1.
Italy
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Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino, Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate and Mediterranean climate. Due to its shape, it is referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state, the Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom, which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity. The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe, bringing a renewed interest in humanism, science, exploration, Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars, artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France, Spain and Austria. Despite being one of the victors in World War I, Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil. The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in defeat, economic destruction. Today, Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and it has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy. The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, military, cultural and diplomatic affairs, as a reflection of its cultural wealth, Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites, the most in the world, and is the fifth most visited country. The assumptions on the etymology of the name Italia are very numerous, according to one of the more common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning land of young cattle. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The name Italia originally applied only to a part of what is now Southern Italy – according to Antiochus of Syracuse, but by his time Oenotria and Italy had become synonymous, and the name also applied to most of Lucania as well. The Greeks gradually came to apply the name Italia to a larger region, excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other ancient Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily, the Roman legacy has deeply influenced the Western civilisation, shaping most of the modern world
2.
Monza
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Monza listen is a city and comune on the River Lambro, a tributary of the Po in the Lombardy region of Italy, about 15 kilometres north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza, Monza is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, which hosts the Formula One Italian Grand Prix. On 11 June 2004 Monza was designated the capital of the new province of Monza and Brianza, the new administrative arrangement came fully into effect in summer 2009, previously, Monza was a comune within the province of Milan. Monza is the third-largest city of Lombardy and is the most important economic, industrial and administrative centre of the Brianza area, supporting a textile industry, Monza also hosts a Department of the University of Milan Bicocca, a Court of Justice and several offices of regional administration. Monza Park is one of the largest urban parks in Europe, Monza is located in the high plains of Lombardy, between Brianza and Milan, at an altitude of 162 metres above sea level. It is 15 kilometres from the centre of the capital, although when considering the cities borders. Monza is about 40 km from Lecco and Como, Monza shares its position with Milan in the same metro area, and is a big part of its new province. Monza is crossed north to south by the River Lambro. The river enters Monza from the north, between Via Aliprandi and Via Zanzi streets and this is an artificial fork of the river, created for defensive purposes in the early decades of the 14th century. The fork is known as Lambretto and it rejoins the main course of the Lambro as it exits to the south, another artificial stream is the Canale Villoresi, which was constructed in the late 19th century. Precipitation is abundant, with most occurring in the autumn and the least in winter and summer, despite this, during the Roman Empire, Monza was known as Modicia. During the 3rd century BCE, the Romans subdued the Insubres, a Gallo-Celtic tribe, perhaps the Insubres themselves, founded a village on the Lambro. The ruins of a Roman bridge named Ponte dArena can be seen near todays Ponte dei Leoni, Theodelinda, daughter of Garibald I of Bavaria and wife of the Lombard king Authari, chose Monza as her summer residence. Here in 595 she founded an oraculum dedicated to St. John the Baptist, according to this legend, the medieval name of Monza, Modoetia, is derived from these two words. She also had a palace built here, berengar I of Italy located his headquarters in Monza. A fortified castrum was constructed to resist the incursions of the Hungarians, under Berengars reign, Monza enjoyed a certain degree of independence, it had its own system of weights and measures, and could also seize property and mark the deeds with their signatures. Berengar was very evident by the donation of numerous works to the Monza Cathedral, including the famous cross. In 980 Monza hosted Emperor Otto II inside the walled city, the Glossary of Monza, one of the earliest examples of the evolution of Italian language, probably dates to the early 10th century
3.
