50 years ago, on 26th May, 1955 at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza Alberto Ascari was killed while testing a Ferrari sports car in preparation for the forthcoming Supercortemaggiore race. This was a shock for everyone.
Alberto Ascari was born on July 13, 1918. He was only seven years old when his father was killed in the French Grand Prix at the height of his racing career. Yet young Ascari retained vivid memories of his father and thus set on a racing career of his own.
It began four years later, when Ascari borrowed a neighbor's motorcycle and "raced" around a previously quiet Italian piazza. By 1936, Ascari had left school, which he found boring, and with the help of his mother he acquired his first motorcycle.
He made his racing debut that same year but he failed to finish his first race. Just six days later, however, on a repaired, finely tuned motorcycle, he won at Lano. For the next three years, Ascari gained some renown as a motorcycle competitor, becoming a member of the Bianchi factory team. That led to his first race in 1940, when he drove for Enzo Ferrari in the Mille Miglia.
He took the lead in that race, but retired with a seized valve. He finished ninth later that year in the last Tripoli Grand Prix and raced in another event before World War II forced him to curtail his activities until 1947.
On September 28, 1947, his initial victory came in a Modena Sports Car in Maserati. In his next season of competition, Ascari, nicknamed Ciccio, won the San Remo Grand Prix, and the Pescara Sports Car race. He was runner up in the British Grand Prix.
In 1949 he joined the Ferrari works team and won the Swiss Grand Prix at the Bremgarten ciruit driving a Ferrari 1 1/2-litre Tipo 125. Ascari also lead the Italian Grand Prix from start to finish. He also won the Silverstone International Trophy Race and several other events. By 1952, he had achieved his first World Championship with victories in the Belgium, French, British, German, Dutch and Italian Grands Prix.
Ascari was clearly the world's top driver as in 1953 he won a second consecutive World Championship with wins in the Argentine, Belgian, British, Dutch and Swiss Grands Prix. He then left Ferrari for Lancia, although he and Enzo remained friends.
With Lancia, Ascari won the Mille Miglia in 1954, some months before Lancia entered Grand Prix competition. In 1955, Ascari gave Lancia its first Grand Prix triumph in the Valentino Grand Prix. He quickly followed that with a victory in the Naples Grand Prix and then, in Monaco, he was about to take the lead on the 81st lap when his wheels locked and he was thrown into the harbor. He emerged with only a broken arm, despite his 110 mph takeoff. But he was shaken and decided to curtail his activities. Back in Modena, he recovered and felt he needed a short, speedy drive to settle his nerves more and Ferrari was willing to oblige, providing him with a car for a few laps on the Autodrome on May 26, 1955. For some inexplicable reason on his third lap Ascari crashed the car in the Curva del Vialone, now called the Variante Ascari. He was thrown onto the track and killed instantly. Alberto died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. While the Italian nation mourned the loss of its finest driver, Fangio is reported to have said: 'I have lost my greatest opponent.'
26th was day when his father died at Monthléry in July 1925 and as says on 8W site 'uncannily, there were several numerical parallels between Ascari father and son. The great Antonio Ascari was named after San Antonio of Padua, who died on 13 June 1232. 686 years later, Alberto was born on exactly the same day, and regularly lit a candle to the Paduan Saint. All three - Saint Anthony, Antonio Ascari and Alberto Ascari - were 36 years old when they died. Antonio Ascari lived for 13,463 days while Alberto Ascari overplayed his fate and lived for 13,466 days - three days longer than his father. Both men were killed on the 26th (which is two times 13…), both in a left corner, both doing the thing they were born to do.'
Alberto Ascari won 47 international races in nine years of racing. His two World Championships attest to his ranking as one of the greatest drivers in motorsport history.
Alberto Ascari - 50 Years Ago
Started by
AAA-Eagle
, May 26 2005 19:20
21 replies to this topic
Advertisement
#2
Mac Lark
-
- 744 posts
- Joined: April 02
Member
Posted 26 May 2005 - 19:49
Spot on AAA - I've been up early this morning writing a story about the 55 season and realised the significance of the date - although it was laready May 27 in NZ.
We missed Clark v Moss and Senna v Schumacher but boy did we miss Fangio v Ascari
FORZA ALBERTO
We missed Clark v Moss and Senna v Schumacher but boy did we miss Fangio v Ascari
FORZA ALBERTO
#4
panzani
-
- 18,732 posts
- Joined: September 03
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 04:20
Between May 21st 1950 and May 22nd 1955 he raced 32 FIA F1 GPs, both the first and last in Monaco.
