DRIVERS (C)
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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!
Cabantous - SEE: Giraud-Cabantous
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Nino Cacciatori (I) |
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From Verona. Raced a Itala in 1923 and a Ceirano in 1925
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1926: 3 Pozzo Circuit (1500cc)
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Maurice Alexander Gordon Cadell (GB) |
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* 24 Nov 1913
† 7 Jul 1951 |
Chelsea, London
Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary, Ireland |
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Qualified as a pilot in 1934.
Took part in the Spanish Civil War with General O'Duffy's Irish Brigade.
Served as an officer at Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during World War II (Africa) and was involved in covert operations with Popski's Private Army (Italy),
seriously wounded in the battle of Dolo 29 April 1945.
Settled in Ireland, became an Irish nationalist and joined a radical nationalist and fascist political party.
Died of liver failure in 1951.
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| (Info supplied by Adam Ferrington & Graham Clayton) |
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1936: DNA Eifel (Voiturette)
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Federico/Fritz Caflisch (I/CH) |
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* 12 Feb 1892
† 14 Feb 1978 |
Napoli (Naples)
? |
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Federico's ancestor, Durisch Caflisch was a pastry maker from the Canton Grisons in Switzerland. Pastry makers from that region were highly reputed. He left Switzerland for Naples with the idea of blending his mastery with
the traditions of Southern Italian cuisine. In 1825 Caflisch & Co was established in Naples as a wine, liquor, pastry and drug store. The business was passed on through the generations and the pastry café survives to this
day also with its Palermo branch.
Federico started racing in 1920 at the now forgotten Circuito di Napoli driving an unidentified Mercedes and resumed in 1923 when he competed with a Lancia Lambda in the Vermicino-Rocca di Papa hillclimb. He later drove a
RL Alfa Romeo and an Itala. From 1928 to 1931 he drove two big Mercedes-Benz, a type S, road registered 7660.NA, and from 1929 a type SS, road registered 8585.NA (said to be that driven by Caracciola at the Nürburgring in
1927). He obtained twelve class victories in his career of which two were overall. His most famous overall victory was at the important Circuito di Caserta sports car race in 1930. In addition, his preferred powerful cars
made him able to make the fastest time of the day in many speed trials. In 1931 he was the overall Swiss Champion. After ceasing racing, he became a valued sports executive He was vice-president of the AC Naples from 1936.
By 1946 he was a member of the Italian Automobile Club Sports Commission. In the mid 1950s to early 1960s he was a Vice President of the Panathlon association for sporting ethics. He received the Order of Merit of the
Italian Republic. A very witty person, he was irresistible with his mixed language of Schweizerdeutsch and Neapolitan dialect and was a highly requested speaker in official events
| | (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva & Simon Davis) |
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1929: 6 Rome GP /
5 Monza GP /
DNS Cremona Circuit
1930: 6 Rome GP /
6 Coppa Acerbo /
9 Monza GP
1931: 3 Geneva GP
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Pierre de Cailleux (F) |
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* 16 Mar 1898
† 15 May 1943 |
Villeneuve sur Lot, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Montpellier, Occitania |
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Raced from 1924 to 1929, mainly in hillclimb events (Grabels, Les Alpilles, Massilian, Naviteau, Le Camps).
He was at the wheel of a 1100cc Rally in 1924 and 1925. Then seen with a "mysterious" Nemo car in 1926. And a last appearance in 1929 at Grabels, his local favourite event near Montpellier where he lived at that time.
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| (Info supplied by Marc Ceulemans) |
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1926: DNQ Provence GP (heat)
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Count Franco Caiselli (I) |
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A Count from Udine, was the first private entrant in Alfa Romeo racing history. He debuted with an ES type at the GP Gentlemen in the Brescia meeting of 1921. With that car he won the Gargnano-Tignale
hill climb in 1922. Caiselli drove the famous Packard formerly of M.A. Avanzo and Antonio Ascari at the Gran Premio d’Autunno at Monza also in 1922. Ceased racing in 1924.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1921: DNF GP Gentlemen
1922: DNS Mugello Circuit /
DNC Autumn GP
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Giosue' Calamai (I) |
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* 11 Jun 1911
† 2002 |
Prato, Firenze (Florence)
Firenze (Florence) |
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A fast private entrant, Calamai was the Italian Champion of the "National Sport" category in 1939, driving a 6C2500 Alfa Romeo tipo 256. Made fastest time of the day in some hill climbs in 1937 and 1939. In 1938
he was a fighter pilot in the Spanish war. In 1940 he fought with a German Messerschmitt squadron in the Battle of Britain. He was a textile industrialist in Prato and owned valuable land in the Chianti district.
He did not race postwar.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1935: DNA Lucca GP
1936: 5 Coppa Ciano
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Jean Calcianu (RO) |
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* 1893
† 1949 |
Dobrogea
? |
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Lived in Bucarest.
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1937: DNS Czech GP
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Antonio "Antonino" Caliri (I) |
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* 31 Jan 1895
† 27 Jun 1962 |
Licodia Eubea, Catania
Santiago, Chile |
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Caliri was an excellent driver-tester and mechanic. Born to a well-to-do Sicilian family he left everything to pursue his desire to become a car mechanic. He moved north to La Spezia where he married in 1917, but
soon emigrated in France, to Marseille, where he opened a repair shop specializing in Citroën and Bugatti cars. He was successful, so he could afford the purchase of a T37 Bugatti in early 1926. At his debut he
won in class the Côte d’Azur winter races, the Mont Agel and the Esterel hill climbs and the flying 500m at Cannes, then carried his car on a ship to Sicily to race at the Targa Florio where he placed third in
class. After other races in Italy and France with good results, he purchased a T37A for the 1927 season. After a retirement at the Targa Florio, he won the important and very difficult Coppa Messina, from
Balestrero’s 8C Bugatti, after which he obtained the wheel of a 2.litre Bugatti. He abruptly ceased racing in Europe after the race at Livorno in August 1927.
In early 1929 Caliri emigrated to Chile in charge of heading the servicing of Citroën cars. Preceded by the fame of excellent mechanic and fast driver, Caliri also opened a large workshop with an annexed body
repair shop at Los Carrillos near the Santiago airport that soon became the centre of Chilean motor sport. He raced with success a Studebaker modified in his shop. Then, in collaboration with the driver
Oscar Andrade, he built an imposing aero-engined Special fitting a V12 Curtis Falcon in the chassis of a Hudson cabriolet. Dubbed the “Caliri Special”, with it Andrade set the South American record for the
flying km. at Puente Alto near Santiago at 219.512 km/h in 1935. Caliri never sent news of himself to the family he had left behind in Italy and set up a new one. Thus, his Italian wife, who had obtained a
certificate of presumed death from the Court, was never notified of his real death.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1926: 10 Targa Florio (1500cc) /
2 Coppa Montenero (1500cc) /
15 Ligure-Piemontese Circuit (1500cc)
1927: DNF Targa Florio (1500cc) /
1 Coppa Messina (1500cc) /
DNA Coppa Perugina /
4c/6 Rome GP (2000cc) /
DNF Bologna Circuit /
DNA Coppa Acerbo /
4c/9 Coppa Montenero (2000cc)
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Amerigo Calzolari (I) |
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OM driver from Prato, active in races in Tuscany in 1930. Quit after the 1931 Montenero race.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1931: DNF Coppa Ciano
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Renzo Camandona (I) |
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Industrialist from Torino.
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1934: 10 (heat) Bordino GP
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Alberto Corsi Cambi (I) |
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From Florence. Was only seen racing at the Montenero 1100cc race in 1932.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1932: DNF Coppa Ciano (Cyclecar)
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Cavaliere Giuseppe Campari (I) |
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* 8 June 1892
† 10 Sep 1933 |
Graffignana, Lodi, Lombardy
Monza |
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Giuseppe Campari raced for Alfa Romeo for 20 years. He was a talented and loved driver by his team mates and the spectators
alike. One could hardly find a man who looked less like a racing driver than Campari. He weighted over 100 kg and his big enjoyments in life
except for racing was good food and Grand Opera. He was married to the well known singer Lina Cavallero and he had sung professionally himself
at the Donizetti theater at Bergamo. It was not uncommon for him to give samples of his own fine baritone voice by singing an aria to his fellow
drivers. Campari had a very dark skin and was hairy all over. The fans used to call him "Il Negher".
Campari was born in Fanfulla near Milan, on 8 June 1892. He joined the ALFA company in his teens and soon became a test driver. His
first competition was the 1913 Parma-Poggio di Berceto hill-climbing event. In 1914 he became the sensation of the Targa Florio, finishing
fourth. His first post-war race was again the Targa Florio but this time he was unplaced. In 1920 Campari took his and Alfa Romeo's first
racing victory by winning the Circuit of Mugello in a 40/60. He also won numerous hill climbs that year. He then repeated his victory at
Mugello the next year and was third at Targa Florio.
It was the P2 car constructed by Vittorio Jano that really made Campari famous. He took the car to its first victory at the 1924 French GP
at Lyon. Campari was on his way to victory in the 1925 French GP when he retired after learning of the death of Ascari. That year he was
second at the Monza and Milan GPs. After Alfa Romeo withdrew from GP racing Campari continued to drive their cars as an independent. He
won the 1927, 1928 and 1931 Coppa Acerbo and proved victorious in both the 1928 and 1929 Mille Miglia races together with Guido Ramponi.
Campari became Italian champion in both 1928 and 1929.
On 1 December 1929 when Scuderia Ferrari was formed, Enzo Ferrari had already secured Campari as the first driver for the team. Campari
continued racing for Ferrari and Alfa Corse. In 1931 Campari raced the new P3 cars at the Italian Grand Prix. After that
Archangeli had a fatal crash during practice, the team planned to withdraw but were ordered by Mussolini to "race and win for Italy".
Campari raced - and won!
1932 wasn't a good year for Campari. With Nuvolari, Caracciola and Borzacchini in the team he found himself relegated to fourth driver
and at the beginning of 1933 he went over to Maserati and was victorious at the French Grand Prix.
Campari decided to leave motor racing and concentrate all his efforts on opera instead.
He was back in an Alfa to start his last race in front of his home crowd at the Monza GP.
He lost control on the first lap and the car went over the embankment.
After having survived 20 years of racing without any major injuries Campari was crushed underneath his inverted car and died instantly.
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1921: 2 (3) Targa Florio /
1 Mugello Circuit /
DNF GP Gentlemen
1922: 3 (11) Targa Florio /
DNF Mugello Circuit /
DNF Autumn GP
1923: DNF Targa Florio /
DNS European GP
1924: 4 Targa Florio (3000cc) /
DNF Cremona Circuit /
DNF Coppa Acerbo (2000cc) /
1 European GP /
3* Italian GP
1925: 2 European GP /
DNF French GP /
2* Italian GP
1927: 1 Coppa Acerbo /
2 Milan GP
1928: 2 Targa Florio /
DNF Mugello Circuit /
DNF Cremona Circuit /
1 Coppa Acerbo /
3 Coppa Montenero /
2* European GP
1929: 4 Targa Florio /
6 Mugello Circuit (2000cc) /
3 Coppa Ciano
1930: DNA Monaco GP /
4 Targa Florio /
5 Rome GP /
2 Coppa Ciano /
DNA Coppa Acerbo /
2 (rep)/DNF Monza GP
1931: 4 Targa Florio /
1* Italian GP /
2* French GP /
DNF* Belgian GP /
4 Coppa Ciano /
1 Coppa Acerbo /
4 (heat) Monza GP
1932: 10 Monaco GP /
4 Italian GP /
DNS French GP /
DNA German GP /
3 Coppa Ciano /
DNA Coppa Acerbo /
1 (heat) /DNS Monza GP
1933: DNF Tripoli GP /
1 French GP /
DNF Marne GP /
DNA Belgian GP /
3 Coppa Ciano /
8 Nice GP /
DNF Coppa Acerbo /
DNA Comminges GP /
DNA Marseille GP /
DNS Italian GP /
DNF Monza GP /
DNA Czech GP
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Ernesto Campeotto (I/DK) |
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* ~1901
† ? |
?
? |
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Ernesto's ansestors had emigrated from Sweden to Italy and changed names from Larsson to Campiotto.
Ernesto moved to Denmark in 1928 and worked as manager for Fiat. He took part at the 1932 Swedish Winter GP
but retired after ditching his Fiat. In the early 1960s Ernesto moved back to Italy where he bought a wineyard near Turin.
His son Dario, an actor and singer, would represent Denmark in the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest.
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1932: DNF Swedish Winter GP (Ice race)
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Alfredo Canali (I) |
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Drove in 1923 a Nesselsdorf touring car transformed into a racing car by Alfieri Maserati in 1920. It was the first car built by the Maserati brothers.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1923: DNF Cremona Circuit
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Saverio Candrilli (I) |
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Department store owner from Palermo, Sicily. Very active, but exclusively in Sicilian races, amateur driver from 1922 to 1929 at the wheel of a Fiat 501S and of a 4.4-litre Steyr Typ VI formerly of Vincenzo Florio that
he purchased in 1926. His last race was the 1929 Targa Florio (his fourth) driving a T35C Bugatti on hired loan.
