded for a distinguished working life.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1926: 1 Alessandria GP (1500cc) /
DNF Coppa Perugina (1500cc) /
DNF Coppa Acerbo (1500cc)
1927: DNF Alessandria GP (1500cc)
1929: 1 Pozzo Circuit /
DNA Cremona Circuit
1930: DNS Alessandria GP
1931: DNA Alessandria GP
1933: DNF (heat) Bordino GP
1934: DNF (heat) Bordino GP /
DNF Targa Florio
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Alsed - SEE: Carlsson
Martin Maximo Pablo "Macoco" Alzaga Unzué (RA) |
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* 25 Jan 1901
† 15 Nov 1982 |
Mar del Plata
Buenos Aires |
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Born into one of the richest families in Argentina, de Álzaga was known as ‘Macoco’. He was educated at Eton in England and the Sorbonne in Paris and enjoyed his inherited wealth to the maximum, becoming an international
playboy. Reputedly he was an inspiration for F Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’. He married twice, fathering a daughter to his first wife. His second wife was American model and actress Kay Williams who later married
Clark Gable. He learned to drive around the family ranches sitting on the chauffeur’s lap. He first raced at the age of 17, retiring his Ford at the Morón circuit. He continued to race in Argentina at the wheel of various
cars culminating in victory in the amateur class during the 1920 Campeonato Sudamericano de la Mille. Moving to France he purchased three Bugattis for an unsuccessful foray to the 1923 Indianapolis 500. He then helped
finance and drove for the Miller team during the 1923 European season. He acquired a Sunbeam for the following year and became the first Argentinian to win an international race at the Coupe de l’Autodrome at Miramas.
Following a crash at the San Sebastian Grand Prix he retired from racing cars, although he did tackle a French hillclimb in an Amilcar in around 1927. The engine from the damaged Sunbeam was installed in a motorboat which
he raced in 1925. In 1927 he established a motorboat, luxury car and Hibbard et Darrin coachwork dealership in Buenos Aires. In 1931 he jointly opened the famous El Morocco nightclub in New York and settled in America
from 1936 to 1950. He is credited with introducing midget racing to Argentina where he returned to export classic cars to America. Having lavished his money on cars, women and high living he spent his later years in
Buenos Aires in more modest circumstances with his cats.
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| (Info supplied by Simon Davis) |
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1923: 6 European GP /
DNA Spanish GP
1924: DNS San Sebastian GP
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Joao Baptista Amaral Junior. / "Bauru" (BR) |
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From Sao Paulo.
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1939: 4 Circuito de Gávea
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Carlo Alberto Ancillotto (I) |
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* 20 Dec 1902
† 23 Dec 1971 |
Treviso
Maserada sul Piave, Treviso |
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From Treviso. A character that one cannot hesitate to describe as extraordinary, as a driver he illustrated himself driving a Fiat 501/S in 1924. Switching to a Bugatti T22, he won the Padova
circuit reserved for the voiturettes class in 1926, beating Clerici and Borzacchini Salmsons, bringing great prestige to his sporting career. In reality, there are only traces of this activity in
races near his residence in which he was often among the fastest. In the 1927 edition of the Cansiglio climb, he finished quite close to de Sterlich and Nuvolari.Born to a noble family that owned a
silk spinning mill in Crocetta del Montello, Alberto dedicated himself to the family industry before discovering a passion for photography that soon moved into filmmaking. He quickly became one of
Italy's best known documentary filmmakers, ranging from medicine, skiing and art to the discovery of another interest, entomology. Combining his passions for filmmaking and insects, he made scientific
documentaries, becoming the most important Italian filmmaker ever in this specialty. He obtained an Oscar nomination in 1951 with a short film about a small spider in Italian gardens, which won the
Golden Lion in Venice. His only feature film, The Enchantment of the Forest, was awarded a prize in Berlin in 1957, and was also an international success with audiences. In addition to small animals,
Ancillotto in the last part of his filmmaking activity, devoted himself to filming the Venice lagoon. Everything was produced in his house in Montello, at an exceptional cinematographic technical level,
while special habitats were recreated in the villa for small exotic animals.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1925: DNF Garda Circuit (1500cc)
1926: 4 Pozzo Circuit (1500cc) /
DNA Garda Circuit (1500cc)
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John Vilhelm. Andersson (S) |
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* 20 Nov 1908
† 22 Dec 1984 |
Partille, Göteborg (Gothenburg)
Partille, Göteborg (Gothenburg) |
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| (Info supplied by Hĺkan Gelin) |
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1931: DNF Swedish Winter GP (Ice race)
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Gunnar Andersson (FIN) |
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From Gamlakarleby (Kokkola).
