Eugenio Castellotti

All you want to know about Eugenio Castellotti

Eugenio Castellotti
Nationality Flag of Italy Italian
Formula One World Championship career
Active years 1955 - 1957
Teams Lancia, Ferrari
Races 14
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podium finishes 3
Career points 19.5
Pole positions 1
Fastest laps 0
First race 1955 Argentine Grand Prix
Last race 1957 Argentine Grand Prix

Eugenio Castellotti (October 10, 1930 - March 14, 1957) was a Formula One driver from Italy.

Contents

Driving career

Castellotti was born in Lodi. After being signed by Scuderia Ferrari, Eugenio Castellotti participated in 14 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on January 16, 1955. He secured one pole position, achieved 3 podiums, and scored a total of 19.5 championship points.

He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races. Castellotti won the March 1956 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring, Florida. He followed this triumph by winning the Mille Miglia race in Brescia and the Grand Prix for sports cars in Rouen, France.[1] Castellotti's Ferrari achieved a time over the 210-mile (338 km) Essarts Circuit of 2 hours 10 minutes 31.1 seconds.[2]

Born to a wealthy northern Italian family,[1] he acquired a Ferrari at the age of twenty and began racing sports cars in 1952[1] He was known for his manner and tailored clothes, gaining publicity for his relationship with ballerina and actress, Delia Scala.

Tragic death

He was killed at only 26 years old during a private Ferrari test session at the Modena Autodrome.[3] Castellotti was testing a new Ferrari for the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring. He crashed against a curve of the Autodrome and his body was hurled 100 yards (91.4 m). He had just been told to accelerate his speed so that he could average 85.127 miles per hour (136.999 km/h). The car turned over several times and ran into a fence where spectators gathered to watch test runs. No one else was injured. Doctors said Castellotti died instantly from a fractured skull.[1]

Legacy

Four years later, another Italian driver, Giulio Cabianca, Castellotti's best friend, fatally crashed in the same Autodrome. Castellotti was considered the greatest Italian driver since Alberto Ascari, who died testing a car on May 26, 1955.[1]

Major career wins (sportscars):

Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Yr Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Team WDC Points
1955 Lancia ARG
Ret		 MON
2		 500 BEL
Ret		 NED
5		 GBR
6		 ITA
3		 Ferrari 3rd 12
1956 Ferrari ARG
Ret		 MON
4		 500 BEL
Ret		 FRA
2		 GBR
10		 GER
Ret		 ITA
8		 Ferrari 6th 7.5
1957 Ferrari ARG
Ret		 MON 500 FRA GBR GER PES ITA Ferrari - 0
Preceded by
Bill Vukovich		 Formula One fatal accidents
March 14, 1957		 Succeeded by
Keith Andrews
Records
Preceded by
Jerry Hoyt
26 years, 121 days
(1955 Indianapolis 500)		 Youngest Grand Prix Pole Position
Winner
24 years, 238 days
(1955 Belgian Grand Prix)		 Succeeded by
Jacky Ickx
23 years, 216 days
(1968 German GP)

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Castellotti, Ace Italian Driver, Killed Testing New Racing Car, New York Times, March 15, 1957, Page 29
  2. ^ Castellotti Auto First, New York Times, July 9, 1956, Page 29.
  3. ^ Eugenio Castellotti www.grandprix.com Retrieved 15 February 2007.

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenio_Castellotti"

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