With the Steyr, Florio had won the Monte Pellegrino hill climb in 1925. Candrilli sold that important car to the Marquise Maria De Cordova, (road registered PA-3292) that she used as a town-car after having it
rebodied as a torpedo. After WWII (1950) the Steyr was transformed into a light truck. It was finally rescued in 2002 by a collector from Palermo, who had it returned to its original state.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1926: 12 Targa Florio /
DNQ Coppa Vinci /
11 Coppa Etna
1927: DNF Targa Florio /
DNA Coppa Messina
1928: DNF Targa Florio
1929: DNF Targa Florio
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Alfredo Caniato (I) |
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* 1900?
† 7 Jun 1969 |
Ferrara
Bologna |
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The Caniato family, originated from Rovigo, but living partly in Ferrara and partly in Bologna, had a fortune consisting in the commerce and mills of hemp and grains. They also owned a chain of hotels in the Italian
part of Tirol. In 1929 the head of the family, Umberto Caniato, agreed to finance the passion for motor sport of his two nephews Alfredo and Augusto and to make an investment at the same time. He conferred to the
fledgling Scuderia Ferrari the hefty sum of 130,000 Lire to concur to form a share capital of 200,000 lire (Ferrari put down 50,000, Alfa Romeo 10,000, Pirelli 5,000 and dr. Testi 5,000 Lire). Alfredo became the
Chairman as per deed of 16/11/1929, approved by a Modena Court on 29/11/1929, constituting the Scuderia Ferrari as a Limited company, with Enzo as CEO. Alfredo raced more times than Augusto, exclusively in
6C Alfa Romeos, scoring only a couple of class wins in minor hill climbs. After the 1932 Mille Miglia, where the two brothers raced as a pair, the Caniato family sold their share in the Scuderia to
Carlo Felice Trossi who paid in securities issued by the bank he owned, the Banco Sella. Thus the investment of the Caniato family proved to have been fruitful.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1930: 10 Alessandria GP /
DNA Coppa Acerbo
1931: 9 Alessandria GP /
DNF* Italian GP
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Antoine Benoit Canin (F) |
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* 6 Apr 1897
† 19 Feb 1981 |
Fontvieille,Bouches-du-Rhône
Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône |
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| (Info supplied by André Reine) |
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1932: DNF Nimes GP /
DNF (heat) Nice GP
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Cantacuzino - SEE: Ghica Cantacuzino
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Dante Cantoni (I) |
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A merchant from Brescia. Father of Lancia driver Renzo Cantoni.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1923: DNA Garda Circuit
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Paolo Cantono (I) |
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Roman Count. Was active as a racing driver exclusively in races in Central Italy from 1927 to 1932, usually with 6C and 8C Alfa Romeos.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1930: DNF Coppa Ciano
1932: 6 (heat) Rome GP (2000cc)
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José Antonio Canziani (RA) |
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* 3 Jul 1911
† ? |
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
? |
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1941: 1 Buenos Aires GP
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Ovidio Capelli (I) |
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* 12 Mar 1901
† 31 Mar 1962 |
Milano (Milan)
Milano (Milan) |
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For several decades owned one of the largest Fiat dealerships in Milan. A competent driver, he raced for over thirty years, but was forced to almost exclusively drive the products from Turin, which he prepared with
great care, sparing no expense. He began racing with a Fiat 509 in 1929. He became Italian Champion in the 1500cc sports car class in a 6C Fiat 1500 in 1937 and in a Fiat 1500 Zagato in 1938. Post-war he resumed
racing with a Fiat 1100S and continued with a Fiat-Stanguellini sport in 1949. A Fiat 1400 and then a Fiat 8V were his cars in 1950/1953. He also raced an unlikely Fiat 1400 prepared by Abarth with body by Touring
to take the Italian Championship for the 1500cc GT class in 1954 and at the end of the 1950s he was among the first drivers to race the new Fiat 600 and 500, winning the 500cc Italian Championship for GT cars
in 1958, driving a Fiat 500 coupe´ Zagato prepared by Abarth. He also raced a 750cc OSCA sports car from 1957, ceasing racing not long before his death. He had been a founder, in 1937, of the Scuderia Ambrosiana,
racing one of their Maserati voiturettes in 1939 and becoming the president of the Scuderia in 1949, replacing Eugenio Minetti.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1939: DNF Tripoli (Voiturette) /
5 Targa Florio (Voiturette) /
DNF Napels (Voiturette) /
DNS Tripoli (Voiturette)
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Giovanni Capirone (I) |
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* 18 Aug 1889
† 10 Mar 1924 |
Carpi, Modena
Torino |
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Fiat test driver moved to Nazzaro in 1920 as head tester and Factory driver. Back to Fiat in 1924, he crashed fatally on the famous Fiat test track on the roof of the
Lingotto factory.
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| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
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1921: 12* Mugello Circuit
1922: 4 Mugello Circuit /
DNS Coppa Florio
1923: 2 (4) Mugello Circuit (>3000c)
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Renato Cappagli (I) |
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* 11 Sep 1904
† 6 Feb 1989 |
Volterra, Tuscany
Cecina |
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After doing his military service Cappagli worked for several years at Lancia in Turin as a test driver.
He won the "Coppa Lando Ferretti" on the Pontedera circuit with an Lancia Lambda, possiblty in 1924 and did some some motorcycle racing with an Indian Scout.
In the early 1930's his homesickness brought him back to Cecina where he found work as a chauffeur to a rich local businessman who owned a Bugatti and gave Cappagli
permission to lend the car for some races. After the war Cappagli worked as mechanic until the late 80's.
When my grandfather talked about "his" Bugatti his eyes were filled with
joy and I can still hear him saying "those were cars" or "a great sound,
impossible to hear from today's cars".
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| (Info supplied by Carlo Cappagli) |
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1932: DNA Coppa Ciano
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Otto Wilhelm Rudolf Caracciola (D/CH) |
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* 30 Jan 1901
† 28 Sep 1959
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Remagen, Rheinland-Pfalz
Kassel, Hessen |
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Often believed to be an Italian, this German driver became famous overnight, when he in 1926 as a privateer, won
the first German Grand Prix, raced in horrendous conditions. To the Germans he became the Regenmeister and
his smooth driving and ability to shine in rainy conditions would be his mark throughout his career.
In 1931, he won the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL as the first non-Italian ever. After Mercedes retired from
racing, Caracciola joined Alfa Romeo for 1932 before founding Scuderia CC together with Chiron in 1933.
His career was interrupted by a crash in Monaco 1933, which left him limping with leg wounds that never
were properly healed. Being out of action for a year, tragedy stuck again as his wife Charlotte "Charly" was killed in
a avalanche. Suffering from constant pain, Caracciola made a comeback in 1934 to force himself back to a position
as head driver for Mercedes, clinching three of the five pre-war championships. The secret of Caracciola's
success was that he kept his calm during the races. Another of Caracciola's triumph cards then was the
uniquely good relationship between him and the Mercedes team manager Neubauer, comparable to the Clark-Chapman
dominance in the 60s. By the late 30s, Caracciola had lost some of his edge. He had to work hard to beat a new
generation of GP drivers and started making mistakes.
Caracciola married Alice "Baby" Hoffman-Trobeck (b. 1897) on 19 June 1937. They spent the war in exil in Lugano, Switzerland.
After the war Caracciola tried to make a comeback as race driver. He had a bad crash during practice for the 1946
Indy 500 and was in a coma for several days. His career ended in a a support race for the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix when he
crashed his Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and fractured his left leg.
Rudi and Alice then spent the summers in a house Alice had inherited from her parents at Kyrkovägen 3, Vittsjö, Scania, Sweden
and the winters at their house called "Casa Scania" in Lugano, Switzerland. Suffering from liver failure Rudi died in Kassel,
Germany in 1959. Alice died 26 June 1976.
Click here for full biography.
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1926: 1 German GP (2000cc)
1928: DNA San Sebastian GP
1929: 3 Monaco GP /
DNA San Sebastian GP
1930: DNS Monaco GP /
7 Monza GP /
DNF Czech GP
1931: DNF Swedish Winter GP (Ice race) /
DNF Monaco GP /
1 Eifel GP /
DNF French GP /
1 German GP /
1 AVUS GP /
DNF Czech GP
1932: 2 Monaco GP /
2 AVUS GP /
1 Eifel GP /
3*/11 Italian GP /
1 Lwow GP /
3 French GP /
1 German GP /
2 Coppa Acerbo /
DNA Czech GP /
1 Monza GP
1933: DNS Monaco GP /
DNA French GP
1934: DNS AVUS GP /
DNS Eifel GP /
DNF French GP /
DNF German GP /
DNS Belgian GP /
1 Klaußenpaßrennen (hillclimb) /
DNF Coppa Acerbo /
10* Swiss GP /
1* Italian GP /
2 Spanish GP /
DNF Czech GP
1935: DNF Monaco GP /
1 Tripoli GP /
DNF AVUS GP /
1 Eifel GP /
1 French GP /
2 Penya Rhin GP /
1 Belgian GP /
3 German GP /
1 Swiss GP /
DNF* Italian GP /
1 Spanish GP /
DNA Czech GP
EUROPEAN CHAMPION 1935.
1936: 1 Monaco GP /
4 Tripoli GP /
1 Tunis GP /
2 Penya Rhin GP /
DNF Eifel GP /
DNF Hungarian GP /
DNF/DNF*/5* German GP /
DNF Swiss GP
1937: 6 Tripoli GP /
DNF AVUS GP /
2 Eifel GP /
DNF Vanderbilt Cup /
1 German GP /
2 Monaco GP /
5* Coppa Acerbo /
1 Swiss GP /
1 Italian GP /
1 Czech GP /
3 Donington GP
EUROPEAN CHAMPION 1937.
1938: 2* Pau GP /
3 Tripoli /
2 French GP /
2* German GP /
DNF Coppa Ciano /
1 Coppa Acerbo /
1 Swiss GP /
3* Italian GP
EUROPEAN CHAMPION 1938.
1939: DNF Pau GP /
2 Tripoli (Voiturette) /
3 Eifel GP /
DNF Belgian GP /
DNF French GP /
1 German GP /
2 Swiss GP
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Helmer Gustaf Emanuel Carlsson-Alsed (S) |
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* 18 Dec 1909
† 17 Jun 2005 |
Sunnerskog, Alseda
Jonstorp, Skåne (Scania) |
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One of the top Nordic pre war drivers, Carlsson raced in GPs and ice races in Sweden
and Finland with good results and was expecially showed his abilities in local hill climbs.
Son of a farmer, Helmer Carlsson was born in Sunnerskog, Alseda near Vetlanda in SE Sweden.
In the late 30 he changed his name to Alsed. Technical minded, Helmer started working in his
brother Bertil's workshop at an age of 15. Later Bertil represented FIAT in Sweden.
After moving to Västerås in 1927, Helmer started
racing in 1933 with a De Soto. DNF at the 1933 Swedish GP. Changed to Ford for 1934.
The same year the "Västerås Racer Kompani" was founded, a racing team with Bertil as organizer and
Helmer, theWesterblom brothers and
Karl Rolander as drivers . The team raced Amilcar, Ford and Anzani.
In 1935 a ex-Björnstad Bugatti T35C was added to the car park and in 1936 also Widengren's monoposto Monza.
After having decided to get married Helmer retired from GP racing after the 1938 season
but continued rallying and hill climbing. Raced a Fiat 508c after the war
before definitely retiring in the late 40s.
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| (Info supplied by Bengt Alsed) |
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1933: DNF Swedish Summer GP
1934: 2 Freden (Ice race) /
4 Vallentuna (Ice race)
1935: 4 Lindöloppet (Ice race) /
5 Vallentuna (Ice race) /
3 Hörken (Ice race) /
5 Finnish GP
1936: 2 Hedemoraloppet (Ice race) /
2 Långforssjön (Ice race) /
2 Hörken (Ice race) /
DNA Swedish Winter GP (Ice race) /
2 Norwegian GP (Ice race)
1937: 7 Flaten (Ice race) /
4 Finnish GP
|
|---|
|
|
Giacomo Carpegna (I) |
|
Carpegna hailed from Monta` d'Alba, in the province of Cuneo, at the centre of the wine district and of the production of the precious white truffles. He was a licenced racing driver from
1930 to 1935. He drove a Maserati tipo 26C from 1932 to 1933 (which had formerly belonged to Riccardo Galeazzi) with modest success. That car was rebored to 1500cc for the 1933 season. Carpegna
was inactive during 1934, then borrowed Farina's 4CM 1521, for his last race at Turin in 1935.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1935: 5 (heat) Turin GP
|
|---|
|
|
Noel Arthur Horne Carr (GB) |
|
* 29 Dec 1904
† 11 Jul 1978 |
Hampton in Arden, Warwickshire
Bulle, Switzerland |
|---|
|
|
| (Info supplied by Adam Ferrington) |
|---|
| | | |
1933: DNS Donington Park Trophy
|
|---|
|
|
Guglielmo "William" Carraroli (I) |
|
* 1895
† 16 Jul 1960 |
?