He won 13 races, made the pole 14 times, had 12 fastest laps, and 17 podiums.
From the 1,695 laps he completed, he was the leader in 926.
He won 13 races, made the pole 14 times, had 12 fastest laps, and 17 podiums.
From the 1,695 laps he completed, he was the leader in 926.
#5
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 05:02
These figures seem to relate to Ascari's record in world championship GPs, not F1 races
#6
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 05:42
Expanding on the above, Ascari contested 34 F1 races between 1950 and 1955, winning three of them. Eighteen of those starts were in world championship rounds, of which he won two.
In the same period Ascari started in 14 world championship F2 races, and won 11.
In his career from 1947 to 1955 he raced in 54 F1 races, for seven wins. His tally in F2 races in the same period was 29 wins from 48 starts
In the same period Ascari started in 14 world championship F2 races, and won 11.
In his career from 1947 to 1955 he raced in 54 F1 races, for seven wins. His tally in F2 races in the same period was 29 wins from 48 starts
#7
AAA-Eagle
-
- 1,044 posts
- Joined: July 04
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 15:57
I think it's need to add some thoughts about the possible reason of Ascari's accident.
Here is what says on brilliant 8W site in "Cursed natural talent" article: "...Only on that fateful Spring day of 1955 did Alberto's superstition catch up with him. The man who as a boy wanted to become a motorcycle racer - and indeed became one - momentarily forgot about his light blue crash helmet, that had been his racing talisman since 1951, when he and Villoresi swapped their cloth helmets for the hardened ones during the aftermath of Villoresi's accident at Geneva. Blue was Alberto's favourite colour - he had everything in blue including his azure blue motorcyclist's pudding basin helmet and his short-sleeved, open-necked, light blue woollen racing vest that he wore on top a pair of canvas trousers with front pockets.
Once, at Monza, his helmet was stolen. Immediately Alberto had the major newspapers print the story that he, the great champion, would retire on the spot if his helmet would not be returned within one week. It was returned the next day. Alberto was extremely religious about his helmet, as Gigi Villoresi remembers: "We had two boxes, where we kept our helmets, goggles, gloves, etc. They were both painted azure blue. NOBODY - not even Mietta - was allowed to touch Alberto's box, except himself. One day he was out lapping in the Ferrari, and I had need of a little piece of white cotton wool to put in my ears, because in those days we did not have noise-padded helmets, and I had forgotten to bring my own. So I opened his box. On top were a pair of gloves, which I moved ever so carefully. Then I took a little piece of cotton wool. Then I put everything back exactly as I had found it. He stopped at the pits, opened his box and said, 'Hey! Who's been mucking about with my things!'"
On 26 May 1955 the helmet was at the repair shop, having new chin strap fitted after the Monte Carlo debacle that saw Ascari's Lancia take a dip in the Monaco harbour. Present at a Monza test for Castellotti's new Ferrari sportscar, that he was to co-race with Eugenio in the Supercortemaggiore 1000kms race, having been given special dispensation by Lancia, he borrowed Castellotti's white helmet for a short spin around the circuit - just to see if his back wasn't bothering him too much after the Monaco incident. The helmet was too small for him. Then he put on Eugenio's gloves and goggles. And he didn't take off his tie that was knotted around a blue silk shirt. Gigi, who was watching from afar, himself consigned to racing a Maserati in the same event - the first time since a long time that he and "Ciccio" were to be rivals instead of teammates - was amazed by his friend's apparent forgetfulness of his strict set of superstitious rules that once saw him make a huge detour home after he saw a black cat crossing the road. It were black cats after all that had been the "cause" of two of his biggest road-racing mishaps in the 1948 Tour of Sicily and Mille Miglia.
Just minutes before Ascari had told Count Lurani who was also present that, "You, Gianni, also know that after a crash it is better to put yourself back behind the steering wheel as soon as possible." He would just do three or four slow laps, he explained to Castellotti. He never made it into the fourth lap. At Vialone the engine roar stopped and was followed by the ominous sound of metal sheet being torn up. The people in the pitlane had to brace themselves for an ugly sight at the moment they would reach the Ferrari wreck. The car was completely mangled but Alberto's lifeless body was in worse condition, too unpleasant to describe. When later a chicane was put in to slow down Vialone, it was appropriately renamed Curva Ascari."
