68 replies to this topic

[tyrrellp34]

Today 20 years ago Bruno Giacomelli had his bigest moment in Formula 1. He put his Alfa Romeo 179 on pole-position for the USA GP in Watkins Glen. Later he was pushed to retire caused by political reasons.

Stefan

tyrrellp34@hotmail.com

[Don Capps]

Ah, you mean Jock O'Malley! Yes!

[Megatron]

What were the "political reasons" for him retiring? I always thought he was pretty talented, but he left Alfa, tested for Leyton House in early 1990, then went to Life.....

[Rob Ryder]

Don

Surely you mean JACK O'Malley



Rob[p][Edited by Rob Ryder on 01-14-2001]

[Marcel Schot]

Originally posted by Megatron
then went to Life.....

Considering the state of that team, "went to life" might be a bit of a strange way of saying it, "went to sleep" is probably better. Poor Giacomelli. He sort of suffered the same fate as Andrea de Cesaris : enough talent, but obstructed by lack of decent material.

[fines]

Well, about the "political reasons": I seem to remember he was a member of the Italian Communist Party...

[Don Capps]

Rob,

Originaly it was "Jock" but got changed along the line somewhere. I still think it is funny!

[Ray Bell]

He achieved real fame a few weeks later, ran second in the Australian Grand Prix... at the shortest circuit on which the event had ever been run... and the first time the race had officially included F1 cars. Jones won...

[Rob Ryder]

Don

Jock or Jack it is still funny! Did you notice the Guinness beer mat under the name on the car?

The picture is from 1978 (Motor Sport magazine) when the mechanics 're-named' Bruno's M26, Italy I think. That must have been when Team McLaren had a sense of humour???

Didn't Bruno do some Champ Car racing in the late 80's? I am sure I have seen a picture of him at Long Beach.

Rob

[Marcel Schot]

Bruno indeed was in CART:

1984:
2 races
5 points
102 laps
192.420 miles

1985:
9 races
32 points
739 laps
1339.783 miles

[Jhope]

looking through my 1986 CART media guide, i see his name is pronounced Jock-oh-MELL-ee. pretty close to how Don was pronouncing his name.

pretty impressive junior record if I might add.
began racing Formula Fords in Italy in 1972
spent two years in the military and won his first race in 1974
won the Italian Formula title in 1975
won the British Formula 3 title in 1976
race for the March Formula 2 team in 1977 and went on to drive for MacLaren later that year.
Won the 1978 Formula 2 title in a March BMW, and picked up 8 wins from 10 pole positions.

[Darren Galpin]

Giacomelli, Bruno (I)

b 10/9/1952 (Borgo Poncarale)






1972 - Italian F.Ford (Tecno)
1973 - Italian Military Service
1974 - Formula Italia, 1 win (Mugello)
1975 - Formula Italia, Champion
1976 - British Shellsport F3 champion (79 pts), British BP F3: 2nd (74 pts).
Won Monaco F3 GP
1977 - retired Italian GP (McLaren). F2 (Euroracing March-Hart), 3 wins
(Vallelunga, Mugello, Donington)
1978 - 5 F1 GP (McLaren), 0 points. F2 (Factory March-BMW) champion, 78 pts.
8 wins (Thruxton, Hockenheim x2, Pau, Rouen, Nogaro, Enna, Misano).
Won Italian F2 championship.
1979 - 4 F1 GP (Autodelta), 0 points. BMW M1 Pro-car championship.
1980 - 14 F1 GP (Alfa Romeo), 4 points, J17th. (5th Argentina, Germany)
1981 - 15 F1 GP (Alfa Romeo), 7 points, 15th. (4th Canada, 3rd Las Vegas)
1982 - 16 F1 GP (Alfa Romeo), 2 points, J22nd. (5th Germany)
1983 - 15 F1 GP (Toleman), 1 point (6th European GP). DNQ Monaco
1984 - Indycar
1985 - Indycar (Patrick March Cosworth)
1986 - World Sports Prototype & Interserie championships (Kremer Porsche 962
& Mussato Action Car Lancia LC2). Crashed at Zeltweg Interserie race,
and withdrew for rest of season
1987 - World Touring Car Championship (Maserati Biturbo). Drove in Monza
1000km (Richard Lloyd Racing Porsche 962)
1988 - Sportscars (Kremer Porsche), 9th Le Mans. Japanese Group C (Kremer
Porsche 962) with K.Nissen, 1st Fuji 1000km. Test driver for Alfa
Romeo Indycar project
1989 - Sportscars. Alfa Romeo Indycar test driver, Leyton House March F1 test
driver.
1990 - 12 F1 attempts (Life), DNPQ=12. Sportscars: Drove Le Mans for
Richard Lloyd Racing (Porsche 962), finished 3rd Silverstone and
5th Donington for Spice.
1991 - Sabbatical
1992 - Sabbatical - raising finance
1993 - Touring cars (BMW M3 GTR): Drove in Nurburgring 24 Hrs
1995 - GT Championship (Porsche 911 Turbo)
1998 - Porsche Supercup
Apr 25 Imola >10th
May 24 Monaco 8th, 29m32.23
Jul 11 Silverstone >10th
Jul 26 A1-Ring >10th
Aug 2 Hockenheim >10th