Torino |
|---|
|
Carraroli was a personal friend of Enzo Ferrari, who had met during Enzo's stay in Turin after the First World War, a sad and difficult period for Enzo, and one of the first drivers oF
Scuderia Ferrari. Carraroli drove with Ferrari as a mechanic in the Type IM Isotta-Fraschini in 1920. He raced for the Scuderia from 1930 to 1934, mainly in Italian sports car races.
He parted company with Ferrari after Carlo Felice Trossi resigned as president of the team in early 1935. After the Second World War, he also became a key intermediary between French
and Italian constructors, team owners and racing drivers.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1929: DNA Alessandria GP /
14 Mugello Circuit (2000cc) /
DNA Coppa Ciano
1931: 10 Coppa Ciano
1933: 3 Targa Florio /
DNA Coppa Acerbo
1934: 11 Tripoli GP /
DNF Targa Florio
1935: 9 Tripoli GP /
DNS Marne GP
1936: DNF Tripoli GP /
5 Lucca (Voiturette)
1937: DNF Eifel GP
|
|---|
|
Carré - SEE: "Renaldi"
René Auguste Joseph Carrière (F) |
|
* 10 Mar 1911
† 22 Mar 1982 |
Marseille
Marseille |
|---|
|
René Carrière started off as rally driver with some good results including 6th in the 1936 Monte Carlo Rally in a
Matford (Ford V8 built in France by Emile Mathis). In 1934 he was 12th and 1935 7th at Le Mans 24 h with a Riley. In 1936 he started driving for the works
Delahaye team of Lucy O´Reilly-Schell. He drove two years for the team, with some 3rd and 4th places
in sportscar events but without the big success in major events. So at the end of
1937 the support of Lucy O´Reilly-Schell stopped, and Carrière instead became
works Talbot Darracq driver in 1938-39. The results were disappointing, and so he finished his career.
|
| | | |
1936: 8* Donington GP
1938: 4 French GP
1939: DNF Pau GP /
4 Coupe de Paris /
DNS Eifel GP
|
|---|
|
|
Rodolfo "Fofò" Caruso (I) |
|
* 2 Jul 1898
† 6 Mar 1951 |
Milano (Milan)
? |
|---|
|
Rodolfo was the son of the famous singer Enrico Caruso and of the soprano Ada Giachetti. He spent his school years in boarding school in Florence then lived in Villa Bellosguardo at Ponte a Signa, in the province of
Florence, bought by his father in 1906 and inherited after his death in 1921,today the seat of the Caruso Foundation. He enlisted in the Elite Bersaglieri corps in 1917 against his father’s wishes. There is
little biographical information about him after WWI except for his activity as a good although intermittent racing driver. He had debuted at the wheel of a Chiribiri in 1924 and drove the Scuderia Materassi
Chrysler in 1928/30. He raced the Mille Miglia with excellent partners such as Materassi (1928 Chrysler), Benini (1929 in Benini’s Alfa Romeo 6C-1750) and Pintacuda (works OM in 1930). He was placed second
in the important 1928 Circuito di Caserta with the Chrysler and won the 1500 class of the grueling Giro d'Italia in 1935, with Mimmo Dei in a Lancia Augusta, his last race.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNA Targa Florio
1928: DNF Mugello Circuit
1929: 17 Mugello Circuit (2000cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Alfredo Casali (I) |
|
Solicitor from Altopascio near Lucca. Drove a Fiat 509S in two Mille Miglias, 1929 and 1930.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1931: DNF Coppa Ciano (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Alfredo Casalini (I) |
|
Casalini was an engineer. Raced an Alfa Romeo ES in 1922/23.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1922: 12 Mugello Circuit
|
|---|
|
|
Umberto Casareto (I) |
|
A sporadic racer among the myriad amateur racing drivers from Genova active between the 1920’s and the 1950’s. Casareto’s debut in racing was with the demanding 26M Maserati (Alessandria 1934). He
later won the 1500 event in the 1946 Circuito della Superba (Genova) with the Lancia Aprilia Touring spider ex-Minetti. He was last seen in 1949 at the Circuito della Foce also at Genova, in a Lancia Aprilia saloon.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1934: 8 (heat) Bordino GP /
DNF (heat) Biella GP /
DNA Modena GP
|
|---|
|
|
Henrique Severiano Casini (BR) |
|
* 8 Nov 1898
† 25 Jan 1981 |
Mariana, Minas Gerais
Rio de Janeiro |
|---|
|
Casini was born in Brazil, of Italian parents. He started work as a machinist, but soon moved to Rio de Janeiro where, in due course, he became a manufacturer of rubber parts, which were sold through a chain of stores
that he also owned. Casini raced almost exclusively at the Rio Grand Prix prewar, but after he was to buy Landi’s famous Alfa Romeo 308 in late 1948. He drove Ferrari sports cars during the second half of the 1950s,
which was his most successful period of racing. He switched to Maserati sportscars in 1958 and his last drive was at the Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix in 1960 driving a Maserati 450S. Casini is the winner of two Brazilian
Formule Libre races and of eight national sports cars races.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1934: 13 Rio de Janeiro GP
1935: DNF Rio de Janeiro GP
1936: DNF Rio de Janeiro GP
1941: DNF Rio de Janeiro GP
|
|---|
|
|
Adolfo Caspani (I) |
|
From Como. Seen in only two races, both in 1937: the Mille Miglia in a Fiat 508 Balilla, and at Campione possibly in a Maserati voiturette or in the Balilla
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1937: DNF (heat) Campione D'Italia (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Luigi "Gino" Cassone (I) |
|
* 1893
† 19 Jun 1941 |
?
East African Front |
|---|
|
Mechanic from Casale Monferrato. Fascist Black Shirt. Motorcycle racer with a Triumph. Moved to East Africa in the 1930s. Raced only three times in the nearby Circuito di Alessandria with a Fiat 509S.
In 1927 he was twice third in the 1100cc class at the Circuito and at the accompanying Touring car race, while in 1931 he did not finish.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1927: 3c/7 Alessandria GP (1100cc)
1931: DNF Alessandria GP (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
Carlo Castelbarco (I) |
|
* 25 Mar 1911
† 14 May 1988 |
Milano (Milan)
Milano (Milan) |
|---|
|
Carlo was born into the very large ancient noble family of Castelbarco, the brother of Luigi also a racing driver, and the son of Count Emanuele and Lina Erba. Carlo, like his brother, began racing at a very young age,
at the 1932 Mille Miglia, co-driving Achille Varzi’s T55 works Bugatti, a remarkable debut, even if the car was unsuitable for that race and soon retired. In 1933, he bought new from the factory an 8C-2300 Alfa Romeo
Monza, c/n 2211112, finishing second to Nuvolari in the Mille Miglia as co-driver to Franco Cortese. Carlo Castelbarco had a good 1933 season with the Alfa Monza, achieving several promising results and a victory in
the Colli Torinesi hillclimb, until the fateful 10th September 1933 at Monza. He placed a good sixth in the Italian Grand Prix in the morning, then started in the afternoon in the Monza Grand Prix in the same heat as
Campari and Borzacchini. He was following the two Italian aces at a distance of a couple of hundred metres, when he saw their two cars airborne, flying over the edge of the banked curve. Castelbarco braked hard, lost
control and his car spun, also going over the edge of the banking. He was found unconscious, but miraculously unhurt. Unsurprisingly, Carlo Castelbarco did not race much after this incident. Postwar he drove in three
Mille Miglia, 1951 (Lancia Aurelia), 1953 (Italfrance Panhard) and 1955 (Fiat 8V Zagato) when he achieved the same result (13th) as he had in the Mille Miglia of 1938 (Scuderia Ambrosiana Alfa Romeo 6C-2300 with
Rudi Haller). After his retirement in the 1953 event, he and his co-driver were stranded in a particularly isolated spot in the Apennines and they had great difficulty in finding someone who could come to their rescue.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1933: 8 Bordino GP /
6 Italian GP /
DNF (heat) Monza GP
|
|---|
|
Luigi Pindemonte Rezzonico, Conte di Castelbarco (I) |
|
* 5 Apr 1909
† 2 Feb 1994 |
Milano (Milan)
Milano (Milan) |
|---|
|
Son of Emanuele Castelbarco and brother of Carlo, also a racing driver, Luigi Castelbarco's racing career as an independent driver lasted from 1928 to 1939 with a recess in 1936, owing to his service duties in
the army overseas. He owned and raced a string of different interesting racing cars: T44 Bugatti, C6 Amilcar, 665 s/c OM, Tipo 26M Maserati (c/n 2511), T39A Bugatti (c/n 4894), T43 Bugatti, various 4C Maseratis,
Alfa Romeo Monza, Fiat 1100 and Lancia Aprilia sport. After 1935 he mainly was a builder of specials, two with Maserati engines and one based on a 1927 Talbot Grand Prix car. Luigi teamed with Johnny Lurani in a
loose way, to rationalize logistics and sponsorship. They also bought two small vans, something never seen before for independent drivers in Italy.
The partnership was dissolved in 1935 as Castelbarco wanted to develop his Maserati with independent front suspension and could not afford a definite programme for the season. Usually racing with a busy schedule,
it seems that he somewhat lost interest after his return from military service in 1937 and also the quality of his cars reduced, with the unsuccessful specials and a few rented drives. Post war, Castelbarco became
one of the pioneers of historic car collecting in Italy, an activity which developed in Italy somewhat later than in other countries.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1929: DNF Tripoli GP (1100cc) /
1 Alessandria GP (1100cc) /
DNA Coppa Ciano /
DNA Monza GP (Voiturette)
1930: DNF Alessandria (1100cc)
1931: DNF Tunis GP (Voiturette) /
4 Alessandria GP /
DNS Italian GP /
3 (heat)/DNC Rome GP (2000cc) /
9 Coppa Ciano /
9 (heat) Monza GP
1932: 3 Tunis GP (Voiturette) /
7 Rome GP /
DNF Italian GP /
10 Coppa Ciano
1933: 10 Tripoli GP
1934: 3 AVUS (Voiturette) /
1 Eifel (Voiturette) /
6 Swiss GP (Voiturette) /
5 (heat) Biella GP
1935: 7 (heat) Biella GP /
8 Eifel (Voiturette) /
DNF Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette)
1937: DNA Napels (Voiturette) /
DNF Tripoli GP /
DNF AVUS (Voiturette) /
DNA Florence GP (Voiturette) /
DNF Milan (Voiturette) /
10 (heat) Swiss GP (Voiturette)
1938: DNF Varese (Voiturette) /
DNF Swiss GP (Voiturette) /
7 Milan (Voiturette)
1939: 10 Tripoli (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Félix Jules Emile Castellan (F) |
|
* 29 Jul 1901
† 25 Mar 1926 |
Aubagne, Bouches-du-Rhôn
Istres, Bouches-du-Rhône |
|---|
|
From Marseille. Killed at the Miramas track practicing for the 1926 Provence Grand Prix. He was driving a 3.5-liter 6-cyl. Panhard Levassor and collided with another car which
was also practicing. Castellan was ejected from his car and transported to hospital with a caved in chest, where he soon died.
|
| | | |
1926: DNS Provence GP
|
|---|
|
|
Gaetano Castellano di Paternò (I) |
|
From Mestre (Venice). Alfa Romeo sportscar driver 1933-1938.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
|
|---|
|
di Castro - SEE: Di Castro
|
Luigi Catalani (I) |
|
From Trieste. 6C-Alfa Romeo sportscar driver 1930-1934. A.C. Trieste Champion 1930.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1930: DNF Coppa Acerbo
1931: DNF Coppa Ciano
|
|---|
|
Joseph (Giuseppe) "Papa" Cattaneo (I/F) |
|
* 5 Aug 1888
† 25 Apr 1973 |
Milano, Lombardia, Italy
La Celle-Saint-Cloud, Yvelines, France |
|---|
|
Italian born engineer with French nationality. He effectively owned since the
late twenties and in partnership with someone
called Duval a very reputed garage in Saint-Cloud, a rich Paris suburb.
He was specialized in luxury cars, before the war: Bugatti (he was the agent),
Hispano-Suiza, Alfa-Romeo, Bentley and Stutz and after the war Ferrari. He
had a personnal relationship whith Enzo Ferrari since the Alfa days
and close friend of Luigi Chinetti. He maintained
the Ferraris for people like Prince Bertil of Sweden, Prince Ali Khan, Roberto
Rossellini, Porfirio Rubirosa etc. He also tuned racing Ferraris for top French drivers and the
garage whas the operating base of Chinetti's NART when racing in Europe.
Gordini spent a few years as employee when he arrived in
France (in fact was forced to stay for debt)
"Papa" Cattaneo actively raced before the war. He was co-driver for Edouard Brisson in a Stutz at Le Mans 1931 and 1932 and
with Nicholas of Romania in a Dusenberg in 1933 but apart from that he mostly raced Bugatti.