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1935: DNF Finnish GP
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Alberto Andreoni (I) |
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1931: DNF (heat) Rome GP
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"Angélo" Emile Jules Louis Brugairolles (F) |
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* 16 Jul 1909
† 23 Feb 1991 |
Paris 17e
Nice |
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| (Info supplied by Marc Ceulemans) |
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1933: DNF Provence Trophy /
DNF Marseille GP
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Luis Angli (E) |
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Raced at the 1933 Penya Rhin GP in a team with de Morawitz and Stahel in a
1.5L s/c Bugatti hired from de Morawitz. The objective was to win the 1.5 s/c & 2L u/s class, which instead went to
the French specialist Dourel.
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1932: 5 Pascua GP /
5/DNF (heat) Anis de Mono
1933: DNF Penya Rhin GP
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Robert Edward "Bob" Ansell (GB) |
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* 18 Nov 1917
† 13 Jan 2004 |
Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire
Coln St. Aldwyns, Gloucestershire |
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Bob Ansell was from the Ansell beer family, the Birmingham brewers, a substantial family business. He grew at Upper Billesley House,
Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire, and was the nephew of the chairman of Ansell's. Bob started work as a stock-taker, then as a
pubs supervisor, becoming a director in the family firm after the war. He had bought ERA R9B from Scribbans' in 1938.
During the war he purchased Tongue's Maserati 4CL as well. His cousin Geoffrey drove the ERA during 1947 and purchased it in 1948.
Bob and Geoffrey were rich and very enthusiastic and raced as a hobby. The ERA and the Maserati were prepared for them -
and sometimes driven by - George Bainbridge. Cosmetically the cars looked great - in blue livery with red upholstery - unlike
their record for mechanical reliability. Raced also GP Maseratis after the war. Nonetheless racing cost the Ansells dear in financial terms.
Both Bob and Geoffrey retired from racing at the end of 1949.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1939: DNA/DNS Brooklands Road Championship /
4 Nuffield Trophy (Voiturette) /
DNA Campbell Trophy /
4 Swiss GP (Voiturette)
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Pietro Anselmi (I) |
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From Rome. Anselmi was the fastest and most assiduous central-southern amateur at the wheel of O.M. cars. He was active with 1500cc and 2000cc cars from 1924 to 1927, a period in which he took part in no
fewer than 24 races (a significant number for the time) and won the overall victory at the 1926 Circuito Laziale-Sabino and four class victories. Anselmi was the owner of a garage with an O.M. Sub-Agency.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1925: DNF Coppa Perugina (2000cc) /
1 Coppa Etna (2000cc)
1926: DNF Coppa Perugina (1500cc)
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Adalberto Antici Mattei (I/BR) |
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From Recanati. An amateur driver, he carried out his brief activity at the wheel of OM cars. Emigrated to Brazil, he curiously resurfaced in Formula Libre racing in that country in
the mid-1930s, with a result of eighth overall at the Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix in 1934.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1926: DNA Coppa Perugina (1500cc)
1927: DNF Bologna Circuit (1100cc)
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Giulio "Giglio" Antinori (I) |
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A driver from Rome. "Giglio" is most likely a posthumous nickname originated by repetitious misprints.
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1935: 9 Targa Florio
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Gerolamo Antonaci (I) |
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From Biella. raced a "not very up-to-date" Bugatti.
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1931: 8 Monza GP (2000cc)
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Count Domenico Antonelli (I) |
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* ?
† 1940 |
?
Durazzo, Albania |
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The Roman Count Domenico Antonelli was one of the most assiduous of the Italian Bugatti drivers during the 1920s, with a career full of placings if not successes, at the wheel of a Tipo 22 and then
a Tipo 30 between 1922 and 1925, having also briefly tried his hand at a Fiat GP already owned by Masetti in 1922 and a Mercedes GP, also from 1914 and already owned by Masetti, in early 1924.
Finally, equipped with a Bugatti T35 at the beginning of 1925, serial number 4331, he achieved an overall victory, in a hillclimb at Rocca di Papa in 1926, after finishing second at the Circuito del Garda.
