Omobono Tenni
Omobono Tenni | |||||||||||||||
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Nationality | Italian | ||||||||||||||
Born | Tirano, Italy | July 24, 1905||||||||||||||
Died | July 1, 1948 Bern, Switzerland | (aged 42)||||||||||||||
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Tommaso Omobono Tenni (July 24, 1905 – July 1, 1948)[1] was an Italian motorcycle road racer. Nicknamed The Black Devil, he was a two-times Grand Prix motorcycle European champion, who raced to 47 victories for Moto Guzzi from 1933 till 1948, the year he died from an accident during practice for the Bern Grand Prix.
Early years
Omobono Tenni was born in
Moto Guzzi
In 1932, he won a race at Rapallo against Moto Guzzi's star rider, Pietro Ghersi. His performance earned him a spot on the Moto Guzzi team for the 1933 season. For the 1934 season, Moto Guzzi developed a new V twin 500 cc racer and Tenni rode it to victory at the Italian Grand Prix ahead of his teammate Stanley Woods. He would go on to win the 1934 Italian 500 cc national championship. Tenni first travelled to the Isle of Man TT in 1935. For a newcomer, he performed remarkably well. He was lying in second to his teammate Woods, when he crashed in a fog bank on the mountain section. It was here that he came to be dubbed the Black Devil referring both to the color of his hair and his diabolical riding style. He would again capture the 500 cc Italian National Championship in 1935.
The highlight of his career was winning the 250cc
Maserati
In the mid 1930s Tenni ventured into car racing, and in 1936 and 1937 drove for Maserati, but was not as successful as on two wheels, although he did compete in the 1936 Mille Miglia, finishing first in his class and fifth overall.
Death
At the 1948 Bern Grand Prix at Bremgarten (a support race for the 1948 Swiss Grand Prix for automobiles) Tenni died after a crash during practice. The accident happened five hours after Achille Varzi had crashed and died at the same track.[1]
Legacy
A football Stadium in Treviso, Stadio Omobono Tenni, is named after him.[1]
Sources
- ^ a b c "Motorsport Memorial -". www.motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 16 December 2023.