Cattaneo's Bugatti T51 was given to him by Ettore
himself as a gift when he came to Molsheim to take delivery of Esder's
Royale. Bugatti took Cattaneo to the racing department and offered him one
of the factory cars with a Targa Florio pedigree. Talk about souvenir!!
Cattaneo stopped racing when he had a awful crash at the Nancy hillclimb in Château-Thierry in
1935 with his T51 when a fence broke and five childeren and an adult where killed.
"Papa" Cattaneo died in the 1960s and his garage was bought by Pozzi, the French Ferrari importer.
Not to be confused with a driver named Guido Cattaneo,
Italian top class motorboat racer from the Isotta Fraschini Cattaneo family.
Drove a Talbot in the 1937 Mille Miglia.
|
| (Info supplied by Jean Cavaud / Alessandro Silva / Stephen Dean / André Reine) |
|---|
| | | |
1931: DNA French GP
1932: 1 Circuit de l'Aisne (sports 3000cc) /
3 Torvilliers Circuit /
3 Picardie GP
1933: 12 Dieppe GP /
4 GP de l´U.M.F.
1934: DNF Picardie (Voiturette) /
DNA Dieppe GP /
7 Albi GP /
4 GP de l´U.M.F.
|
|---|
|
Pietro Cattaneo (I) |
|
A banker in Milan, hailed from the district between the provinces of Genoa and Alessandria. He gave different addresses almost every year on his racing licences, in Milan 1925/26; in Voltaggio provinc
of Alessandria in 1927; in Novi Ligure province of Alessandria in 1928/29. He was very active from 1922 to 1929. A wealthy man and a very good racer, he started with Ceirano cars and continued with this
make until 1927 also as a works driver. He obtained two important overall victories: the Coupe des Alpes in 1922 and the Premio Romano del Turismo in 1926. After Ceirano closed down, Cattaneo purchased an
Amilcar C6 with which he raced in the competitive 1100 class in Italy in 1928/29.
Being a true giant, how he managed to squeeze behind the wheel of the Amilcar is not clear. He disappeared from racing after 1929, but he is found as one of the promoters of the Gruppo Genovese San Giorgio, the
Genoa-based racing stable active in international Grand Prix racing in 1934/35, but he never raced again.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1922: DNF Targa Florio (3000cc) /
7 Mugello Circuit /
DNF Autumn GP (3000cc)
1925: DNA Coppa Acerbo /
4 Garda Circuit (1100cc)
1926: DNA Coppa Montenero (1500cc) /
DNC Garda Circuit (1500cc)
1928: 5 Pozzo Circuit /
11 Alessandria GP /
10 Mugello Circuit /
DNA Cremona Circuit /
DNA Coppa Montenero
1929: DNF Alessandria GP (1100cc) /
DNF Pozzo Circuit (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Cavallero ( ) |
|
Name not found in official lists of licenses of Italian racing drivers.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1933: DNA Bordino GP
|
|---|
|
|
Virgilio Cavanna (I) |
|
Owner of a large hauling business in Genoa. Drove a Sénèchal, a very rare car in Italy.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1927: DNF Alessandria GP (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Giovanni Caviglia (I) |
|
From Alessandria. Drove in the 1100 class in three editions, 1927, 1928 and 1930, of his local race, the Circuito Bordino,
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1928: DNC Alessandria GP
1930: ? Alessandria GP
|
|---|
|
Michel Robert Cazaux (F) |
|
* 31 Jan 1906
† 16 Jun 1935 |
Biarritz, Basses-Pyrénée
Sézanne, Marne |
|---|
|
Bugatti driver. Winner of the 1935 Circuit de Orleans that was interruped when a Bugatti crashed into the crowd. Three weeks later, Cazaux won the Course de Côte de Sézanne hillclimb with his Bugatti T51.
While doing a "climb of honor" he overturned and fell out of the car, receiving fatal injuries.
|
| (Info supplied by André Reine & Simon Davis) |
|---|
| | | |
1934 : DSQ (heat) Dieppe GP /
DNA Albi GP
1935: 6 Pau GP /
1 Orleans GP
|
|---|
|
|
Guido Cesare Cecchi (I) |
|
From Prato, then in the province of Florence, Cecchi was very active in racing in Tuscany from 1921 to 1923 driving Fiat 501 and Fiat 501S. A fast amateur driver, he was narrowly beaten
by Lotti at the Montenero Circuit in 1921 for the overall victory, a race in which he severely outdistanced the very fast Marconcini to win the 1500 class. A serious road accident on
8 June 1923, on his way back from a test on the Mugello circuit, resulted in the death of Alberto Tarchi, Fiat's Agency foreman in Florence, his passenger, when he ran off the road,
apparently due to a steering failure. The newspapers reported that Cecchi had arrived dying at the hospital. No further news about his condition could be found and in any case Cecchi's
name was no longer to appear in racing entry lists after that date.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1921: 1 (2) Coppa Montenero (1500cc)
1922: 15 Mugello Circuit /
3 Coppa Montenero
1923: DNA Mugello Circuit (1500cc) /
3 (9) Coppa Montenero (1500cc)
|
|---|
|
Raffaele "Lello" Cecchini (I) |
|
* 14 Oct 1903
† 29 May 1988 |
Rome
Rome |
|---|
|
Owner of a Pharmacy in Rome, Cecchini held a University degree in Pharmacy and was an enthusiastic and fast amateur driver. In 1930 and 1931 he raced with the Alfa Romeo 6C-1750 GT
with serial chassis & engine n. 0312961, road registered Roma-23062. In 1932 he designed and the Giannini Brothers workshop in Rome built an aerodynamic Berlinetta on a
Fiat 508 Balilla chassis which he raced in the 1100 racing car class during 1933. In 1934 he purchased a K3 Magnette rolling chassis (ch.n. K3019 – eng.n. 616 AK) road registered
Roma-40617 that he bodied as a monoposto. With it, Cecchini was a surprise Italian Voiturette Champion of 1934. Because of Cecchini’s victory the rules were changed so that only
drivers in Italian cars could get points in the Italian national championship.
In 1938 he fitted a Fiat 500 Topolino engine (bored down to 500cc) in the 1932 aerodynamic Balilla, breaking various international speed records per the class I (up to 500cc). In
1939 he designed another record car, "Il Moscerino" (The Mosquito) powered by a 350cc motorcycle engine and built by the Giannini workshop in which he broke more international speed
records, this time for the class K (up to 350cc).
Cecchini was also a keen racer of powerboats, becoming the Italian champion both for the outboard up to 500cc and up to 1000cc classes in 1932.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1929: DNF Pozzo Circuit (1100cc)
1933: 5 Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette 1100cc)
1934: DNA Bordino GP /
DNF Coppa Ciano (Voiturette 1100cc) /
2 Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette 1100cc) /
1 Modena GP (Voiturette 1100cc)
1935: DNA Coppa Ciano (1100c) /
DNA Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette) /
DNF Modena GP (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Ernesto Ceirano (I) |
|
* 1889
† 23 Nov 1956 |
Cuneo
Torino |
|---|
|
Ernesto Ceirano was born to the family of the foremost automobile pioneers in Italy, the brothers Giovanni Battista (b. 1860-d. 1912), Giovanni (b. 1865-d. 1948), Matteo (b 1870-d. 1941) and
Ernesto (b. 1873-d. 1953) Ceirano. Our Ernesto was Giovanni’s son; he also had been christened Giovanni, but was known as Ernesto, not to be confused with his father. That he could be
confused with his uncle does not seem to have much mattered. (Uncle Ernesto was in fact much more self-effaced than his flashy brothers). The Ceiranos, either individually, or associating
between brothers in various forms, founded no less than a dozen automobile factories in Turin between 1898 and 1914, amongst which Itala, SPA, SCAT and Ceirano of various denominations
that became universally known. Our Ernesto had joined SCAT at the age of 17, soon becoming a test driver and soon afterwards, very young not only by the standards of the time, a factory
driver. While the Ernesto Ceirano seen at the wheel of Rapid and SPA cars in 1907 might have been his uncle, our Ernesto Ceirano undoubtedly was at the start in the SCAT car of the Mile
Record at Modena in 1908.
He won the 1911 Targa Florio on the Grandi Madonie circuit. On the same circuit he would place second only to Nazzaro in the 1914 Coppa Florio, after winning his second Targa held a
week earlier on the Giro di Sicilia. A victory at the Parma-Poggio di Berceto would seal a season that had seen him become the most successful Italian driver. After the war, he returned
to his father's side in the technical management of the company that had become Ceirano Automobili, resuming his sporting career in 1921/22 and briefly in 1926 after the re-acquisition
of SCAT. In 1922 he won the Circuito Sardo and was first in class at the Susa-Moncenisio in the CS2H model. SCAT/Ceirano began producing in 1925 the Ceirano S150 model, an agile 1.5-litre
torpedo. It was an excellent car that dominated the 1.5-litre sports and touring cars class before the arrival of the 6C-Alfa Romeo in 1927/28. Ernesto retired completely from motor racing
after 1926. SCAT/Ceirano was absorbed by Fiat in 1931, so Ernesto went to work with a land reclamation company for a long time.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1921: 4 (10) Targa Florio (3000cc) /
1 (6) Mugello Circuit (3000cc) /
DNF GP Gentlemen
1922: 4 (18) Targa Florio (3000cc) /
11 Mugello Circuit /
DNF Autumn GP (3000cc)
1923: DNA Cremona Circuit
|
|---|
|
Jean Célerier (F) |
|
The son of wealthy parents, who owned the chocolate breakfast drink manufacturer, Phoscao. He financed the development of the Buc B6 racing car.
|
| (Info supplied by Simon Davis) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNF Ouverture GP
1932: ? La Baule GP /
DNA Antibes GP
|
|---|
|
(Domenico Cerami) Domenico "Mimi" Rosso "Prince of Cerami" (I) |
|
* 18 Mar 1907
† 9 Dec 1972 |
Taormina,
Roma |
|---|
|
Domenico Rosso was the 12th prince of Cerami, a title dating from the XVII century, and a descendant of the Hauteville family that had risen to prominence because of their commanding position
in the Norman conquest of Southern Italy in the XI century. Domenico was the only direct descendant of the Ceramis, and the only heir to the wealth of their family. Their palace in Catania
was considered the most beautiful in the city and it today hosts the Law School of the University of Catania. Quite when Domenico began to squander his patrimony is unclear, but, judging
from the fact that some of his racing cars were purchased by his lady friends, it must have been quite early. Cerami essentially drove three different Maseratis between 1930 to 1932,
interspersed with the odd Maserati Factory drive in other cars, obtaining a few class wins with his second car, the tipo 26B MM serial 34, but always showing exceptional bursts of speed.
With his third Maserati, the 4CM 1116, Cerami graduated to Factory driver and won the Italian Championship for the 1100cc racing car class in 1932, in spite of abruptly disappearing from
the racing scene in the month of August of that year. Unfortunately, Cerami was not supported by adequate determination and ambition and did not believe to be ready to take up the
obligations and discipline required by the choice of becoming a professional racing driver.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva and Simon Davis) |
|---|
| | | |
1928: 10 Coppa Etna
1930: 3Tripoli (Voiturette) /
DNA Targa Florio
1931: DNC Alessandria GP /
5 Rome GP /
DNF Coppa Ciano /
DNA Coppa Acerbo /
10 (heat) Monza GP
1932: DNF (heat) Rome GP (2000cc) /
DNA German GP (Voiturette) /
1 Coppa Ciano (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Ferruccio Cercignani (I) |
|
* 23 Jul 1883
† 29 Jun 1924 |
Napoli (Naples)
San Giovanni Valdarno |
|---|
|
Aviator. Wanderer Agent for Tuscany, Umbria and Marche, in Via Giambologna, 4 - Florence. He died at the velodrome in San Giovanni Valdarno. Having to take part in a car gymkhana
organized there, he had lingered to inspect the course and was run over by the first competitor. He had achieved considerable success with Wanderer cars, especially with the
litre-and-a-half type Targa Florio.
|
| (Info supplied by Reinhard Windeler & Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1921: 2 (7) Mugello Circuit (2000cc) /
DNF Coppa Montenero (1500cc)
1922: DNF Targa Florio (1500cc) /
18 Mugello Circuit /
1 (5) Coppa Montenero (1350cc)
1923: 1 (8) Mugello Circuit (1350cc) /
4 (5) Coppa Montenero
|
|---|
|
|
Alfredo "Dilly" Cereseto (I) |
|
From Genoa (Genova) raced intermittently from 1923 to 1949 with various cars, mainly in 1926/28 with a "Brescia" then a Grand Prix Bugattis and in 1938/49 with Lancia Aprilia and Ardea, but also with Diatto, Amilcar, 6C Alfa Romeo and Fiat.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1926: 2 Ligure-Piemontese Circuit (1500cc)
1928: DNF Antibes GP /
DNF Alessandria GP
|
|---|
|
|
Maggiorino "Rino" Cervi (I) |
|
* 1890
† Aug 1973 |
?