His career seems to have ended with the Premio Reale di Roma in 1927. There are several accidents to which the Roman nobleman, whose family included important curia cardinals, seems to have been painfully
predisposed. During the Circuito del Garda in 1923, Diego de Sterlich at the wheel of another Bugatti, stopped just beyond the finish line waiting for the race to end. Warned that he would thus have to drive a
full lap to be classified, he shifted into reverse gear to position himself before the finish line just as Antonelli approached at high speed. The violent collision projected de Sterlich's car towards the
timekeepers' table, who were saved by a retired car parked in the path. The following year, again at the Garda circuit, Antonelli, at the wheel of a new T30, found himself in an unusual battle for first place with the
fastest Morandi, Masperi and Meregalli. After leading for about ten laps, Antonelli missed a corner and ran into a fence. Having been able to restart, he stopped in the pits for five minutes to catch his breath, then
finished the race in fifth place. Again in 1924, Auto Italiana gave an extraordinary reason for an accident at Montenero: the elimination of Count Antonelli was due to ‘... an abuse incompatible with the dynamic
possibilities of the road’. Also in 1924 he was unable to start at Mugello due to an accident in practice. At Rocca di Papa in 1925, at the wheel of the flamboyant T35, he missed the penultimate bend before the
finish line at Madonna del Tufo, driving straight into the wall and bouncing off the road on the opposite side. With the front end destroyed in the collision, one of the precious alloy wheels with incorporated
brake drums flew into the forest below.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1923: DNF Targa Florio /
DNF Garda Circuit
1924: DNF Targa Florio (4500cc) /
DNS Coppa Acerbo /
DNA Mugello Circuit (2000cc) /
5 Garda Circuit
1925: DNF Rome GP (2000cc) /
DNA Targa Florio /
DNA Savio Circuit (2000cc) /
DNF Coppa Perugina (2000cc) /
DNF Mugello Circuit (2000cc) /
DNF Coppa Acerbo (2000cc) /
DNF Coppa Montenero (2000cc)
1926: DNF Rome GP (2000cc) /
DNA Targa Florio /
DNA Coppa Etna (2000cc) /
DNF Coppa Perugina /
DNF Coppa Acerbo (2000cc) /
10 Coppa Montenero /
DNA Milan GP (2000cc) /
2 Garda Circuit
1927: DNF Rome GP (2000cc)
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Raymond Alphonse Apparuit (F) |
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* 28 Dec 1897
† 8 Dec 1951 |
La-Neuville-Aux-Joutes, Ardennes
Magagnosc, Alpes-Maritimes |
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| (Info supplied by André Reine) |
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1928: DNS Grand Prix Bugatti
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Virginio Appiani (I) |
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From Treviso 30 km north of Venice. Motorcyclist. Correspondent for Auto-Moto-Ciclo magazine.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1924: DNF Mugello Circuit (2000cc)
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Ronald John Walter Appleton (GB) |
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* 23 Apr 1910
† 6 Oct 1994 |
Forest Hill, London
Bickley, Kent |
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Very well liked as a person, Appleton was a trained structural engineer, born in Forest Hill, London, and
lived in Bird-in-the-Hand Lane, Bickley, Kent. He ran a stationery supplies company, named 'ESA' supplying schools with books, desks, chairs,
etc. The Appleton-Riley Special was originally Henken Widengren's
1931 Maserati 8C-1100 sports car and was bought by Appleton in 1933. A final shearing of the blower
drive in 1948 led Appleton to dispose of the car that it is still in existence today.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1935: DNA Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette) /
DNF Mountain
1937: DNF (heat) Coronation Trophy (Voiturette)
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Arthur Harold Appleyard (GB) |
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* 21 Jun 1906
† 9 Sep 1946 |
East Sheen, Surrey
Hammersmith, London |
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| (Info supplied by Adam Ferrington) |
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1931: DNF* French GP
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Tommaso Aquino (I) |
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* 29 May 1893
† 15 Jun 1958 |
Perugia
Perugia |
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From Perugia. Aquino beat Luigi Fagioli twice with an identical Salmson car: at Spoleto and Tolentino hill climbs in 1926.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1926: DNA Coppa Peruginaa (1500cc)
1927: DNF Coppa Perugina (1100cc) /
DNA Bologna Circuit
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Araujo - SEE: Almeida Araujo
Robert Michael Wemyss Arbuthnot (GB) |
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* 9 Mar 1914
† 29 Aug 1946 |
Aberdeen, Scotland
Bushey, Hertfordshire |
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Born into a banking family. Went to Eton & Trinity College, Cambridge. Together with R.V. Wallington Arbuthnot owned the "High Speed Motors"
garage in Watford. They owned several racing cars including the ex - Hans Rüesch Alfa Romeo 8C-35. He was a non starter at Le Mans in 1939. After the war he went to
the USA to take part in the 1946 Indy but his Lagonda (one of the 1939 works Le Mans cars) was damaged en route to the track and he withdrew before attempting a
qualifying run. Arbuthnot died in a crash at Watford Bypass, Bushey, Hertfordshire when a Buick coming in the opposite direction burst a tyre and collided with
Arbuthnot's Darl'Mat Peugeot 403, which he had recently acquired from Dorothy Patten.