In general there are several possible explanations of Alberto's fatal crash. One of them says that Ascari having had an undiagnosed concussion that led to a blackout when he was taking his third lap in 750 Monza 0562M that Castellotti was testing that day for Ferrari at the Monza track. Another theory says about either a workman or a dog crossing the track that Ascari had to dodge at the Vialone curve.
And there is also a theory from Hawthorn -- about the tires. In the Dec. 8, 2003 Autoweek was printed an article where it was written: "Hawthorn was sharing a 750 Monza with Umberto Maglioli [in the upcoming Supercortemaggiore 1000] and arrived at the track (Monza) about an hour after Ascari's crash. They had been unable to get 6.50x16 tires for the race and had to use 7.00x16s. Hawthorn said he had tried their car on these tires and in his first biography, Challenge Me the Race, he wrote, 'I found it very nasty indeed when I came to the Vialone Curve, where there were a lot of little ripples on the road surface. I came to the conclusion that the rims were too narrow for these tires and had them taken off my car. Where Ascari crashed there were long, broad, black tire marks, followed by marks of the wheel rims digging into the road. It seemed to me he probably changed into fifth just as he hit the ripples, the car started to slide, the tires rolled under and the rims gouged into the road, causing it to somersault...'"
About these Hawthorn's words Bryan Phillips gives some comments on ferrarichat.com. "Sounds like a plausible theory. The Assembly Data Sheets indicate that 0562M was sold with 5.50x16s on the front and 6.50x16 on the rear, but this was after Ferrari rebuilt 0562 after the crash with the smaller tipo 111, 2 liter motor. This is especially timely as my father and I search for replacements for the original Engleberts (5.25x16 front, 6.00x16 rear) for 0556(0446)MD. Dad tells me, though, that he raced his 500 Mondial for 5 years with 6.00s on the front and 7.00s on the rear and never had any 'rollover' problem..."
Here is what says on brilliant 8W site in "Cursed natural talent" article: "...Only on that fateful Spring day of 1955 did Alberto's superstition catch up with him. The man who as a boy wanted to become a motorcycle racer - and indeed became one - momentarily forgot about his light blue crash helmet, that had been his racing talisman since 1951, when he and Villoresi swapped their cloth helmets for the hardened ones during the aftermath of Villoresi's accident at Geneva. Blue was Alberto's favourite colour - he had everything in blue including his azure blue motorcyclist's pudding basin helmet and his short-sleeved, open-necked, light blue woollen racing vest that he wore on top a pair of canvas trousers with front pockets.
Once, at Monza, his helmet was stolen. Immediately Alberto had the major newspapers print the story that he, the great champion, would retire on the spot if his helmet would not be returned within one week. It was returned the next day. Alberto was extremely religious about his helmet, as Gigi Villoresi remembers: "We had two boxes, where we kept our helmets, goggles, gloves, etc. They were both painted azure blue. NOBODY - not even Mietta - was allowed to touch Alberto's box, except himself. One day he was out lapping in the Ferrari, and I had need of a little piece of white cotton wool to put in my ears, because in those days we did not have noise-padded helmets, and I had forgotten to bring my own. So I opened his box. On top were a pair of gloves, which I moved ever so carefully. Then I took a little piece of cotton wool. Then I put everything back exactly as I had found it. He stopped at the pits, opened his box and said, 'Hey! Who's been mucking about with my things!'"
On 26 May 1955 the helmet was at the repair shop, having new chin strap fitted after the Monte Carlo debacle that saw Ascari's Lancia take a dip in the Monaco harbour. Present at a Monza test for Castellotti's new Ferrari sportscar, that he was to co-race with Eugenio in the Supercortemaggiore 1000kms race, having been given special dispensation by Lancia, he borrowed Castellotti's white helmet for a short spin around the circuit - just to see if his back wasn't bothering him too much after the Monaco incident. The helmet was too small for him. Then he put on Eugenio's gloves and goggles. And he didn't take off his tie that was knotted around a blue silk shirt. Gigi, who was watching from afar, himself consigned to racing a Maserati in the same event - the first time since a long time that he and "Ciccio" were to be rivals instead of teammates - was amazed by his friend's apparent forgetfulness of his strict set of superstitious rules that once saw him make a huge detour home after he saw a black cat crossing the road. It were black cats after all that had been the "cause" of two of his biggest road-racing mishaps in the 1948 Tour of Sicily and Mille Miglia.