Palazzolo, Casale Monferrato |
|---|
|
Distinguished motorcycle racer in the early 1920s riding a Garelli, was a pioneer of historic motorcycles in the 1950s and 1960s.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNF Alessandria GP (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Gino Cesarini (I) |
|
From Catania.
|
| | | |
1928: 13 Coppa Etna
|
|---|
|
Anselmo Cesaroni (I) |
|
* 16 Nov 1885
† 4 Jun 1977 |
S. Feliciano, Perugia
Perugia |
|---|
|
Land owner of San Feliciano on Lake Trasimeno near Perugia. Cesaroni was a flying pioneer (licence from 1911) who had a seaplane base set up in the bay of San Feliciano, which was inaugurated
on 6 March 1914 and an airfield in Castiglion del Lago. The ‘War School for seaplane pilots’, desired by Cesaroni and of which he was the first instructor, was founded in 1917 in nearby
Passignano. Owned and raced the 1914 Lyon Mercedes ex-Masetti and a Steyr Klausen Typ II, before moving to Kenya in the late 1920s.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1924: 3 Mugello Circuit
1925: DNF Rome GP /
3 Coppa Perugina /
DNF Mugello Circuit
|
|---|
|
Roger Jules Emile Césure (F) |
|
* 17 Sep 1905
† ca 1963 |
?
? |
|---|
|
From Paris. He had been a pre-war independent Bugatti driver and became one of the many builders of SIMCA
8 Spl. He was assistant treasurer of AGACI in 1946/47.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1934: ? GP de l´U.M.F.
1935: 5 Orleans (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
Eugène Marius Chaboud (F) |
|
* 12 Apr 1907
† 28 Dec 1983
|
Lyon
Montfermeil |
|---|
|
Chaboud started racing in 1936 with his friend Jean Trémoulet driving Delahayes. They were the winners of the 1938 Le Mans 24h race.
Chaboud also started at the French GP 1938 with the infamous SEFAC. After the war he continued recing Delahayes and Talbots
for Ecurie France in 1947, winning at Marseilles and Perpignan. In 1948 he created Ecurie Leutitia, still racing Delahayes.
He took part in the 1950 Belgian GP in a Lago-Talbot and then took over Étancelin's Talbot -Lago at the French GP finishing 5th to score a single
World Championship point for a shared result. he also took part in the 1951 French Grand Prix. Chaboud retired in 1952 after a crash at Le Mans.
|
| | | |
1938: 1* Le Mans 24h (sports car) /
DNF French GP
1939: DNF Pau GP /
12 Coupe de Paris
|
|---|
|
Comte Gaston Irénée Marie Hervé Chandon de Briailles (F) |
|
* 1 Sep 1900
† 1 Aug 1954 |
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Paris |
|---|
|
Of the Moët and Chandon champagne family. Started racing in 1924. Bought a Bugatti T35 (#4448) in January 1926.
Winner of the 1926 Château Thierry hillclimb, Reims (flying km), and Toul (Namcy).
Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur.
|
| (Info supplied by Marc Ceulemans) |
|---|
| | | |
1928: DNF Marne GP
|
|---|
|
|
Frédéric Charles Joseph François "Freddy" Charlier (B) |
|
* 24 Jun 1890
† 7 Jul 1929 |
Bruxelles
Spa-Francorchamps |
|---|
|
Belgian driver. Crashed fatally at Stavelot during the 1929 Spa-Francorchamps 24h sports car race.
|
| | | |
1929: 3 Frontieres GP (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
Jean Chassagne (F) |
|
* 26 Jul 1881
† 13 Apr 1947 |
La Croisille sur Briance, Haute-Vienne
La Croisille sur Briance, Haute-Vienne |
|---|
|
Pioneer submariner, aviator and French racecar driver. Finished third in the 1913 French Grand Prix in a Sunbeam.
Took part in the 1914, 1919-1921 Indy 500. Took part in the 1925-30 Le mans 24h races finishing 2nd in the 1925.
Winner of the 1922 Tourist Trophy.
|
| | | |
1921: DNF French GP /
2 Italian GP
1922: DNF French GP /
DNA Italian GP /
DNC Coppa Florio
1924: 7 European GP /
6 San Sebastian GP
1926: DNF German GP (1500cc)
1929: DNF French GP
|
|---|
|
|
Ermanno Checcacci ( ) |
|
Not in the official list of licensed Italian racing drivers.
|
| | | |
1929: DNS Coppa Ciano
|
|---|
|
|
Nicola Cherubini (I) |
|
* 25 Aug 1907
† 5 Oct 1970 |
Rossano Calabro
Roma |
|---|
|
Baron Cherubini came from Rossano Calabro in the province of Cosenza. He briefly raced in 1930/35, but was more active post-WWII when he raced Fiat, Fiat-Stanguellini sports cars and finally a 166 Ferrari
from 1946 to 1952. The most successful of his cars, various Fiat-Stanguellini 1100 and 1500 were race-prepared by famous mechanic Sabatino Paganelli from Naples.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1935: 6 (heat) Cosenza GP
|
|---|
|
Francis Henry Alexander Du Plessis "Steve" Chiappini (ZA) |
|
* 7 Nov 1909
† 1976
|
Wynberg, Cape Town
Cape Province |
|---|
|
Chiappini was a consistent performer in South African sand races, trails and hill climbs.
While visiting England in 1937 he became good friend with Pat Fairfield and Cyril Paul and also got to know Piero Taruffi.
During the 1937-38 South African international race series Taruffi would drive Chiappini around the Pollsmoor Cape Town and East London circuits in a Lancia,
recommending cut-off points and racing lines.
While in England Chiappini also bought an Maserati, probably Tipo 26 Sport #2516 Registation ELM 510. The engine had been enlaged by Dickie Oates to over 2.8 litre and Oates
had raced the car at Brooklands in 1936 before selling it as an "ex-Eyston/Cumming" car. Before delivery the chassis was shorten by some 150mm to match the length of a
a Maserati 8C. The four seater body was replaced by modern sleeky single-seater body designed by Bertelli. Chiappini raced the car in England and later in
South Africa. After a major engine failure the straight-8 cylinder was replaced by a Chevrolet engine while the original engine was sold to to a gentlemen who
planned to repair it for use in a motor boat.
Chiappini then drove Maserati Tipo 26 #2516 to finish third in the South African
Grand Prix at East London and also competed with it in Cape Trials and hill-climbs, winning several Cape Town and national events. In a letter to
Ken Stewart in 1964 Chiappini wrote: "The Big Mas was a very difficult car to handle, the road-holding was really tricky. It was a car which went
magnificently".
After the war Chiappini was actively involved in motor racing administration, apart from running a garage in Cape Town.
|
| (If anyone has further/more accurate information, please contact Charles Chiappini who is trying to gather more info on his father.) |
|---|
| | | |
1937: 3 South African GP (handicap) /
DNA JCC 200 GP
1939: 8 South African GP (Voiturette) /
3 Grosvenor (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Vittorio Chierici (I) |
|
From Quistello in the province of Mantova, but a member of the Automobile Club Parma of which he won the Club Championship in 1929.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1929: DNF Pozzo Circuit /
DNA Cremona Circuit (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
Chiesa - SEE: Della Chiesa
Luigi Chinetti (I/USA) |
|
* 17 Jul 1901
† 17 Aug 1994 |
Milan
Greenwich, Connecticut, USA |
|---|
|
Chinetti started to work as a mechanic for Alfa Romeo in 1917. With the rise of fascism in Italy,
Chinetti moved to France, where he became Alfa Romeo salesman in Paris and sports car driver,
He won the Le Mans both in 1932 and 1934. Chinetti had also a eye for new driving talents and helped Moll to find his way
to the Ferrari team. He became involved with the Schell's, ending up as team manager for Ecurie Bleue. Chinetti went with Dreyfus to USA
for the 1940 Indy 500 and remained in USA during the war, working under Italian Alfred Momo. /
In 1946 Chinetti went back to Italy and
with his French and American connections became salesman for the first Ferrari cars in 1948. In 1949 he won at Le Mans
24 h race for the third time and Spa 24 h race for the second time, making Ferrari famous as sports cars builders.
After Chinetti ended his career as driver in the 50s he formed the North American Racing team. The team won Le Mans in
1965 amd was also involved in F1 representing Ferrari in a few races. Chinetti's hunt for driving talents continued,
and he helped among others Phil Hill, Ginther, Gurney and Pedro & Ricardo Rodriguez with their careers.
|
| (Info supplied by Hugh Calibani) |
|---|
| | | |
1932: 1* Le Mans 24h (sports car)
1934: DNA Picardie GP /
1* Le Mans 24 H (sports car)
1939: 8 French GP /
DNA Swiss GP
|
|---|
|
Mario Pedro Chiozza (RA) |
|
* 29 Aug 1907
† ? |
Lomas de Zamora, Buenos Aires
? |
|---|
|
Mario Chiozza was born to a family owning a paper mill. Very much outdoor-oriented and with the passion of mechanics he built with his brothers a 4WD Ford engined car
for hunting and cross-country trips. Later he built two twin-engined racing cars, the first with Ford engines at the front, the second in 1939/40 with two Mercury engines,
one at the front and one at the rear. The driver sat between them on top of a cleverly devised gearbox. The interesting Chiozza-Mercury Bimotor raced until 1959 in the
Mecanica Nacional class.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1941: 3 Buenos Aires GP
|
|---|
|
Amedeo Chiribiri - SEE: "Deo"
Thomas Pitt Cholmondeley-Tapper (NZ/GB) |
|
* 31 Jul 1910
† 27 Jul 2001
|
Wellington, New Zealand
Headington, Oxfordshire |
|---|
|
Thomas Tapper was known as "George". He raced under the name Cholmondeley-Tapper but probably did not formally change his name to that until having stopped racing.
He was from New Zealand with Norwegian
ancestry. An expert skier and amateur driver racing Voiturette Bugattis and an old GP Maserati 8CM he had bought from Earl Howe.
Racing partner to Eileen Ellison. In they 1935 toured through Europe with a Bugatti T40 trailing a T37A (#37332). The T37A was raced alternating by Eileen or Thomas.
With a better car Cholmondeley-Tapper could perhaps have been a top competitor.
It has been claimed that he was offered a Mercedes-Benz test drive at the end of the 1936 season.
|
| (Info supplied by Mrs. Margaret Cholmondeley-Tapper via Wolfgang Kaese and by Michael Müller) |
|---|
| | | |
1934: 8 Swiss GP (Voiturette)
1935: DNF Frontières GP /
DNF Eifel (Voiturette) /
11 Lorraine GP /
2 Lorraine (Voiturette) /
10 Swiss GP (Voiturette) /
DNA Czech GP (Voiturette)
1936: DNS Deauville GP /
10 German GP /
4 JCC 200 /
DNF Donington GP /
4 Mountain
1937: DNA AVUS GP /
DNA Swiss GP (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
Max Ferdinand Christen (CH) |
|
* 26 Apr 1907
† 14 Jan 1958
|
Langnau, Canton Bern
? |
|---|
|
Private Maserati driver.
|
| (Info provided by Kevin Tjeerdsma) |
|---|
| | | |
1937: DNF Swiss GP
1938: 13 Swiss GP
1939: DNF Swiss GP
|
|---|
|
|
Maurizio Ciancherotti (I) |
|
Of Roman origin but Genoese by adoption, Ciancherotti's second place overall at the Pontedecimo-Giovi in 1924 at the wheel of an OM is worthy of note. Curious is
Ciancherotti's disqualification at the 1925 Premio Reale in Rome for "unsuitable behaviour at the start". What he had done is unfortunately unknown to us.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1924: DNA Mugello Circuit (1500cc)
1925: DSQ Rome GP (1500cc)
1926: ? Coppa del Marchese Ginori /
5 Coppa Montenero
|
|---|
|
|
Domenico Cicerano (I) |
|
From Catania.
|
| | | |
1928: 7 Coppa Etna
|
|---|
|
|
Giorgio Ciolino (I) |
|
* 8 Aug 1899
† 21 Oct 1983
|
Catania, Sicily
Catania, Sicily |
|---|
|
A mechanic from Catania, Ciolino was a carburettor tuner of renown in his hometown, with a large clientele ranging from taxi to racing drivers. In 1927 he built a Special,
dubbed San Giorgio, based on a lowered Fiat 509 chassis with cleverly modified suspension that allowed a camber variation of the wheels while taking curves. The
fine-tuned Fiat 509-derived engine had a special double-ignition cylinder head and the body was in aluminum panels. A good driver, Ciolino was very successful in
the main Sicilian races of 1927/28, often beating the "true" Fiat 509s, winning his class in the 1928 Coppa Etna and gaining the praise of nobody less than
Vincenzo Florio after an unlucky 1928 Targa.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1927: 2c/5 Coppa Messina (1100cc)
1928: DNF Targa Florio (1100cc) /
15 Coppa Messina /
12 Coppa Etna
|
|---|
|
|
Giuseppe Cioni (I) |
|
From Empoli, province of Firenze. Fiat 509 S driver in 1930/31. Resumed racing in 1947/49 with Fiat 500 and 1100 Specials. Beware of various coincidences of names with other drivers from the same region.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1931: 5 Coppa Ciano (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Guglielmo Ciuti (I) |
|
OM driver from Florence.
|
| | | |
1925: DNA Savio Circuit
|
|---|
|
Thomas Graves "Tommy" Clarke D.S.C. (GB) |
|
* 19 Aug 1911
† 14 Feb 1969 |
Allerton, Liverpool
Antigua |
|---|
|
|
| | | |
1936: 11* Donington GP
|
|---|
|
Pierre Clause (F) |
|
* 26 March 1902
† 4 Feb 1986 |
Wargnies-le-Grand
Monfermeil, Seine-Saint-Denis |
|---|
|
Worked for the French Bignan factory as their test-driver.