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| (With thanks to Richard Armstrong / Adam Ferrington) |
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1939: ? Campbell Trophy
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Maria Maximilian Josef Ludwig Engelbert Graf von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (D) |
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* 28 Mar 1908
† 20 May 1937 |
München
Wien (Vienna) |
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Born in München 1908, Count Arco-Zinneberg raced a Mercedes SSK between 1929 and 1931 as as a privateer.
Winner of the 1929 Geisberg and the 1931 Wurzenpass, Brennberg and Thiersee hillclimbs and the 1929 "Großer Preis der Nationen" at Nürburgring.
On 20 May 1937 he started with a plane from the Aspern aerodrome, Vienna. He made a sharp turn shortly after take-off before crashing fatally near Essling.
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1930: DNF Monaco GP
1931: DNA Czech GP
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Luigi Ardito (I) |
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* 1883
† 1958 |
Vigevano
Florence |
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Corrado Lotti's mechanic and later his partner in the Garage Rotonda in Via del Prato 8 in Florence, he enjoyed great fame in his city. .
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1921: 3 (9) Mugello Circuit (2000cc)
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Giovanni "Gianni" Arezzi (I) |
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From Pontecurone in the Alessandria province. Drove Alfa Romeo sports cars mainly in hillclimbs.
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1934: DNS Biella GP
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Armstrong Payn - SEE: Payn
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Paolo Arnone (I) |
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From Palermo. Arnone participated in the 1912 Targa Florio. From 1912 to 1914 was personal mechanic and driver to Prince Lanza di Trabia. He was a sufficiently reputed driver to be engaged to drive a
works Diatto for the 1922 Coppa Florio.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1921: 5 (12) Targa Florio (3000cc)
1922: 5 (21) Targa Florio (3000cc) /
DNF Coppa Florio
1926: DNA Coppa Etna (2000cc)
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Carlos Davde Arzani (RA) |
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* 27 Nov 1909
† 30 Jan 1952 |
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
near Rio Ceballos |
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Argentinian driver who raced private Alfa Romeos, mostly in South America.
In 1937 he bought a Alfa Romeo 8C 35 (#50.014) and raced it at Napels before taking the car back to Argentine.
where he raced it with great success. Suffering from illness he escaped the summer heat for the freshness up in
the Andes. There he died in a quiet mountain village near Rio Ceballos in 1952.
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| (Info supplied by Cristián Bertschi & Wolfgang Kaese) |
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1936: 1 Buenos Aires GP
1937: 4 Napels GP /
5 Rio de Janeiro GP
1938: 2 Rio de Janeiro GP
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Constanzo Arzilla "‘Maremmano" (I) |
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* 14 Oct 1896
† ? |
Grosseto
? |
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From Grosseto in the Toscana (Tuscany) region. Often drove under the pseudonym "Maremmano". Owner of the Garage-workshop ‘Centrale’ with driving school in Grosseto, Via Mazzini. Was AC Grosseto councillor
at its foundation (1927) and later mechanic and driver of Scuderia Maremmana, Grosseto. He severely engaged Biondetti at the 1928 Val d'Elsa Circuit, despite the inferiority of the vehicle, a Fiat 509 against a Salmson.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1930: DNC Coppa Ciano (1100cc)
1931: DNA/DNS Rome GP (1100cc) /
DNF Coppa Ciano (1100cc)
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Alberto "Ciccio" Ascari (I) |
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* 13 Jul 1918
† 26 May 1955 |
Milano
Monza |
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Son of the great Antonio Ascari, Alberto had only just turned seven when his father fatally crashed at the French GP. Despite the opposition from his mother who tried to put him in boarding schools far from the
Monza autodrome, Alberto was determined to become a race driver, escaping from the schools back to Milan. After his mother had given in he started motor cycle racing in 1936 joining Bianchi in 1938 scoring several wins.