Just minutes before Ascari had told Count Lurani who was also present that, "You, Gianni, also know that after a crash it is better to put yourself back behind the steering wheel as soon as possible." He would just do three or four slow laps, he explained to Castellotti. He never made it into the fourth lap. At Vialone the engine roar stopped and was followed by the ominous sound of metal sheet being torn up. The people in the pitlane had to brace themselves for an ugly sight at the moment they would reach the Ferrari wreck. The car was completely mangled but Alberto's lifeless body was in worse condition, too unpleasant to describe. When later a chicane was put in to slow down Vialone, it was appropriately renamed Curva Ascari."
In general there are several possible explanations of Alberto's fatal crash. One of them says that Ascari having had an undiagnosed concussion that led to a blackout when he was taking his third lap in 750 Monza 0562M that Castellotti was testing that day for Ferrari at the Monza track. Another theory says about either a workman or a dog crossing the track that Ascari had to dodge at the Vialone curve.
And there is also a theory from Hawthorn -- about the tires. In the Dec. 8, 2003 Autoweek was printed an article where it was written: "Hawthorn was sharing a 750 Monza with Umberto Maglioli [in the upcoming Supercortemaggiore 1000] and arrived at the track (Monza) about an hour after Ascari's crash. They had been unable to get 6.50x16 tires for the race and had to use 7.00x16s. Hawthorn said he had tried their car on these tires and in his first biography, Challenge Me the Race, he wrote, 'I found it very nasty indeed when I came to the Vialone Curve, where there were a lot of little ripples on the road surface. I came to the conclusion that the rims were too narrow for these tires and had them taken off my car. Where Ascari crashed there were long, broad, black tire marks, followed by marks of the wheel rims digging into the road. It seemed to me he probably changed into fifth just as he hit the ripples, the car started to slide, the tires rolled under and the rims gouged into the road, causing it to somersault...'"
About these Hawthorn's words Bryan Phillips gives some comments on ferrarichat.com. "Sounds like a plausible theory. The Assembly Data Sheets indicate that 0562M was sold with 5.50x16s on the front and 6.50x16 on the rear, but this was after Ferrari rebuilt 0562 after the crash with the smaller tipo 111, 2 liter motor. This is especially timely as my father and I search for replacements for the original Engleberts (5.25x16 front, 6.00x16 rear) for 0556(0446)MD. Dad tells me, though, that he raced his 500 Mondial for 5 years with 6.00s on the front and 7.00s on the rear and never had any 'rollover' problem..."
#8
D-Type
-
- 9,703 posts
- Joined: February 03
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 17:08
The photos posted above show two equal length tyre marks. If the Hawthorn theory were correct, surely there would only be one skid mark from the tyre that had rolled off the rim?
Two tyre marks suggest locked wheels either from heavy braking or transmission lock-up. I have never seen any suggestion of a 'frozen' transmission. I somehow can't picture a driver of Ascari's calibre locking up the wheels under braking and sliding off without taking any corrective action.
Are we sure that these tyre marks were caused by Ascari? There are other fainter marks in the photo.
Possibly the dark tyre marks are from locked up fronts as he desperately tried to brake and the fainter marks are the rear yre and rim marks that Hawthorn refers to.
However, no matter how much we may speculate, we have to accept that Hawthorn was there on the day it happened, clearly thought about what had happened and has recorded what he saw and the conclusions he drew.
I'm posting from work and will look at what Ferrari wrote in his memoirs, although as we have seen previously his view of things is sometimes suspect.
Two tyre marks suggest locked wheels either from heavy braking or transmission lock-up. I have never seen any suggestion of a 'frozen' transmission. I somehow can't picture a driver of Ascari's calibre locking up the wheels under braking and sliding off without taking any corrective action.
Are we sure that these tyre marks were caused by Ascari? There are other fainter marks in the photo.
Possibly the dark tyre marks are from locked up fronts as he desperately tried to brake and the fainter marks are the rear yre and rim marks that Hawthorn refers to.
However, no matter how much we may speculate, we have to accept that Hawthorn was there on the day it happened, clearly thought about what had happened and has recorded what he saw and the conclusions he drew.
I'm posting from work and will look at what Ferrari wrote in his memoirs, although as we have seen previously his view of things is sometimes suspect.
#9
ReWind
-
- 3,404 posts
- Joined: October 03
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 17:38
Obviously David is too modest a person as to shove his summary of Alberto Ascari's career results here (posts # 8, 9, 10) under our noses.
#10
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 18:55
No, not too modestOriginally posted by ReWind
Obviously David is too modest a person as to shove his summary of Alberto Ascari's career results here (posts # 8, 9, 10) under our noses.
