274 replies to this topic

[speedmaster]

especially sad for us, old timers

[Twin Window]

That is the most distressing [racing] news I've heard in a long while.

I'm completely speechless...

[corrado]

Un saluto ad un eroe di quando ero bambino

RIP, Clay . . . .

[Tim Murray]

I thought I was too old to start shedding tears over the death of a racing driver, but I was wrong. I thought Nigel Roebuck's comment in the link posted earlier was very true:

Quote

That was the essential modesty of a man who had class to throw away.

Farewell, Clay. How I wish you could have won that championship in '74.

[Craven Morehead]

Really sad news, can't even put it into words.



RIP Regga

[David Birchall]

So sad, how many was he a role model for?
I never met him, never saw him race but always admired his style.

[Stoatspeed]

This is terribly sad .... "Regga" was on pole for the first GP I ever attended (Silverstone 1971), led the first few laps and looked set for 2nd until he lost the engine .....

I also followed the fortunes of Ickx and Regazzoni as partners in the 312PB - great car and a great team ...

RIP, Clay

[Maldwyn]

Very, very sad news.

RIP Regga

[SilverArrowF1]

I have never heard, read, seen, met or even knew of this man until today.

In just this small amount of time I feel we have all lost someone truly great, and at the same time I realized how robot minded drivers have become.


May God keep you, and bless you Clay. Even though I never knew you, I will always remember you.


Hail the victorious dead.

[M Needforspeed]

http://memoiresdesta...eter_02_03.html


hey I just missed him at The Circuits des remparts d Angouleme 2004 .he participed in so many historic events

I like the idea of Chris Amon stating in the ferrari days he was faster than Jacky Ickx ...

a great great incredible fighter on the track that leave

i remember vividly the astounding 1974 F1 season , one of the most disputed , if not the most, for the postwar era....and he beat team mate Lauda

[Pablo Vignone]

Did he race for the last time in the BPR GT series in 1996?

[petefenelon]

RIP Clay.

What he achieved after his accident was even more astonishing than the first-class career in the sport before it.

A truly brave and tough man and a real sportsman.

[Tmeranda]

I am truly beside myself. He was always my hero, either behind the wheel or in his wheel chair. True grit always shows. RIP.

[EVO2]

With the late Pedro Rodriguez and Ronnie Peterson, Clay Regazzoni was one of my great heroes.

F1 drivers that also drove sports cars, especially at LeMans, were always a breed apart and to drive at over 200mph on the Mulsanne took a special kind of bravery - Once I walked across country for several hours just to stand behind the Armco on the outside of the Kink. I was only there for a few minutes in the middle of the night and that was more than enough to scare me !

If there was any justice we should still be seeing these guys enjoying themselves driving at Goodwood.

A very sad loss.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Fair near fell out of my chair...

As always when I visit TNF, I immediately scrolled down the lead page to pick up the latest posts and as usual, too, didn't even note the lead items. Calmly picked up the latest on the Andretti-Alpha thread, the myster Eagle, a couple more, too, then...

The sentiments expressed here speak for themselves. Thank you for fond memories, Regga.

[Rob Ryder]

I saw him race many times in Ferrari and my favourite BRM.. thanks for the memories.

RIP Clay

[Ray Bell]

As everyone has said, sad news...

Recall when he arrived on the scene, his name was a new one just like that of Ignazio Giunti. Endearing names, and Clay went on to become a very endearing person.

Let's just save this for when the link at the start of the thread goes dead:

[Hugo Boecker]

a very sad day

[Isamu77]

RIP Mr Regazzoni

[Alan Cox]

One of my all-time favourites and someone who was always dignified following his enforced retirement from GP racing. I shall miss him.

[Rockford]

Clay is a worthy entry in Nigel Roebuck's Grand Prix Greats, which includes this lovely quote from Frank Williams:

"Clay is an absolute gentleman - very different from most racing drivers. A man who genuinely loves motor racing for its own sake. A totally adorable character."

Amen to that.

[Andretti Fan]

Reggazoni wasn't just a race car driver, he was the embodiment of the word "Racer". Truly one of the last of the old school racers, before commercialization and money took over. There are only a few left like him.

R I P Regga!

[jorism]

Did Clay have any near relatives?

[MrMacca]

Terrible terrible news - spoilt my whole day.

One of those guys who was proud to have 'racing driver' listed as his profession in his passport - a racer through and through.

RIP Regga.


Paul M

[Cirrus]

Quote

hey I just missed him at The Circuits des remparts d Angouleme 2004 .he participed in so many historic events

He was also at Angouleme in 2006, but sadly did not race the Mustang as intended. The weather was awful at Angouleme on Saturday, but Clay was there with his team, graciously signing autographs and chatting with fans.

Two great Regazzoni memories, for me - Monza 1970, and that win out of the blue.