http://www.silhouet....s/giacomel.html

[tyrrellp34]

I think Bruno was driving in 1977 and 1978 when he was with McLaren the "old" M23 NOT the M26!!!!

[Roger Clark]

I remeber that Jackie Stewart, who was a pretty good judge of a driver, and never one to be liberal with his praises, rated Giacomelli very highly in his F3 days.

[Barry Lake]

Jack O'Malley wasn't the only "Irish" driver of the era. Doesn't anyone remember Jack Lafferty?
He's the one whose wife put visor cleaner in his eyes prior to driving. The way some people get their kicks!
Personally I would rather have that golfer's wife who kisses his balls for luck before he tees off.
(Where did I read that in the last couple of days? I thought I'd only had time to read Nostalgia Forum.)

[Rob Ryder]

In the Italian of '77 Bruno did drive an M23, but for the '78 season he DID have the M26 - pictured below in Holland

[p][Edited by Rob Ryder on 01-14-2001]

[Eric McLoughlin]

I thought the "Jack O'Malley" tag dated back to his F2 days. Did he race in a team run by Irishman Derek McMahon? That would have been around 1977. I'm sure that's where the name originated.

[Ray Bell]

Probably did... who came up with Jack Lafferty though?

[tyrrellp34]

Bruno or Panda.

[MoMurray]

Derek McMahon was the mentor of Derek Daly, financing his successfull British F3 campaign in 1977 after Daly had won the FF Festival in '76. When Daly moved up to F2 in 1978 in an ICI backed Chevron run by Guy Edwards and partly sponsored by McMahon, his nemesis was Jack O'Malley. I also remember the ruse and as Daly was also driving F1 in 1978 for Ensign, I would suspect that the Daly / McMahon partnership were at least accessories to the crime. Incidentally, Daly and McMahon were recently reunited at a celebration of Irish F1 involvement at Stormont castle outside of Belfast. Every driver from the Island of Ireland (North and South) was invited to compete in a Goodwood type hillclimb up the driveway of the castle. Daly drove a 1983 Williams (He raced for Williams in 1982).

[Spot]

McLaren - wasn't that the team who put John What's Wrong? on one of their other cars in 1980?

[jarama]

The McLaren drivers during the '80 season were Alain Prost and John Watson, indeed.

[deangelis86]

Bruno Giacomelli:

"Italian comedian who never got to grips with F1"

Can't recall where I read that - but sums it up quite well.

PS - I though it was "Uncle Jack Lafferty" ??

[tyrrellp34]

Who can tell me, what Jack O` Malley is doing now?

[Ray Bell]

Perhaps he's taking a course at Clay Regazzoni's school...?

[tyrrellp34]

Now, it is 21 yeas ago that my big Idol Bruno Giacomelli had his big day at the Glen... with Pole Position and a fabulous race....

[LittleChris]

From what I remember, Bruno could also have won the BP F3 British Championship in 1976 but Rupert Keegan had him off the road in the last race and thus Keegan won the Championship ( I think he later admitted to doing it - Maybe he was the original Schumey !! )

[Keir]

Talk about bringing threads back from nowhere!!!
I remember well, Bruno's big day at the "Glen", I got to see it "up close and personal!" Too bad he didn't win!!

[Barry Boor]

Wouldn't it be great if Bruno was able to read this thread????

