Hello everyone
While flicking through an F1 history website today I came across a name I have never heard before. An Italian driver named Geki raced the three Italian Grand Prix in the mid sixties, once for Rob Walker and twice for Lotus.
I assume Geki, like Levegh, is a psuedonym, but who was he, what did he acheive in his career and where is he now? And why the name Geki?
Normally I would consult my Grand Prix Who's Who, but that is over a hundred miles away at the moment.
Any help or insight would be very much appreciated. You never know on this board, perhaps someone here has met him?
Thanks again.
Who was 'Geki'?
Started by
BorderReiver
, Jun 20 2003 11:56
13 replies to this topic
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#2
Darren Galpin
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Posted 20 June 2003 - 12:07
Geki (Russo, Giacomo) (I)
b 23/10/1937 (Milan) - d 18/6/1967 (Caserta)
1960 - Italian Formula Junior Champion (Stanguellini S0130)
1964 - dnq Italian GP (RRC Walker - Brabham-BRM). F2 (Abarth). Won Italian
F3 Championship.
1965 - ret Italian GP (Lotus). Sportscars (Alfa)
1966 - 9th Italian GP (Lotus). Sportscars (Alfa)
1967 - Italian F3. Died at Caserta. After multiple pile-up, Swiss driver
Fehr Beat jumped from car and ran back along track to warn on-coming
drivers. Geki unfortunately collected this individual, killing him,
before ploughing into a concrete wall, dying when car caught fire.
b 23/10/1937 (Milan) - d 18/6/1967 (Caserta)
1960 - Italian Formula Junior Champion (Stanguellini S0130)
1964 - dnq Italian GP (RRC Walker - Brabham-BRM). F2 (Abarth). Won Italian
F3 Championship.
1965 - ret Italian GP (Lotus). Sportscars (Alfa)
1966 - 9th Italian GP (Lotus). Sportscars (Alfa)
1967 - Italian F3. Died at Caserta. After multiple pile-up, Swiss driver
Fehr Beat jumped from car and ran back along track to warn on-coming
drivers. Geki unfortunately collected this individual, killing him,
before ploughing into a concrete wall, dying when car caught fire.
#3
fvebr
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- 247 posts
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Posted 20 June 2003 - 12:07
June 18th 67
A F3 Race in Caserta... A shunt... A driver runs out of his car to warn the on-coming drivers... He is caught and killed by Giacomo RUSSO 'GEKI' who himself crashed in a wall and died in the flames... GEKI was 1964 F3 Italian champion and was also driving in sports cars... He lined up in 3 italian Gp in 64, 65 and 66 where he finished 9th with a LOTUS/CLIMAX
A F3 Race in Caserta... A shunt... A driver runs out of his car to warn the on-coming drivers... He is caught and killed by Giacomo RUSSO 'GEKI' who himself crashed in a wall and died in the flames... GEKI was 1964 F3 Italian champion and was also driving in sports cars... He lined up in 3 italian Gp in 64, 65 and 66 where he finished 9th with a LOTUS/CLIMAX
#4
BorderReiver
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Posted 20 June 2003 - 12:14
Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Geki (Russo, Giacomo) (I)
b 23/10/1937 (Milan) - d 18/6/1967 (Caserta)
1960 - Italian Formula Junior Champion (Stanguellini S0130)
1964 - dnq Italian GP (RRC Walker - Brabham-BRM). F2 (Abarth). Won Italian
F3 Championship.
1965 - ret Italian GP (Lotus). Sportscars (Alfa)
1966 - 9th Italian GP (Lotus). Sportscars (Alfa)
1967 - Italian F3. Died at Caserta. After multiple pile-up, Swiss driver
Fehr Beat jumped from car and ran back along track to warn on-coming
drivers. Geki unfortunately collected this individual, killing him,
before ploughing into a concrete wall, dying when car caught fire.
That sounds an appalling accident. Italian F3 champion? Must have been a driver of considerable ability. Would it have got him anywhere had he lived?
#5
neville mackay
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Posted 20 June 2003 - 19:54
The recent thread on Caserta June 1967 goes into the details of Geki's last race. I'd be interested in knowing how he was judged by those who actually saw him race.
#6
Mig007
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- 169 posts
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Posted 29 October 2011 - 20:46
How good was "Geki"? It seems he was one rider that kept racing in F3/FJ but could achieve more, perhaps due to money. He was also a sportscar driver, I think he drove for Autodelta indeed.
#7
LucaP
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Posted 29 October 2011 - 22:43
In a recent Autosprint article he was included in the top 100 natural talents ever to race in open-wheel cars.
Never seen him of course, but every time someone who knew him talks about this driver, it seems like he could have become one of the greats.
Never seen him of course, but every time someone who knew him talks about this driver, it seems like he could have become one of the greats.
#8
Mig007
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 11:26
I also have read the same smoewhere on internet. Does you know if there were on any Motorsport or other magazines any article about him?
#9
Gabrci
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 22:30
His family are running a fascinating Facebook page about him.
#10
Mig007
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 23:13
I've seen it! That's why I decided to learn more about him. The unknown drivers fascinate me, there's so many histories behind
#11
LittleChris
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 23:31
I've seen it! That's why I decided to learn more about him. The unknown drivers fascinate me, there's so many histories behind
There's a thread about this tragic day.
http://forums.autosp...w...&hl=caserta
I'm still not sure whether the Swiss driver was called Fehr Beat or Beat Fehr ( which given the conditions they raced under would've been a really appropriate moniker !)
#12
Mig007
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 23:32
I've read that, it was a horrible and tragic day, it was due to this community that I knew the tragedy of Caserta
#13
Arjan de Roos
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Posted 31 October 2011 - 10:06
I'm still not sure whether the Swiss driver was called Fehr Beat or Beat Fehr ( which given the conditions they raced under would've been a really appropriate moniker !)
It is Claude Beat Fehr (Fehr was his family name).
On the 1966 Italian GP long play album I first heard of Geki. Passing by in the (not so eventful) race that saw him finish. Fascinating he managed to get hold of Lotus F1 material.