Wanting to race cars Alberto approached Enzo Ferrari who entered two cars based on Fiat parts for the 1940 Mille Miglia. Called just "815" these were in fact the first Ferrari cars. With Minozzi
as co-driver Ascari led the race by over a minute when he was forced to retire. Buying half a share of a Maserati Ascari took part in the 1940 Tripoli GP and Targa Florio before the war put a halt to racing.
He partnered Luigi Villoresi in a transport company that supplied the Italian troops in Africa, thus avoiding himself being called to the army. In 1942 he married Maria Antoinetta Tavola, a former close friend of Emilio Villoresi.
After the war, with Luigi Villoresi as tutor, he returned to racing 1947 with a Cisitalia and then a Maserati. His first victory was at the Modena GP sports car race. In 1948 he took the Maserati 4CLT/48 to
victory at the San Remo GP. In 1949, after having won at Palermo, he and Villoresi joined Scuderia Ferrari, Ascari winning the European, Swiss and Perón GPs and the International Trophy. In 1950 Ferrari
concentrated mainly on F2 with Ascari winning at Modena, Mons, Rome, Reims, Nürburgring, Mettet and Salo and winning the Penya Rhin F1 race. For 1951 he took on the Alfa Romeo team beating them at the
German and Italian GPs.
During the 1952 and 1953 seasons Ascari dominated F1 totally, winning six Championship races in 1952 and five in 1953 to become double world champion. Moving to Lancia for 1954
Ascari had to wait until late in the season before their F1 car was ready but he won the Mille Miglia. At the 1955 Monaco GP Ascari crashed into the harbour. Four days later he unexpectedly turned up at
Monza and asked to test Castellotti's 3 litre sports Ferrari to shake off the Monaco crash. On his fifth lap he crashed at Curva del Vialone and died on the way to hospital. The crash remains a mystery to this day.
Being Fangio's main opponent in the early 1950s Ascari was probably the faster of the two. While making occasional mistakes in the midfield once in the lead he was considered unbeatable and the hardest Grand Prix driver
ever to follow or pass. Ascari was also a notoriously superstitious driver, no one in the pit was allowed to touch his two boxes with clothes and blue helmet and he could do long detours to
avoid black cats crossing the street. |
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1940: 9 Tripoli (Voiturette) /
DNF Targa Florio (Voiturette)
1952: GRAND PRIX WORLD CHAMPION
1953: GRAND PRIX WORLD CHAMPION
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Antonio Ascari (I) |
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* 15 Sep 1888
† 26 Jul 1925 |
Bonferraro Di Sorgŕ, Venero
Montlhéry, Paris |
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Antonio Ascari was son of a wheat salesman left school early and worked as a blacksmith's forge. After moving to Milan he worked as a mechanic for De Vecchi and started driving for the company in 1911 at a Modena touring event
and thereafter joined ALFA as test driver. In 1919 he won the important Parma-Poggio di Berceto and Coppa della Consuma hill climbs with his own 4.5-L Fiat racecar. He drove for the Alfa Romeo team in 1921 and won the
Parma-Poggio di Berceto hill climb but crashed at Mugello. At the 1922 Targa Florio he crashed once again, this time on the first lap. In the 1923 Targa Florio he finished second in an Alfa Romeo and won at the
following Cremona Circuit. In 1924 he established a 10 km world record at 195 km/h on the long Cremona straight and won the Parma-Poggio di Berceto hill climb. While leading the Targa Florio his Alfa Romeo spun
to a halt with a seized engine on the last lap only 200 meters from the finish. At the European Grand Prix at Lyon he also retired while in the lead. Finally, at the Italian Grand Prix he won the race in superb
fashion. In 1925 he won the European Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. At the following French Grand Prix, Ascari crashed at high speed on lap 23 and his car overturned. He died shortly afterwards in the ambulance
which was bringing him to a hospital in Paris.
| | (Info supplied by Hans Etzrodt) |
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1921: DNS Targa Florio /
DNF Mugello Circuit (4500cc)
1922: 1 (4) Targa Florio (4500cc) /
DNF Mugello Circuit /
DNF Autumn GP (3000cc)
1923: 2 Targa Florio /
1 Cremona Circuit /
1 (3) Mugello Circuit (3000cc) /
DNS European GP
1924: DSQ Targa Florio (4500cc) /
1 Cremona Circuit (2000cc) /
DNF European GP /
1 Italian GP
1925: DNF* Rome GP /
1 European GP /
DNF French GP
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Axel Gustaf Georg "Gösta" Askergren (S) |
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* 29 Sep 1905
† 21 May 1940 |
Stockholm
Stockholm |
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Died of tuberculosis.
