Luigi Villoresi

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Luigi Villoresi
Lancia, Scuderia Centro Sud
Entries34 (31 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums8
Career points46 (49)[1]
Pole positions0
Fastest laps1
First entry1950 Monaco Grand Prix
Last entry1956 Italian Grand Prix

Luigi Villoresi (16 May 1909 – 24 August 1997) was an Italian Grand Prix motor racing driver who started racing in Formula One at the time of its inception.

Biography

Born in Milan, Lombardy, and nicknamed "Gigi", he was the older brother of race car driver Emilio Villoresi who co-piloted with him in several races at the beginning of their careers. From a prosperous family, Villoresi could afford to buy a car and began competing in local rallies at the age of twenty-two with a Lancia Lambda and a few years later acquired a Fiat Balilla with which he and his brother Emilio competed in the Mille Miglia. In 1935, he raced in the Coppa Ciano, finishing third and went on to capture the Italian driving championship in the 1100 cc sports car class. The following year he and his brother purchased a Maserati which they drove individually in different races. Emilio was so successful that he was signed to drive an Alfa Romeo for Scuderia Ferrari in the 1937 season.

In 1938, Luigi Villoresi became part of the Maserati team, driving the 8CTF model that Maserati had designed to compete with the dominant

Autodromo Nazionale Monza. A little over two weeks after his brother's death, he drove his Maserati to victory at the 1939 Adriatic Grand Prix.[3][4] His racing career was interrupted by the onset of World War II. At war's end, he went to America to compete in the 1946 Indianapolis 500, and afterwards he then returned to race for Maserati until 1949 when he signed again with Ferrari debuting in Formula One
on 21 May 1950.

1949

Villoresi finished second in the 1949

St. John Horsfall died when his car crashed at a turn.[8]

1950–1951

Villoresi skidded on oil, penetrated a barrier, and killed three spectators at the

Nino Farina impacted Villoresi's car at high speed but was uninjured. Villoresi broke his left leg and suffered head injuries which were treated at a hospital. The Grand Prix of 272 kilometres was won by Juan Manuel Fangio.[9] The 1951 British Grand Prix was taken by José Froilán González of Argentina. Villoresi finished third, two laps behind the winner, with an average speed of 95.39 miles per hour (153.52 km/h). Villoresi completed 88 laps, 2 behind Gonzalez.[10]

1952

In July 1952 Villoresi won the

La Baule, in August 1952. Alberto Ascari was first, followed by Villoresi and Rosier. Ascari had already clinched the Formula One World Championship before this event.[12] Villoresi drove a Ferrari to win the 1952 Grand Prix of Modena in 1:5:21 over a distance of 100 laps, 230.6-kilometre (143 mi). His average speed was 124.236 km/h (77.197 mph).[13]

1953–1954

Villoresi displayed his agility as a driver in the

Monza. Giuseppe Farina made contact with the Maserati driven by Onofre Marimón as he was approaching the finish line. Villoresi made a brilliant manoeuvre while racing at 100 mph (160 km/h) The crowd came to its feet to witness his quick thinking in pulling his car off the track at great speed. Villoresi then finished third after winner Fangio and Farina, who was two seconds behind at the end. The race marked the first time a Ferrari did not win an event in races counting toward the Formula One World Championship. Fangio drove a Maserati to an average speed of 110 mph (180 km/h) over the 313-mile (504 km) grand prix.[14]

Already 41 years old, Villoresi served as an elder statesman for the Formula One team, notably as

Lancia
racing team but Ascari's death in the spring of the following year profoundly affected Villoresi and his career went into steep decline.

Villoresi was critically injured while testing a

Rimini, Italy in April 1954. He was riding with his mechanic when he skidded while attempting to avoid a Fiat driving in the opposite direction. Both Villoresi and his mechanic were pinned beneath the Lancia. A group of farmers came to their aid, using oxen to lift the car. Both men remained conscious. Villoresi sustained a number of deep head wounds, facial lacerations, and bruises all over his body. He was listed in serious, but not critical condition.[15]

1955–1958

Villoresi was third after Ascari and Luigi Musso in the May 1955 Naples Grand Prix, a 153.5 miles (247.0 km) event. Villoresi was in a Lancia.[16]

He wrecked his car in the 1956 Grand Prix of Rome, a 2-Litre sports car event. The race was won by Jean Behra in a Maserati.[17]

Villoresi was one of nine drivers, from a starting field of 303, in a January 1958 Monte Carlo auto rally, who completed the first leg of the rigorous touring car event, without incurring a penalty. The 1,900-mile (3,060 km) endurance event featured cars from eight different European starting locales. Of the starters, 72 entrants crossed the finish line but 13 were disqualified because of lateness. The 59 who remained from the opening round faced a 655-mile (1,054 km), 22-hour portion, extending from Monte Carlo through the maritime Alps. Villoresi drove a Lancia.[18]

Villoresi retired from Grand Prix racing in 1957 after 31 Formula One championship starts without a victory but made it to the podium eight times while scoring a total of 49 championship points. Villoresi continued rally racing and won the Acropolis Rally in Greece in 1958 before retiring to a home in Modena.