Listed Swiss in a German race because he was entered by some Swiss Bignan agent.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: 2 Taunus GP (2000cc)
1926: 2 German GP (2000cc) /
DNF Milan GP (2000cc)
1927: DNF Marne GP
1928: DNA Marne GP
|
|---|
|
|
Giuseppe Claves (I) |
|
Born to an affluent family of merchants from Messina, lived in Catania. Drove, with insignificant exceptions, a Lancia Lambda and two Bugattis, an old "Brescia" and
a new T35B in the main Sicilian races from 1928 to 1931. Ended his career at the 1932 Coppa Messina with a works OM
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNF Coppa Vinci (1500cc)
1927: DNF Coppa Messina (1500cc)
1928: 14 Coppa Messina /
DNA Coppa Etna
1930: DNA Targa Florio
|
|---|
|
|
Willi Cleer (D) |
|
* 21 Mar 1889
† 1955 |
Frankfurt
Frankfurt |
|---|
|
Willi Cleer ran a car dealership in Frankfurt am Main after the First World War. In the early 1920s he was a works driver for the Stöwer works in Stettin.
He was also successful in Alfa Romeo and drove a Bugatti T39 from 1927. After 1927 he drove a few reliability runs.
|
| (Info supplied by Hugo Boecker) |
|---|
| | | |
1926: 3 German GP
1927: 3c/5 Nürburgring Opening (1500cc)
|
|---|
|
Abele Clerici (I) |
|
* 28 Dec 1881
† 15 Feb 1952 |
Carate Urio, Como
Carate Urio, Como |
|---|
|
A fine technician and excellent pilot, he ran a mechanical workshop in Via Kramer in Milan. Highly praised at the time of his death, he was soon almost completely forgotten, but his role in Italian motor
sport after the First World War up until the early 1930s should be remembered and re-evaluated. In fact, his was a highly successful sporting history that began in 1919 and ended in 1933, making this
small-capacity specialist the most victorious of the Italian drivers of the 1920s. From 1924 to 1929, Clerici raced against Borzacchini, then Borzacchini and Fagioli together, then Fagioli and Biondetti,
driving Salmsons like them.
Subsequent events testifying to the quality of Clerici's opponents suggest that he was not interested in a career as a Grand Prix driver or that he was too old to undertake it
seriously. From 1907 to 1909, Clerici was managing director of the Wolsit company in Legnano, which assembled British Wolseley cars for the Italian market. He began his sporting career in his early forties,
in the post-war revival race, the Parma-Poggio di Berceto of 1919 with a Bugatti Type 25/26. He switched to Salmson in 1924, remaining unbeaten for over a year in the 1100 class, taking 13 consecutive
victories from 9 June 1924 in Cremona to 23 August 1925 at the Col di Nava where he also made the fastest time of the day. Finally, on 24 May 1925 , he met Borzacchini and Fagioli for the first time in
Perugia. The two future aces, driving similar cars, were beaten by 12 and 17 minutes respectively.
Seven victories followed in 1926, and two in each of the following three years marked by his reduced
racing activity. He graduated to Italian Champion of the 1100 class in 1930 with several victories and his last race was the Monte Ceneri hill climb in Switzerland in 1933. The driver was fast, decisive
and of controlled impetuosity, the man was friendly and enthusiastic. He took a particular interest in passing on his technical and sporting knowledge, through the Milan Automobile Club where he was an
advisor from 1949 to 1952. Very attached to his origins, he owned a hut on Monte di Carate high above Lake Como, and had built a curious three-wheeled vehicle, of which there is photographic evidence,
to use the steep mule track that led there.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1921: DNA Garda Circuit
1922: DNA Targa Florio /
DNF Mugello Circuit
1924: 4 Cremona Circuit (1100cc) /
1 Coppa Acerbo (1100cc) /
1 Garda Circuit (1100cc)
1925: 1 Rome GP (1100cc) /
1 Alessandria GP (1100cc) /
1 Savio Circuit (1100cc) /
1 Coppa Perugina (1100cc) /
1 Coppa Acerbo (1100cc) /
2 Garda Circuit (1100cc)
1926: 1 Alessandria GP (1100cc) /
1 Savio Circuit (1100cc) /
3 Coppa Perugina (1500cc) /
? Coppa del Marchese Ginori (1100cc) /
DNA Coppa Acerbo (1100cc) /
9 Milan GP (1100cc) /
DNF Garda Circuit (1500cc)
1927: 1c/4 Pozzo Circuit (1100cc) /
1c/4 Alessandria GP (1100cc) /
DNA Savio Circuit /
DNF Coppa Perugina (1100cc) /
DNA Coppa Montenero /
5 Milan GP
1928: 3 Pozzo Circuit /
11 Alessandria GP
1929: DNA Monza GP (Voiturette) /
DNF Cremona Circuit (1100cc)
1930: 1 Alessandria (1100cc) /
6 Monza (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Giacomo "Jack" Clerici (I) |
|
* 26 Mar 1914
† 18 Nov 2000 |
Genova
Genova |
|---|
|
Jack Clerici was an important businessman in the port of Genoa. From 1937 to 1992 he headed a company, founded by his father, consisting of a maritime transport business and of a large shipping agency
representing foreign ship owners. His involvement in motor sport was passing, as he only raced three times, during the years 1934 and 1935, twice with the Maserati 4CM 1122. He also briefly owned
the 2-litre 4CM Maserati 2011, but never raced it.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1935: DNF Bergamo GP /
7 (heat) Turin GP
|
|---|
|
Major Frederick Edward "Freddie" Clifford (GB) |
|
* 15 Jul 1906
† 19 Oct 1961 |
Ashe, Hampshire
Oxford |
|---|
|
|
| | | |
1934: 7 (heat) Dieppe GP
1935: 9 Dieppe GP
|
|---|
|
John Rhodes Cobb (GB) |
|
* 2 Dec 1899
† 29 Sep 1952 |
Beddington, Surrey
Loch Ness, Inverness-shire, Scotland |
|---|
|
Born in Surrey Cobb lived in his youth near the Brooklands Track getting fashinated in
fast and powerful cars. Educated at Eton and Trinity Cobb made his money as a fur broker. He won his first race in 1925 in an old 10 litre Fiat.
Next year he raced Parry Thomas' "Babs" in 1926. Cobbs was interested in speed records and in 1928 he bought a 10½ litre Delage racing it until
1933 bettering the Brooklands speed records on
three occations. While Cobb raced all kinds of cars including riley, Alfa Romeo and Talbot his most famous car was the big Napier Railton built for him by
Thomson & Taylor. In 1935 he sat the all time Brooklands record of 151.97 mph (24.51 km/h).
In 1938 Cobb went for the land speed record, taking it at Bonneville with the 26.9 litre Railton Mobil Special. He bettered the record in 1939 and again in
1947 becoming the first man to exceed 400 mph.
His next and last project was to challenge the water speed record. Cobb lost his life at Loch Ness in 1952 when his jet engined "Crusader" disintegrated.
|
| | | |
1932: 1 Empire Trophy
1933: DNA Empire Trophy
1935: 1* BRDC 500 Miles (Handicap)
1937: 1* BRDC 500 km (Handicap)
|
|---|
|
|
Vittorio Cobianchi (I) |
|
Metal industrialist from Omegna, province of Novara. Only raced a supercharged 6C1750 Alfa Romeo spider Zagato in the years 1931 and 1932 with an excellent 1932 season in the 2-litre sports car class
in international hillclimbing winning at the Gaisberg, placing second at the Kesselberg and Stelvio and third at the Klausen.
He had two brothers Giuseppe "Gino" and Vincenzo who raced very seldom, but should not be confused with him, as equally other name coincidences with Aldo Alberto Cobianchi, Ansaldo agent from Bologna,
and an Antonio Cobianchi from Florence, both also related to motor sport.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1931: DNF Monza GP (2000cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Carlo Cocchetti (I) |
|
From Foggia in the Puglia region went up North to race a couple of times and finally in the 1930 Mille Miglia, always driving Fiats.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1924: DNA Cremona Circuit (2000cc) /
DNF Garda Circuit (1500cc)
|
|---|
|
|
S. Coccia (I) |
|
Not in the list of Italian licensed racing drivers.
|
| | | |
1926: DNA Targa Florio
|
|---|
|
|
Gioacchino Cocuzza (I) |
|
Sicilian Bugatti driver from Acireale near Catania. Also drove OMs and Italas in sports car races.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1927: DNF Coppa Perugina (1500cc)
1928: DNA Targa Florio
|
|---|
|
|
Fritz Cockerell (D) |
|
* 25 Nov 1889
† 16 May 1965 |
?
? |
|---|
|
|
| | | |
1925: DNA Targa Florio
|
|---|
|
Cohas/Colas? ( ) |
|
Picture of Colas with thanks to Simon Davis.
|
| | | |
1932: ? La Baule GP
|
|---|
|
Colegrave - SEE: Manby-Colegrave
Mario Colini (I) |
|
A young amateur from Rome had competed in only one Mille Miglia when he decided to found a team for voiturette racing in 1936, purchasing the Maseratis 4CM 1120 and 4CM 1527. He was helped by Domenico
Giannini, the well-known tuner, who lent Colini the money to buy 1120 and who would prepare the cars for racing. The team was called Scuderia Impero (Empire), as after the Ethiopian war a self-styled
Empire had been proclaimed by the fascist regime. The headquarters of the team had the same address as Colini's home. The team raced from mid-1936 to mid-1937, then folded. Colini was not seen in
racing afterwards.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1936: DNA Coppa Ciano (Voiturette) /
DNA Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette) /
DNA Lucca (Voiturette) /
DNF Modena (Voiturette)
1937: DNF Napels (Voiturette) /
DNA Targa Florio (Voiturette) /
DNF Florence GP (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Signorina Gilda Colli (I) |
|
In 1926, the Royal Italian Automobile Club (RACI) decided to institute an Italian Ladies Championship held on a single round at the Circuito di Camaiore, on 7th November in concurrence with the
local Automobile Club Championship race. The poorly advertised race and the late season date ensured that only Gilda Colli from Monza, driving an Amilcar, and three local drivers took the start on
a rainy day. Gilda, in her first motor race, was in any case declared Italian Lady Driver Champion. The following year she was soundly beaten by Pina Conti in the Ladies event at
Monza, after which she disappeared from the racing scene.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1926: DNS Milan GP (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
Samuel Carnes "Sam" Collier (USA) |
|
* 14 May 1912
† 23 Sep 1950 |
Manhattan, New York
Montour Falls, New York |
|---|
|
Graduated from Yale Univerity in 1935. Advertising entrepreneur and auto racer who his fortune in streetcar advertising.
Took part in the 1950 Le Mans 24h race. Died at Montour Falls, New York, after a crash while leading the 1950 Watkins Glen Grand Prix in a Ferrari 166.
|
| | | |
1935: 6/DNF (heat) Albi (Voiturette) /
DNA Dieppe (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Aldo Colombo (I) |
|
From Carrara, drove a 1500 Ceirano S150 in races in Tuscany in 1926/27.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1926: DNA Coppa Montenero (1500cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Vincenzo Colzi (I) |
|
From Livorno. Only raced once an unusual (in racing) Alfa Romeo RM at the Montenero in 1925.
| | (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNF Coppa Montenero (2000cc)
|
|---|
|
Gianfranco "Franco" Alessandro Maria Comotti (I) |
|
* 24 Jul 1906
† 10 May 1963
|
Brescia
Bergamo |
|---|
|
Comotti was born in Brescia, but lived in Bergamo.
He was basically an amateur driver - in attitude if not effectively - and also worked in the oil business for
all his life. He was neither particularly fast nor consistent, but he was apparently a very good tester.
At an age of 22 he appeared at the 1928 European GP at Monza, in one of Scuderia Materassi's Talbots. Then he disappeared
from the ceane until 1931 when he won the cyclecar race at the Circuito di Alessandria in a Salmson.
He then brought an Alfa Romeo Monza sports car to Scuderia Ferrari in Modena for servicing, becoming an
official driver for the team in 1932. Meanwhile he married Anna Maria Peduzzi, a tall and handsome lady driver,
one of the best Italian ever, whose career lasted even longer than her husband's.
Comotti stayed with Ferrari until the end of 1935, winning at the 1934 Comminges GP.