Forgetful, more like :
#11
aldo
-
- 135 posts
- Joined: January 03
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 20:58
Tomorrow, Saturday May 28, 2005, i.e. 50 years and 2 days after the Monza accident, we of Aisa (Italian Association of Automobile Historians) will held the only celebration of Alberto Ascari in his hometown Milano, so sadly unable to remember its best citizens of a not too far away past.
At the Automobile Club di Milano HQs (Alberto was a member and many years social champion), we'll run one of the Aisa Conference, focused on Alberto Ascari.
We have the confirmed presence of most of the few surviving witnesses of his life and career: besides his sons Patrizia and Tonino; Giulio Borsari, Ener Vecchi, Pasquale Cassani, Ferrari mechanichs; Umberto Masetti, world motorbike champion and his personal friend; Romolo Tavoni, Ferrari team manager; Maria Teresa de Filippis, racing driver; Giorgio Valentini, designer; Enrico Benzing, Mario Fossati, journalists who knew and interviewed him.
Gianni Cancellieri is the chairman, and Cesare de Agostini delivers the keynote speech. He is the author, together with Cancellieri, of the first comprehensive biography of Alberto, to be presented tomorrow, published by Giorgio Nada Editore. The book will also be available in the English edition.
The proceedings of the conference will be published in our Website: www.aisastoryauto.it
At the Automobile Club di Milano HQs (Alberto was a member and many years social champion), we'll run one of the Aisa Conference, focused on Alberto Ascari.
We have the confirmed presence of most of the few surviving witnesses of his life and career: besides his sons Patrizia and Tonino; Giulio Borsari, Ener Vecchi, Pasquale Cassani, Ferrari mechanichs; Umberto Masetti, world motorbike champion and his personal friend; Romolo Tavoni, Ferrari team manager; Maria Teresa de Filippis, racing driver; Giorgio Valentini, designer; Enrico Benzing, Mario Fossati, journalists who knew and interviewed him.
Gianni Cancellieri is the chairman, and Cesare de Agostini delivers the keynote speech. He is the author, together with Cancellieri, of the first comprehensive biography of Alberto, to be presented tomorrow, published by Giorgio Nada Editore. The book will also be available in the English edition.
The proceedings of the conference will be published in our Website: www.aisastoryauto.it
#12
D-Type
-
- 9,703 posts
- Joined: February 03
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 22:31
What a brilliant site!
If only I understood Italian - or they translated more of it into English. Please!
If only I understood Italian - or they translated more of it into English. Please!
#13
panzani
-
- 18,732 posts
- Joined: September 03
Member
Posted 27 May 2005 - 22:55
David,
I've used data from this page on my post. I apologise if it is incorrect. My forix access finished together with my Atlas subscription - this way I cannot check their data - and I've been using the gpracing site as my main source for statistics because I thought they were correct and well displayed. It seems I might be wrong, though...
I've used data from this page on my post. I apologise if it is incorrect. My forix access finished together with my Atlas subscription - this way I cannot check their data - and I've been using the gpracing site as my main source for statistics because I thought they were correct and well displayed. It seems I might be wrong, though...
#14
humphries
-
- 931 posts
- Joined: February 03
Member
Posted 28 May 2005 - 10:51
Just looking through David's list on the other thread and I can add 3 races to Alberto Ascari's race record.
He competed in the 1940 Targa Florio (23 May) that was held in Palermo for 1500cc racing cars but crashed his Maserati 4CL.
On the 5 Oct 1947 he retired (brake pipe) from the GP Lausanne, again with a Maserati 4CL.
Finally he won the San Remo GP on 22 April 1951 with a Ferrari 375.
Also I think his race in the Ferrari 166MM at Silverstone was on 26 August rather than 16th.
John
He competed in the 1940 Targa Florio (23 May) that was held in Palermo for 1500cc racing cars but crashed his Maserati 4CL.
On the 5 Oct 1947 he retired (brake pipe) from the GP Lausanne, again with a Maserati 4CL.
Finally he won the San Remo GP on 22 April 1951 with a Ferrari 375.
Also I think his race in the Ferrari 166MM at Silverstone was on 26 August rather than 16th.
John
#15
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 28 May 2005 - 11:10
The key point is that there were no world championship F1 events in 1952 or 1953Originally posted by panzani
David,
I've used data from this page on my post. I apologise if it is incorrect. My forix access finished together with my Atlas subscription - this way I cannot check their data - and I've been using the gpracing site as my main source for statistics because I thought they were correct and well displayed. It seems I might be wrong, though...