Villoresi died in 1997 at the age of 88.

Major victories

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points[1]
1950 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari V12 GBR
 MON
Ret 		500
 SUI
Ret 		BEL
6 		FRA
DNS 		ITA
 NC 0
1951 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari V12 SUI
Ret 		500
 BEL
3 		FRA
3 		GBR
3 		GER
4 		ITA
4 		ESP
Ret 		5th 15 (18)
1952 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 500
Straight-4
 SUI
 500
 BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 NED
3 		ITA
3 		8th 8
1953 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 500
Straight-4
 ARG
2 		500
 NED
Ret 		BEL
2 		FRA
6 		GBR
Ret 		GER
8 * 		SUI
6 		ITA
3 		5th 17
1954 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F
Straight-6
 ARG
 500
 BEL
 FRA
5 		GBR
Ret * 		GER
DNS 		SUI
 ITA
Ret 		20th 2
Scuderia Lancia
Lancia D50
Lancia V8
 ESP
Ret
1955
Scuderia Lancia
Lancia D50
Lancia V8
 ARG
Ret 		MON
5 		500
 BEL
DNA 		NED
 GBR
 ITA
DNS 		20th 2
1956 Scuderia Centro Sud Maserati
250F
Straight-6
 ARG
 MON
 500
 BEL
5 		22nd 2
Luigi Piotti FRA
Ret 		GBR
6 		GER
Ret
Officini Alfieri Maserati ITA
Ret †
* Indicates shared drive with Alberto Ascari
† Indicates shared drive with
Joakim Bonnier

Non-championship Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
1950 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari V12 PAU
2 		RIC SRM
2 		PAR EMP BAR
Ret 		JER ALB
Ret 		NED
2 		NAT
Ret 		NOT ULS STT INT GOO PEN
DNA
375
 PES
DNA
1951 Scuderia Ferrari
375
 Ferrari V12 SYR
1 		PAU
1 		RIC SRM
Ret 		BOR INT
DNA 		PAR ULS SCO NED
DNA 		ALB PES
Ret 		BAR
Ret 		GOO
1952 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 500
Straight-4
 RIO SYR
Ret 		PAU
Ret 		IBS MAR
Ret
AST
 INT
DNA 		ELÄ NAP EIF PAR
DSQ† 		ALB FRO ULS MNZ
Ret 		LAC ESS MAR
3* 		SAB
1 		CAE COM
ALT 		NAT BAU
2 		MOD
1 		CAD SKA MAD AVU JOE NEW RIO
375
 Ferrari V12 VAL
1 		RIC LAV DAI
1
1953 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 500
Straight-4
 SYR
Ret 		PAU LAV AST BOR
2 		INT ELÄ NAP
4 		ULS WIN FRO COR EIF ALB PRI ESS MID ROU CRY AVU USF LAC BRI CHE SAB NEW CAD RED SKA LON MOD MAD JOE CUR
1955
Scuderia Lancia
Lancia D50
Lancia V8
 BUE VAL
3 		PAU
4 		GLO BOR INT NAP
3 		ALB CUR COR LON DAR RED DAT OUT AVO SYR
3
1956 Luigi Villoresi Maserati
250F
Straight-6
 BUE GLO SYR
4 		BAR INT NAP
Ret 		AIN VAN CAE BRS
* Indicates shared drive with Alberto Ascari
† Indicates shared drive with Giuseppe Farina

Indianapolis 500 results

References

  1. ^ a b Up until 1990, not all points scored by a driver contributed to their final World Championship tally (see list of points scoring systems for more information). Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
  2. ^ Puech, Pierre-François. "Villoresi old charm -The Trip to Italy".
  3. ^ "Preluk - Opatija". racingcircuits.info. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Racing in Rijeka area". formula1-dictionary.net. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  5. New York Times
    , January 31, 1949, p. 25.
  6. ^ Villoresi Beats Orley In Brussels Auto Race, New York Times, May 22, 1949, p. S10.
  7. ^ Rosier Captures Auto Race, New York Times, June 20, 1949, p. 24.
  8. ^ Italians Win Auto Race; British Pilot Is Killed, New York Times, August 21, 1949, p. S3.
  9. ^ 3 Auto Race Fans Killed, New York Times, July 31, 1950, p. 23.
  10. ^ Gonzales Home First, New York Times, July 15, 1951, p. S3.
  11. ^ Italian Cops Grand Prix, Los Angeles Times, July 14, 1952, p. C14.
  12. ^ Ascari Triumphs in Final Grand Prix, Los Angeles Times, August 25, 1952, p. C2.
  13. ^ Villoresi Captures Grand Prix of Modena, Los Angeles Times, September 15, 1952, p. C4.
  14. ^ Fangio Captures Italian Auto Race, New York Times, September 14, 1953, p. 33.
  15. ^ Racing Driver Injured, New York Times, April 21, 1954, p. 37.
  16. ^ Naples Race To Ascari, May 9, 1955, p. 30.
  17. ^ Frenchman Wins Rome Grand Prix, Los Angeles Times, October 22, 1956, p. C5.
  18. ^ Nine Drivers Avoid Penalties In Rally, New York Times, January 25, 1958, p. 23.
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