Comotti was a cosmopolitan, sincerely anti-fascist man and moved to Paris in 1936. Tony Lago signed him
in 1937 as test driver for cars destined to clients and as a reserve
driver for the racing team. He took a victory that year at the RAC TT. However he had to leave Lago and joined the
Schells' Ecurie Bleue racing a Delahaye. Sacked by the team in favour of "Raph", he reappeared in the 1940 Mille Miglia
in a Watney's Delage.
During the war he was infiltrated as an informer in the German occupied part
of Italy. He was discovered and sentenced to death, but was saved by the interceding
of an Italian "collaborator". After the war he returned to France and became be tester of the new Lago-Talbot T26C.
A businessman of Italian origin, named Peinetti, bought chassis 110004 for Comotti, with which he raced in 1948, but
the following year when Peinetti moved to Argentina taking the car with him. 1950 saw Comotti as tester and driver
of the never ready Milan Maseratis. At the twilight of his career he drove sporadically the old
Ferraris F2 for Scuderia Marzotto. His last appointment in the oil
business was as BP representative for North Africa and the Mediterranean.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1928: DNF European GP
1929: DNA Alessandria GP (1100cc)
1931: 1 Alessandria GP (1100cc) /
4 (heat) Rome GP (1100cc)
1932: 3 Rome GP (2000cc)
1933: DNA Coppa Acerbo
1934: 4 Bordino GP /
5 Casablanca GP /
1 Comminges GP /
4 (heat) Biella GP /
3* Italian GP /
10* Spanish GP /
DNF Czech GP /
DNF Modena GP /
5 Napels GP
1935: 4 Tunis GP /
5 Bergamo GP /
3 Lorraine GP /
DNF Comminges GP /
4 Coppa Acerbo /
DNF Modena GP /
2 Lucca GP
1937: 1 Tourist Trophy (sports car)
1938: 3 Pau GP /
DNF Cork GP /
DNF Tripoli /
DNA French GP /
DNF German GP /
DNF Coppa Ciano /
4 Coppa Acerbo /
DNF Coppa Acerbo junior (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
Adrian Malcolm Conan-Doyle (GB) |
|
* 19 Nov 1910
† 3 Jun 1970 |
Crowborough, East Sussex
Geneva, Switzerland |
|---|
|
Born as the youngest son of famous author Arthur Conan Doyle.
Big-game hunter, explorer, and also tried some racing.
Handled his fathers literary estate and also wrote some own additional Sherlock Holmes stories
in the 1950s.
|
| | | |
1936: DNS JCC 200 (Voiturette)
1937: DNA Frontières (Voiturette) /
DNA AVUS (Voiturette) /
DNA Picardie (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
Carlo Alberto "Caberto" Conelli De Prosperi (I) |
|
* 26 Aug 1889
† 25 Aug 1974 |
Belgirate, Novara
Belgirate, Novara |
|---|
|
A typical sportsman was also a fast racing driver, who despite racing with intermissions, was also factory driver for Talbot, Sunbeam and Bugatti, even winning a Grande Epreuve, the Belgian Grand Prix in 1931,
paired with "Williams". He was a Targa Florio specialist in which he was placed second in 1927 and third in 1928 and 1930 driving factory Bugattis. Apparently forgotten today, Caberto Conelli had an enviable
palmarès for having raced so few times. For Bugatti, besides the Targas, he came in second and third at San Sebastian in the two Grands Prix of 1927 and third at the French Grand Prix in 1929. For Talbot he
was placed second at Miramas and Montlhéry (Ouverture) in 1925. As an individual driver, he won the Aosta Gran San Bernardo in 1920 (in a FAST) and the Circuito del Tigullio for cyclecars in 1924 with an Amilcar,
after which he began his international career, mostly developed outside Italy.
Caberto’s father was a Piedmontese diplomat from a wealthy bourgeois family, his mother Anna Bracorens di Savoiroux came from a noble family of Savoy origin, with military traditions. He was an accomplished golfer,
a founder of the Turin golf club, and a yachtsman. During WWI he was a fighter pilot with four kills and earned several decorations. He ended the war as a Major in the famous Baracca Squadron that had a Prancing Horse
as emblem. The husband of one of his four sisters, all prestigiously married, was Alfonso Ferrero di Ventimiglia, one of the founding partners of Fiat.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1921: DNF Garda Circuit
1922: DNS Italian GP /
DNF Autumn GP (3000cc)
1924: DNF Garda Circuit (1100cc)
1925: 2 Provence GP (1500cc) /
2 Ouverture GP /
? European GP /
DNF French GP
1927: 1c/2 Targa Florio (1500cc) /
5 Sporting Commission Cup /
3 San Sebastian GP /
2 Spanish GP /
DNA European GP /
DNC* British GP
1928: 3 Targa Florio
1929: DNF Targa Florio /
3 French GP
1930: 3 Targa Florio
1931: DNF* French GP /
1* Belgian GP
|
|---|
|
|
Francesco "Franz" Conelli De Prosperi (I) |
|
* 26 Aug 1886
† ? |
Torino
? |
|---|
|
Francesco was born at Torino, on the same day but three years earlier than his brother Caberto. Won the 2000cc race for private drivers in the Brescia meeting in 1921 In a Diatto-Bugatti. Franz had
asked Diatto's engineer Coda for special specifications for his car. With the same car he won his class at the Aosta Gran San Bernardo and the Susa-Moncenisio. He then switched to a 4.9-litre Ballot Indy for 1922,
winning the Parma-Poggio di Berceto and placing second overall at the GP di Autunno at Monza and at the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo. At the end of 1922, Franz Conelli retired from racing to pursue his family business.
Passionate about racing cars, he financed the construction of the extraordinary 12C Itala 1100 by purchasing the project from engineer Cappa and also intervened financially in the relationship between Diatto's engineer
Coda and Alfieri Maserati for the construction of the 8C Diatto Grand Prix He also put Alfieri in touch with Ettore Bugatti for a collaboration agreement that did not take shape at the end of 1925. Before WWI, Franz Conelli
had toyed with powerboats, "Skisc" with Isotta Fraschini engines and becoming world record man on the water of Monaco with “SCIATA”with 300HP Fiat engine, shipyard Taroni, belonging to his brother Caberto.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1921: DNF Garda Circuit
1922: 5 (8) Garda Circuit (1500cc) /
2 Autumn GP
1924: DNA Targa Florio (4500cc)
1925: 12 Garda Circuit
|
|---|
|
|
Andrea Conforti (I) |
|
From Brescia. Aviator in WWI.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1922: DNF Garda Circuit
|
|---|
|
Ian Ferguson Connell (GB) |
|
* 15 Oct 1913
† 1 Mar 2003 |
Singapore
Chippenham, Wiltshire |
|---|
|
Ian Connell was another Cambridge student contemporary with Seaman and
Straight. Member of the University Auto Club.
Together with Peter Monkhouse Connell started the Monaco Motor and Engineering Co. Ltd. at Watford
in 1935 for car sales and maintenance. He started racing in an Austin, his first start being the 1934 Mountain race at
Brooklands. He took the same year a class victory with a Singer. After having raced Vale Special and Alfa Romeo "Monza"
Connell bought Dr. Benjafield's ERA (R6B) and raced it during the 1937 and 1938 seasons, including the 1938 Donington GP,
before selling the ERA and turning to sports car racing with a Darracq. In 1939 he was 8th at the Le Mans
24h race in Rob Walker's Delahaye. During the war Connell served as officer in charge of a workshop at the British 7th Armoured Div.
(the famous Desert Rats). After the war Connell continued racing for some years while working for several companies
as a Chartered Secretary before ending up as Chief Accountant of Decca Radio and Television.
|
| (A great thanks to Ian Connell for providing information about himself.) |
|---|
| | | |
1936: DNA JCC 200 /
9* Donington GP
1937: 2 Flaten (Ice race) /
1 Freden (Ice race) /
DNF (heat) Coronation Trophy (Voiturette) /
(10) Campbell Trophy /
(6) Campbell Trophy (Voiturette) /
11 Isle of Man (Voiturette) /
DNF JCC 200 GP /
DNA Mountain
1938: DNF Cork (Voiturette) /
DNF JCC 200 (Voiturette + GP) /
? Siam Challenge (Voiturette) /
DNF Mountain /
8* Donington GP
|
|---|
|
|
Ignazio Consiglio (I) |
|
* 30 Mar 1907
† 19 Nov 1989 |
Messina, Sicily
Messina, Sicily |
|---|
|
A typical wealthy Sicialian gentleman, was a playboy, motorcyclist, airplane pilot, actor, always in totally amateur fashion. He also went motor racing in 1931/32, with a cosmopolitan attitude with 6C-1750 SS Alfa Romeo formerly
of Gaspare Bona, racing at Geneva, Comminges, Rally de Montecarlo, and resumed from 1950 to 1959 only restricting himself to the main Sicilian races, also driving some improbable cars such as a SIATA Daina 1400 and a Goggomobil.
As an infant Ignazio Consiglio lost his parents and his entire family in the terrible Messina earthquake of 1908 and was miraculously extracted as the only survivor from the ruins of their house.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1931: 7 (heat) Geneva GP /
DNA Dauphiné Circuit /
DNF Comminges GP
|
|---|
|
|
Alessandro "Sandro" Consonno (I) |
|
Aviator from Milano. Raced in the mid-1920s mostly with a "Brescia Bugatti" in 1924 and, with good success, a T35A (winning at the Pozzo circuit and placing second at Alessandria in 1926). After which he raced intermittently
until 1938, with touring cars.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNF Garda Circuit (1500cc)
1926: 1 Pozzo Circuit (2000cc) /
2 Alessandria GP /
DNS Savio Circuit (2000cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Giorgio Conter (I) |
|
* ?
† 30 Jan 1977 |
?
Torino |
|---|
|
Amateur driver and barrister from Torino (Turin). Briefly raced a 8C-2600 Alfa Romeo Monza formerly of Piero Dusio.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1935: DNF (heat) Turin GP
|
|---|
|
|
Signorina Giuseppina Norina "Pina" Conti (I) |
|
* 1907
† ? |
Milano
? |
|---|
|
From Milan, proved to be very fast, probably the most promising of all the Italian women racers of the 1920s. It would have been very interesting to observe the progress of her career, which instead
culminated in the short space of the spring 1927, after she, just eighteen year-old, had made her debut in an OM at the Coppa Città di Monza in 1926. In March 1927 she placed third at the AC Verona
Club Championship still driving an OM touring car. At the start there were eight drivers including Verona's strongest veteran drivers. Giuseppina finished third ahead of more powerful cars. The next
day she lined up at the start of the Formule Libre Circuito del Pozzo at the wheel of a very touring Bugatti 1500. Conti finished the race in eighth place, fourth in class, after battling for the
entire duration of the race with the Chiribiri of Umberto Capello, an experienced local racer, succumbing to fatigue on the final lap.
At the Monza GP meeting in June, a Ladies' Cup was also organised. This race would be run on a handicap basis. For a race that would last less than half an hour, Giuseppina was awarded a 9m45s
scratch handicap, 2m15s after her nearest rival, Gilda Colli. Maria Antonietta Avanzo, also entered, was probably aware of Giuseppina's speed and judged her even greater handicap to be too onerous,
disdainfully refusing to take the start at the wheel of a big SPA. In 27 minutes of actual running, Conti took 3'50’ more from the second placed car, a Bianchi touring car that had started from scratch.
The Italian champion Colli was only third. The 50 kilometres were covered, in the rain, by Conti’s Bugatti at an average of 111.110 kmh, which would not have made her look bad in the heats of the
Grand Prix. Unfortunately, after this remarkable performance, Giuseppina Conti only drove a Lancia Lambda in a couple of regularity races before disappearing into thin air.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
DNS Milan GP (1100cc)
1927: 4c/8 Pozzo Circuit (1500cc) /
DNA Savio Circuit
|
|---|
|
|
Renato Corinaldi (I) |
|
* 28 Dec 1908
† 4 Oct 1967 |
Padova (Padua)
Milano (Milan) |
|---|
|
Baron Corinaldi took part in very few races in Tuscany from 1925 to 1929 with a little Fiat 509 SM (Sport Monza) with no success.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1928: DNA Alessandria GP /
DNF Mugello Circuit
1929: DNF Mugello Circuit (1100cc)
|
|---|
|
Alexander James "Alastair" Cormack (GB) |
|
* 7 May 1907
† 4 Oct 1993 |
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh, Scotland |
|---|
|
Alexander Cormack was a member of the family which owned the Cormack Shipping Line, a company that traded mainly with
the Baltic ports. Cormack's motor racing career started in 1933 on Kirkcaldy sands, in 1934 he entered the Kausen
hillclimb in his 1100cc supercharged Alta, finishing third in the 1100cc class. In 1935 he raced on many circuits
including Dieppe and became a factory Alta driver in 1936, a highlight of the season being the Prince Ranier Cup at
Monaco After the war Cormack became involved in the commercial aviation industry and the garage trade, he was
President of the Scottish Motor Trade Association, and gifted the Commer chassis for the famous Ecurie Ecosse
transporter.
|
| (Info supplied by Ken Jones) |
|---|
| | | |
1934: DNF Mountain
1935: DNS Dieppe (Voiturette) /
DNA Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette) /
DNF Monaco (Voiturette) /
DNF Isle of Man (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
On Giovanni "Gino" Maria Cornaggia Medici (I) |
|
* 3 Oct 1899
† 24 Oct 1979 |
Milano
Milano |
|---|
|
Gino Cornaggia had a Law degree and was admitted to the bar in 1933. He was a decorated officer in WWII. A devout Catholic, not compromised with fascism, in 1945 he was elected in the Milan City Council. In 1946 became
a member of the Alfa Romeo board of directors and from 1949 to 1952 in that of the Automobile Club Milano. He was elected four times to the Senate (Upper House) of the Republic for the Christian Democratic party.