(unless you want to count Indianapolis)
#16
panzani
-
- 18,732 posts
- Joined: September 03
Member
Posted 28 May 2005 - 22:39
Well, in that case those two small acronyms I've put in italics, between 32 and GPs, in my original post, now make some sense, don't they?
If the data is correct, as per FIA's written or re-written history, or whatever - and the key point is this is a thread to make Alberto Ascari's 50 years passing remembered - why shouldn't we just farewell and miss him, instead of going into nomenklatur issues, and ironical smiles, that have been discussed in zillions of still active threads before? Just for once?
The simple fact is that he was damn good, and statistics, at least in this case, are clear as crystal.
P.S. By the way I have a 44MB Alberto's video, mpeg formatted, and I can send it to anyone interested, or upload it to someone's FTP place. Caveat: I do not know its copyrights though.
If the data is correct, as per FIA's written or re-written history, or whatever - and the key point is this is a thread to make Alberto Ascari's 50 years passing remembered - why shouldn't we just farewell and miss him, instead of going into nomenklatur issues, and ironical smiles, that have been discussed in zillions of still active threads before? Just for once?
The simple fact is that he was damn good, and statistics, at least in this case, are clear as crystal.
P.S. By the way I have a 44MB Alberto's video, mpeg formatted, and I can send it to anyone interested, or upload it to someone's FTP place. Caveat: I do not know its copyrights though.
#17
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 29 May 2005 - 05:16
Point 1:
No, he raced in 34 FIA F1 races in the period, not 32, and won three of them, not 13.
Point 2:
Ascari's F1 record, championship and non-championship, was not outstanding, though he dominated F2 (points races and others) when the Ferrari was far superior to anything else.
I have no wish to detract from the man's reputation, but - as you say - the statistics are crystal clear
No, he raced in 34 FIA F1 races in the period, not 32, and won three of them, not 13.
Point 2:
Ascari's F1 record, championship and non-championship, was not outstanding, though he dominated F2 (points races and others) when the Ferrari was far superior to anything else.
I have no wish to detract from the man's reputation, but - as you say - the statistics are crystal clear
#19
Rob29
-
- 3,582 posts
- Joined: January 01
Member
Posted 24 April 2006 - 11:34
No you can't count Indianapolis as it was not F1 either,allowed 3 litre supercharged engines.Originally posted by David McKinney
The key point is that there were no world championship F1 events in 1952 or 1953
Advertisement
#20
R.W. Mackenzie
-
- 373 posts
- Joined: July 02
Member
Posted 05 March 2011 - 15:07
This picture shows Ferrari 750 Monza s/n 0562M which if correct means it is the same car Ascari was driving at the time of his fatal crash at Monza on 26 May 1955.
WARNING!!! THIS PICTURE GRAPHICALLY DEPICTS A CAR INVOLVED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT THAT HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY RESTORED TO PRISTINE CONDITION!
This picture comes from this page:
http://www.finecars....l...1&tx_ttnews
If it is the car from Ascari's accident then I'm surprised so little fuss is made about it. It only says in its history of this chassis that "it was repaired after a Monza accident and a 500 Mondial engine installed".
Bob Mackenzie
WARNING!!! THIS PICTURE GRAPHICALLY DEPICTS A CAR INVOLVED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT THAT HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY RESTORED TO PRISTINE CONDITION!
This picture comes from this page:
http://www.finecars....l...1&tx_ttnews
If it is the car from Ascari's accident then I'm surprised so little fuss is made about it. It only says in its history of this chassis that "it was repaired after a Monza accident and a 500 Mondial engine installed".
Bob Mackenzie
#21
AAA-Eagle
-
- 1,044 posts
- Joined: July 04
Member
Posted 06 March 2011 - 07:42
Yes, that's the very car, Bob. Look also here for the chassis' race data: http://www.barchetta....500mondial.htm
#22
R.W. Mackenzie
-
- 373 posts
- Joined: July 02
Member
Posted 06 March 2011 - 14:23
Yes, that's the very car, Bob. Look also here for the chassis' race data: http://www.barchetta....500mondial.htm
Thanks AAR-Eagle. I missed that page when I was searching for more info.
It's still amazes me when a chassis this significant just disappears off the face of the earth for fifteen years and then pops up in some obscure place and condition.
Bob Mackenzie