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| (Info supplied by Hĺkan Gelin) |
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1933: DNS Swedish Summer GP
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Vittorio Astarita (I) |
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From Naples, son of the banker Gioacchino. Active in racing from 1925 to 1929, he drove a Bugatti Grand Prix T35 in the 1926 season. Playwright and actor Edoardo De Filippo bought the island of Isca,
opposite Positano, from him.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1926: 2 Tripoli GP /
DNA Coppa Acerbo (2000cc) /
DNF Coppa Montenero
1928: DNA Coppa Acerbo
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Alfonso Attili (I) |
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Lived in Osimo, near Ancona. Raced mainly in the cyclecar class.
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1931: 7 (heat) Rome GP (1100cc)
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Gennaro Auricchio (I) |
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* 6 Jun 1906
† 16 Feb 1969 |
Napoli (Naples)
Palerno, Sicily |
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Cheese industrialist in Palermo not to be confused with a cousin of the same name also a cheese industrialist, internationally known for his products (Provolone Auricchio). Motorbike racer
and car driver on Alfa Romeo and Lancia .
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1934: DNF Napels GP
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John Lubbock, 3rd Baron Avebury (GB) |
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* 13 May 1915
† 21 Jun 1971 |
Blean, Kent
Paddington, London |
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English peer. He was the son of the Honourable Harold Fox Pitt Lubbock and a grandson of John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury.
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| (Info supplied by Adam Ferrington) |
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1938: ? JCC 200 (Voiturette + GP) /
DNF Mountain
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Giulio Aymini (I) |
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* 3 Aug 1891
† 29 Nov 1967 |
Torino (Turin)
? |
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A wealthy amateur from the province of Torino, hailed from a branch of
an old Southern French family which returned in Piemonte from Argentina
mid-1850. Aymini was active from the 1920s until the the early post-WWII
years at the wheel of a variety of cars, Fiat, Diatto, Bugatti, Delage,
Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Cisitalia. He also raced for Scuederia
Subalpina in 1934/35.
His major successes came in hill-climbs, with overall victories at the
Cuneo-Colle della Maddalena (probably the longest hill-climb in history)
in 1925 and at the Susa-Moncenisio in 1926, both driving a Tipo 20 sport
Diatto, and in 1932/33 driving the Nardi-Monaco "Chichibio", a 1L
JAP-engined fwd special designed by Augusto Monaco, taking, among
others, a class win at the Klausen in 1932. Aymini also scored several
class victories at the wheel of the new Fiat 508 Balilla Sport spider in
1934.
Aymini was an engineer by trade and partenered Monaco in the design of
the staggering engine for the Grand Prix car project known as the
Trossi-Monaco. His good connections allowed the pair to build the
prototype engine at the Fiat Lingotto plant, but soon Senator Agnelli
withdrew his support. Then driver Carlo Felice Trossi agreed to finance
the project, which was completed in the Trossi's workshop near Biella.
Aymini was named test driver and drove the car - which was going to
become one of the most well known failures in motorsport history - for
its maiden run at Monza in July 1935.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1925: 2 Coppa Montenero (2000cc)
1926: DNF Coppa Perugina /
DNF Coppa Acerbo /
DNF Coppa Montenero
1927: 6c/13 Bologna Circuit (1500cc)
1928: DNF Tripoli GP /
DNA Pozzo Circuit /
DNF Alessandria GP /
11 Coppa Messina /
DNF Coppa Etna /
7 Rome GP /
DNA Cremona Circuit /
DNF European GP
1929: DNF Alessandria GP
1931: DNA Coppa Acerbo (1100c) /
DNA Monza GP (1100cc)
1932: DNA Rome GP /
DNA Coppa Ciano (Cyclecar)
1933: DNF Coppa Ciano /
DNA Monza GP /
DNA Czech GP
1934: DNA Biella GP
1935: DNA Lucca GP
1936: DNA Monaco GP
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© 2024 Leif Snellman - Last updated: 18.11.2024
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