Cornaggia took part to 67 races from 1931 to 1940, driving a 6C-1750 Alfa Romeo up until 1933 and a famous 8C-2300 Alfa Romeo Spider Touring from 1933 to 1936, a Lancia Aprilia Zagato in 1937/38 and a 6C-2500SS Alfa Romeo
spider Touring in 1939/40. Postwar he drove Alfa Romeos of various denominations from 1947 to 1956, mostly restricting his activity to the Mille Miglia to which he competed from 1931 to 1934, in 1936, 1938 and 1940, and
postwar from 1947 to 1950 and from 1954 to 1956 for a total of 14 editions, sharing with Franco Cortese the record of participations to that race. It is said that during the 1949 race, he stopped in a village to enter the
church for a prayer. True or not, this gives a good idea of his beliefs. Cornaggia was not a winner, but drove good cars and was consistently placed. His only recorded victory is that of the 1935 Varese-Campo dei Fiori hill climb.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1933: 8 Monza GP
1934: 8 Coppa Ciano /
4 (heat) Biella GP /
8 Modena GP /
9 Napels GP
1935: 7 Bergamo GP /
5 (heat) Turin GP /
DNF Coppa Ciano /
DNA Lucca GP
|
|---|
|
Irineu Meyer Corrêa da Silva (BR) |
|
* 24 Jan 1900
† 2 Jun 1935 |
Petrópolis
Rio de Janeiro |
|---|
|
Winner of the 1934 Rio GP Corrêa had a fatal crash at the 1935 Rio GP at Gávea at an age of 35. Correa's car fell down the
canal at Visconde de Albuquerque street on the first lap of the race.
|
| | | |
1934: 1 Rio de Janeiro GP
1935: DNF Rio de Janeiro GP
|
|---|
|
|
Mario Corte (I) |
|
Probably not a real race driver dispite being found in the Coppa Montenero entry list.
|
| | | |
1923: DNA Coppa Montenero (1500cc)
|
|---|
|
|
Gustavo Cortella (I) |
|
From Padova (Padua). Active in racing in 1924 with an Amilcar. Also seen in 1925 in a couple of local races with touring cars.
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNA Savio Circuit
|
|---|
|
Giuseppe Cortese - SEE: "Fiorello"
|
Corti (I) |
|
Not in the list of licensed racing drivers.
|
| | | |
1935: DNA Cosenza GP
|
|---|
|
|
Gino Corvi (I) |
|
Not in the list of licensed racing drivers.
|
| | | |
1923: DNA Cremona Circuit
|
|---|
|
Bartolomeo "Meo" Costantini (I) |
|
* 14 Feb 1889
† 19 Jul 1941 |
Vittorio Veneto, Treviso
Milano |
|---|
|
One of the most underrated drivers ever.
Born in a rich family, Constantini's first race was with the Aquila-Italiana works team at the 1914 Targa Florio.
During World War I Capitano Costantini became a flying ace with six victories flying a Spad.
After the war in 1920 he raced a 1.5L Bugatti T13, and in 1921 with the same car he finished second at the Garda circuit. In 1922 he raced a Bianchi 18 and in 1923 with an
1100 Amilcar he finished first in class at the Coppa delle Alpi.
In 1923 Costantini joined Bugatti. The official standing of Costantini in the Bugatti factory was not known.
He was undoubtedly very close to the Bugatti family's inner circle. He prepared racing cars and he won races with them in a manner which no other has equaled. Costantini started
as a test driver and sports director in 1924 and became the team leader.
In 1924 He finished second a the San Sebstian GP. He was the most successful driver of 1925 winning the Targa Florio, finishing fourth in the French Grand Prix and third in the
Italian Grand Prix. In 1926 still as team leader, Costantini was again the most succeccful driver, winning three major races, finishing third in the
European Grand Prix and second in the Italian GP.
After 1926 Costantini stopped racing due to poor health and became the Bugatti team manager.
He remained racing team manager until 1935, when replaced by Jean Bugatti.
In 1939 he was called to take the place of Enzo Ferrari at the helm of the Alfa Romeo Racing Department, but the Second World War interrupted his reorganization after only one year.
He participated in the development of the Alfa Romeo 158B which under his direction won the Acerbo Cup in Pescara. However, he did not have time to see the triumphs of the
post-war "Alfettas", dying in the Principessa Jolanda clinic in Milan 1941 at the age of only 52.
|
| | | |
1921: 2 Garda Circuit (1500cc)
1922: DNS Italian GP /
3 (6) Autumn GP (3000cc)
1924: DNF European GP /
2 San Sebastian GP
1925: 1 Targa Florio /
4 French GP /
1 Italian GP (1500cc) /
DNF San Sebastian GP
1926: 1 Targa Florio /
DNC French GP /
3 European GP /
1 Spanish GP /
2 Italian GP /
1 Milan GP (2000cc)
|
|---|
|
Mark Everard Pepys, 6th Earl of Cottenham (GB) |
|
* 29 May 1903
† 19 Jul 1943 |
Marylebone, London
Marylebone, London |
|---|
|
Lieutenant in the Leicestershire Yeomanry, Territorial Army. Married Sybil Venetia Taylor 1927. Divorced 1939.
Died due to heart failure at the age of 40.
|
| (Info supplied by Adam Ferrington) |
|---|
| | | |
1926: DNF JCC 200
|
|---|
|
William Edward "Billy" Cotton (GB) |
|
* 27 May 1899
† 25 Mar 1969 |
Westminster, London
Wembley, London |
|---|
|
Billy Cotton is more famous as band leader than as a racing driver.
He hosted a hugely popular BBC radio and TV show "The Billy Cotton Band Show"
for much of the fifties/sixties. His son, who is known as "Bill" was at
one time the controller of BBC 1 TV channel.
Cotton bought and raced the ex Seaman ERA-B in 1937.
He died in 1969 in Wembley, while watching a boxing match, seven years after suffering a stroke.
|
| | | |
1937: 3 Dublin (Voiturette) /
5 Mountain
1938: 4 Campbell Trophy /
? JCC 200 (Voiturette + GP) /
7* Donington GP
1939: 2 Brooklands Road Championship /
? Campbell Trophy
|
|---|
|
"Coty" (Roland Alphée Spoturno) (F) |
|
* 6 Jul 1901
† 8 Mar 1963 |
Paris 14e
Sorigny, Indre-et-Loire |
|---|
|
|
| (Info supplied by André Reine) |
|---|
| | | |
1926: DNS Spanish GP
|
|---|
|
John Raymond "Jean" Couiteas de Faucamberge (F) |
|
* 24 Sep 1901
† 24 Dec 1963 |
La Marsa, Tunisia
Paris 14e, France |
|---|
|
Jean Raymond Couiteas was the son of a wealthy Greek who became French settler in Tunisia. So he was born on 1901 in La Marsa, Tunisia. After his studies, he became an
engineer and also a very good world class tennis player. He shared his time between Paris and the southwest of France, so he entered a 2.3-litre Bugatti for the 1929 Comminges Grand Prix,
presented as a local driver. He had bought the car (#4933) directly from the factory but paid the full list price of FF 165.000.
He finished a very good 2nd in class but didn't want his price money (10.000 Francs). This amateur gesture was greatly appreciated by the local press and the organizers.
He returned the car later to the factory. It was then sold to Cornelis van Hulzen.
Next year in 1930, he would use a new car, from the Belgian firm Imperia, but the car was not delivered on time.
Also known as Couiteas de Faucamberge, Alice de Faucamberge" being the name of his mother.
He died in 1963.
|
| (Info supplied by Marc Ceulemans and Michael Müller) |
|---|
| | | |
1929: 2 Comminges GP
1930: DNA Comminges GP
|
|---|
|
Smaragd Marie Charles Henry Jullien de Courcelles "De Courcelles" (F) |
|
* 21 May 1889
† 2 Jul 1927 |
Paris 9e
Paris 15e |
|---|
|
|
| (Info supplied by Simon Davis, Angel Elberdin & André Reine) |
|---|
| | | |
1927: DNF ACF Free For All
|
|---|
|
Sydney Alfred "Syd" Crabtree (GB) |
|
* 13 Sep 1903
† 13 Jun 1934 |
Warrington, Lancashire
Snaefell, Isle of Man |
|---|
|
|
| (Info supplied by Adam Ferrington) |
|---|
| | | |
1933: DNF Mannin Beg (Voiturette)
|
|---|
|
|
Luigi Cricelli (I) |
|
* 4 Feb 1900
† 25 Dec 1975 |
Catanzaro
Catanzaro |
|---|
|
|
| (Info supplied by Alessandro Silva) |
|---|
| | | |
1925: DNF Coppa Vinci (1500cc)
|
|---|
|
Petre G. Cristea (RO) |
|
* 31 Jan 1909
† 6 Jul 1995 |
Bucharest
Bucharest |
|---|
|
Considered to be Romania's best ever racing driver.
Started racing in 1930. Winner of the 1936 Monte Carlo Rally together with motorcycle champion Zamfirescu
in a specially rebuilt Ford V8.
Entered mostly sports car races and hill climbs with a BMW 328. Won a
sports car event at Nürburgring in 1939 against pretty respectable opposition.
In January 1969, Petre Cristea (following the footsteps of Paul Pietsch)
founded the "Autoturism" magazine. Owned by the Romanian Auto Club (ACR),
today it is the most popular auto magazine in Romania.
Cristea also wrote some technical books, including a volume about driving racing cars: Cum
devii campion (How to become a champion).
|
| (Info supplied by Mihai Dumitru) |
|---|
| | | |
1936: DNA Hungarian GP
1939: 2 Finnish GP /
DNF Frontières GP
|
|---|
|
Angus Humphrey Cuddon-Fletcher (GB) |
|
* 3 Jul 1909
† 13 Jun 1974 |
Dunans, Argyll, Scotland
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA |
|---|
|
Cuddon-Fletcher was a designer engineer. Among other things he worked on a rotary engine,
which he sadly failed to patent. He took part in racing before the Second World War, racing MGs
at Donington, Crystal Palace & Brooklands. There was at some stage a kind of partnership with Reg Parnell.
He emigrated to the United States in December 1965 and remained in the field of (Marine) engineering.
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| (Info supplied by Susan Cuddon-Fletcher / Adam Ferrington) |
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1938: ? (1 1100cc) JCC 200 (Voiturette + GP) /
DNF Donington GP
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Mrs Ivy Leona Cummings (GB) |
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* 27 Oct 1900
† 4 Dec 1971 |
Edmonton, Middlesex
Wandsworth, London |
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Daughter of a car dealer, it is clamed she made a lap at Brooklands with her father's car 1913 at an age of 12.
During WWI, Cummings worked in a convalescent home for injured soldiers. She begun racing in 1919 first with a Sunbeam, later with a Bugatti and other cars.
Had some cussess in local British races and hill climbs. Run a garage in Putney Bridge Road, London.
Married Stanley Hughes Simpson 1925.
Took part in the 1926 Boulogne GP with a Bugatti T37 and led the race until she crahd into a tree.
In 1928, she married again to Dr. Henry Warren-Collins an stopped racing soon afterwards.
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| (Info supplied by Adam Ferrington) |
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1926: DNF Boulogne GP
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Leonard "Leon" Cushman Adcock (GB) |
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* 24 Dec 1890
† 7 Jan 1946. |
Brighton, East Sussex
Brighton, East Sussex |
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| (Info supplied by Jean-Charles Colombier) |
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1925: DNA Ouverture GP
1931: DNF Mountain
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Emile Cuvelier (B) |
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After the war briefly president of the club "CMA Beaumont-Chimay".
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1931: DNF Frontieres GP
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Prince de Faucigny-Lucinge et Coligny, Prince de Cystria
Bertrand Marie Ponce François Raphaël Lucinge (F) |
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* 12/13 Dec 1898
† 22 Feb 1943 |
The Hague, the Netherlands
Monza |
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| (Info supplied by Hugo Boecker) |
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1923: DNF French GP
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Hans Czermak (D) |
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* 16 Apr 1896
† 10 Feb 1928 |
?
? |
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From München (Munich). Son of the President of the Bayerische Automobil-Club.
Rather active gentleman driver with a Bugatti T13 and a T30.
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1925: 1 Taunus GP (2000cc)
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© 2025 Leif Snellman - Last updated: 12.03.2025
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