[Richard Jenkins]

Originally posted by Barry Boor
Wouldn't it be great if Bruno was able to read this thread????

;);)
Yes it wouldn't it??!
;)

[William Hunt]

Originally posted by Megatron
What were the "political reasons" for him retiring? I always thought he was pretty talented, but he left Alfa, tested for Leyton House in early 1990, then went to Life.....

Did he really test for Leyton House , can anyone confirm this , does anyone have a picture of Bruno in the March ? I do remember Andrew Gilbert-Scott testing for them but Bruno ?

As for the political reason, whar reasons ?

[tyrrellp34]

Barry;
I am for 100% sure he is reading this thread!
Am I right, Bruno?

[mhferrari]

Good ol' Bruno!

Definetly deserved better than a Life.

[tyrrellp34]

Bruno Giacomelli have had always good connections to Japan and ... by the way... the main sponsor of March Leyton House was the Japanese company of a very good friend of B. G. who was out of F1 for 6 years at this point. Later the Japanese business man was arrested in Jail and also Bruno was again out, but he was working very well with Adrian Newey. They have developed together the high nose cone version and the active suspension for March. Meanwhile he was also (try) to drive the Life (disaster) project...

I MISS DRIVER LIKE BRUNO GIACOMELLI (CALLED THE PANDA) IN FORMULA 1 !!!!

[William Hunt]

Dear Tyrrell P34 , what do U mean with (quote) : ...and also Bruno was again out... ?

[William Hunt]

BTW when and where did he test or Leyton House, does anyone have a picture of Bruno in the March (one of my favourite cars) ?

[tyrrellp34]

I mean out of Formula 1!

He was testing for March from 1989 (autumn) until 1990. And I am sure if some of the drivers would not be able to drive he would have make a good performance!
The car was nice. Ivan Capelli was quick at Le Castellet and Suzuka in 1990
There must be a picture in the book “march, the formula1 and indy cars” but there is for sure a discretion of Bruno’s efforts for March as F2 driver in 1977 and 1978, and as test driver.

[William Hunt]

For one moment I thought U meant ... out of jail...

[tyrrellp34]

I just know that Depailler was once arrested in jail caused of speeding on the road to Watkins Glen in 1974

[tyrrellp34]

Now (today), it's 22 years ago!!!

[Megatron]

He always wore a Leyton House sticker on his helment when he was push...err...driving around in the Life.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by tyrrellp34
I MISS DRIVER LIKE BRUNO GIACOMELLI (CALLED THE PANDA) IN FORMULA 1 !!!!

Was Bruno called the Panda? I always thought Claudio Langes (of record number of DNPQs fame) was the Panda.

[tyrrellp34]

I just know how Bruno was called by Ing. Chiti since 1979.

The Panda bear!

[Patrick Italiano]

Originally posted by William Hunt


As for the political reason, what reasons ?

The question has been answered only a few days/weeks ago.

See: http://www.atlasf1.c...&threadid=47812

[tyrrellp34]

Hello Patrick Italiano!

Do you already have scanned the Giacomelli cartoon with the communist flag on his helmet?

[Stefan Schmidt]

Today, it is 25 years ago

All the very best wishes, Bruno!

[Jerome]

Hmm...

If Bruno Giacomelli had been as good as Aerton Senna he might well have been member of the Satanist Church... a contract he would have received...

Give me a break fella's. That year with Toleman he was well and truly 2nd driver... not on merrit, but just because Derek Warwick was there, who was considered the next best (british) thing after toasted bread... and who had been member of the team since the years they could qualify for races once in every eight races or so...

The story of him losing a drive because of his communist background true nor not, is either a myth or a once flimsy excuse from a teamowner who was too yellow to say: 'Bruno, I don't think you are good enough...'

Bruno was a very talented driver... but in the end his overall package was not good enough. But happy birthday, anyways!

[Rob Ryder]

Nice post Jerome.Inen
Especially into a thread that was started to celebrate/remember a true racer and a man who LOVED the sport... Results, Championships and God-Given talent are not the only criteria for being remembered by the members of this enlightened forum...
Rob

[philippe7]

Well said Rob

Ps : Who is "Aerton" Senna by the way ???

[Stefan Schmidt]

Sorry, I meant his drive in Watkins Glen 1980, not his birthday