Silverstone 1979 - Everybody thought that AJ would supply the inevitable first win for Williams, but to me, Clay Regazzoni's win was more appropriate. Two mavericks finally came good together.

And AJ got his share later.

RIP Gianclaudio - a terribly sad loss.....

[Mark Bennett]

I saw him win at Silverstone, and somehow "froze" when I tried to take a photo of him going past on the winners lorry (those were the days !)

Fast forward to this year, and I met him at the top of the Klaussenpass at this years memorial run.

I told him about not managing to take the photo at Silverstone, and asked if he minded a photo now. No problem! He was happy to oblige

A real gentleman. And an inspiration to people of limited mobility. Watching him pilot his Daytona up the run at an incredible speed over the weekend was amazing

Really sad to read of todays accident.

[911]

RIP, Clay. I'm glad I had the chance to meet you once. Forza, Clay.

[Rockford]

That's a lovely picture Mark. Thank you.

[flat-16]

The BBC Report


Justin

[Jack-the-Lad]

Sad and shocking. May Regga rest in peace....

Jack

[Vitesse2]

I really can't put my feelings into words.

RIP Clay.

[gdecarli]

Ciao Clay!

[f1steveuk]

I've been out all day, logged on and saw this, it's bloody awful. To have overcome so much and this, what a terrible shame, I'm truely shocked. Formula One in recent years hasn't produced many gentlemen, but Clay was just that, and a man who raced because he loved too. God speed and thank you.

[D-Type]

I've come onto the forum after a weekaway and ifind this. I've read the whole thread and all i would like to say has benn said.

What can I add?
If a driver has to die then it is appropriate to die at the wheel.

Ciao Clay!

[Haine Kane]

I just know this sad new in the french forum "motorlegend"

Ciao Clay.

[Chuck Skowron]

A tremendous loss. One of the true sportsmen in auto racing.

I can't help but notice how much Clay's life is intertwined with the man who rescued him from his burning car in South Africa 1973, Mike "The Bike" Hailwood.

Both drivers' F1 careers were ended by severe race accidents.

They were heroic, Hailwood rescuing Clay in Kyalami; and Regazzoni, a face of dignity and content in spite of his disability.

And now, after they survived a terribly dangerous era in motorsport, both drivers lost their lives in common road accidents.

Godspeed Clay Regazzoni, (and Mike Hailwood).

[Vitesse2]

The same thought had occurred to me, Chuck.

[Bill Becketts]

A generation passes away.

More proof, if proof were needed, that a whole style of living and enjoying life, has moved on...

to a much lower"Common denominator" way of existing.

Thank you Clay, for the fire in your belly and the warmth of your heart.

[sterling49]

I have been travelling all day, no mention heard on the bulletins I only found out when I logged on, so unexpected and so very sad to read this news, thanks for the great days Clay, God Bless You.

[M Needforspeed]

and it' s difficult not to remember in that very sad day Clay parallel fate with another FORMER FERRARI DRIVER :

1 in Italy

2 at the wheel

3 and hurting a lorry


.... a certain MICHAEL PARKES

[Sc. Serrenissima]

Hard news

RIP

[D-Type]

Quote

Originally posted by D-Type
I've come onto the forum after a week away and I find this. I've read the whole thread and all I would like to say has been said.

What can I add?
If a driver has to die then it is appropriate to die at the wheel.

Ciao Clay!

[MattFoster]

Ciao Regga

Thanks for the memories

[MCH]

Ciao Clay

Thanks.

[swede917]

Seems hard to believe it was over 30 years ago at my first Grand Prix in Long Beach, that was Clay's day, Pole Position, Fast Lap and lead every lap!

Thanks for that great memory, God speed Clay!

[Lada Lover]

Mark Bennet,

Thanks for sharing that photo of Clay and yourself. Clay's Ferrari is fantastic and I use the same wheelchair as Clay but I drive an NSX. Clay drove an NSX for Honda only a few years ago.

[Cobra]

A terrible loss indeed, RIP Regazzoni and race em' hard in that big circuit in the sky

[jj2728]

I really am at a loss here. I have tears welling up in my eyes. Thoughts of being a wide eyed 20 something-year-old at the Glen Motor Court Inn being able to somehow wrangle myself to the same table where Clay, Niki, and Luca were having breakfast, speaking a few perfunctionary words of admiration in Italian and then actually being invited to join them....this happened to me twice at a USGP weekend. Clay to me was a drivers' driver and a hero to me. This one really hits hard.

John

[Scuderia SSS]

How very sad
It wasnt that long ago that i was discussing photos of Clay with Mo Nunn, and was eagerly awaiting a reply e-mail from Clay.
A great guy, a great driver
RIP big guy!!

photo credit - Nigel Snowden

[HP]

He was the initial reason for my interest into Formula1. A great man, terrible loss

A few pics. Mind you, there are two pics from car wrecks, the one that made him paralyzed, the other where he got killed)

http://www.tagesanze...html?position=1