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
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The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the city of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. Built in 1922, it is the worlds third purpose-built motor racing circuit after those of Brooklands, the circuits biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix. With the exception of 1980, the race has been hosted there since the seriess inception, the circuit is generally flat, but has a gradual gradient from the second Lesmos to the Variante Ascari. Since both maximum power and minimal drag are keys for speed on the straights, only competitors with enough power or aerodynamic efficiency at their disposal are able to challenge for the top places. In addition to Formula One, the hosts a endurance event, the 1000 km Monza, which has been run as part of the World Sportscar Championship. Current major events are races of the World Touring Car Championship, the Monza circuit has been the site of many fatal accidents, especially in the early years of the Formula One world championship, and has claimed the lives of 52 drivers and 35 spectators. The first track was built from May to July 1922 by 3,500 workers, the initial form was a 3.4 square kilometres site with 10 kilometres of macadamised road – comprising a 4.5 kilometres loop track, and a 5.5 kilometres road track. The track was opened on 3 September 1922, with the maiden race the second Italian Grand Prix held on 10 September 1922. In 1928, the most serious Italian racing accident to date ended in the death of driver Emilio Materassi and 27 spectators at that years Grand Prix, the accident led to further Grand Prix races confinement to the high-speed loop until 1932. The 1933 race was marked by the deaths of three drivers and the Grand Prix layout was changed, with two chicanes added and the longer straights removed. There was major rebuilding in 1938–39, constructing new stands and entrances, resurfacing the track, moving portions of the track, the resulting layout gave a Grand Prix lap of 6.300 kilometres, in use until 1954. The outbreak of World War II meant racing at the track was suspended until 1948, Monza was renovated over a period of two months at the beginning of 1948 and a Grand Prix was held on 17 October 1948. In 1954, work began to revamp the circuit, resulting in a 5.750 kilometres course. The two circuits could be combined to re-create the former 10 kilometres long circuit, with cars running parallel on the main straight, the track infrastructure was also updated and improved to better accommodate the teams and spectators. The Automobile Club of Italy held 500-mile Race of Two Worlds exhibition competitions, intended to pit United States Auto Club IndyCars against European Formula One and sports cars. The races were held on the oval at the end of June in 1957 and 1958, ecurie Ecosses three Jaguar D-type sports cars used their Le Mans-specification tyres with no ill-effects, but were completely out paced. Two heats in 1957 were won by Jimmy Bryan in his Kuzma-Offenhauser Dean Van Lines Special, Formula One used the 10 kilometres high speed track in the 1955,1956,1960 and 1961 Grands Prix. Stirling Moss and Phil Hill both won twice in this period, with Hills win at Monza making him the first American to win a Formula One race
4.
Pole position
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In motorsport the pole position is the position at the inside of the front row at the start of a racing event. This position is given to the vehicle and driver with the best qualifying time in the trials before the race. This number-one qualifying driver is referred to as the pole sitter, historically, the fastest qualifier was not necessarily the designated pole-sitter. Different sanctioning bodies in motor sport employ different qualifying formats in designating who starts from pole position, often, a starting grid is derived either by current rank in the championship, or based on finishing position of a previous race. In contrast to contemporary motorsport, where only a participant is designated pole-sitter, prior to World War II. The term has its origins in horse racing, in which the fastest qualifying horse would be placed on the part of the course. Originally in Grand Prix racing, grid positions, including pole, were determined by lottery among the drivers, prior to the inception of the Formula 1 World Championship, the first instance of grid positions being determined by qualifying times was at the 1933 Monaco Grand Prix. Since then, the FIA have introduced many different qualifying systems to F1, between 1996 and 2006, the FIA made 6 significant changes to the qualifying procedure, each with the intention of making the battle for pole more interesting to an F1 viewer at home. Traditionally, pole was always occupied by the fastest driver due to low-fuel qualifying, the race-fuel qualifying era between 2003 and 2009 briefly changed this. Despite the changing formats, drivers attempting pole were required between 2003 and 2009 to do qualifying laps with the fuel they would use to start the race the next day. An underfuelled slower car and driver would therefore be able to take pole ahead of a better, in this situation, pole was not always advantageous to have in the race as the under-fueled driver would have to pit for more fuel before their rivals. With the race refueling ban introduced, low-fuel qualifying returned and these decisions are no longer in play. Since the reintroduction of the rule in 2011, this applies to the quickest first session time. Since 2014, the FIA has awarded a trophy to the driver who wins the most pole positions in the season, indicates that the driver won the World Championship in the same season. IndyCar uses four formats for qualifying, one for most oval tracks, one for Iowa Speedway, one for the Indianapolis 500, and another for road and street circuits. Oval qualifying is almost like the Indianapolis 500, with two laps, instead of four, averaged together with one attempt, although with just one session. At Iowa, each car takes one qualifying lap, and the top six cars advance to the race for the pole position. The result of the race determines positions 1–10
5.
Baconin Borzacchini
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Baconin Borzacchini was an Italian Grand Prix motor racing driver often referred to as Mario Umberto Borzacchini. Born Baconino Francesco Domenico Borzacchini in Terni in the Umbria region of Italy, at age 14 he began working in a garage, after service in the army during World War I, he began racing motorcycles before turning to automobile competitions in 1926. During the next two years he won six Italian hillclimbing events driving a Salmson and he earned victories at three significant Italian races including the Etna Cup at Catania and the 1100cc class at the 1926 and 1927 Targa Florio where he beat fellow up-and-comer Luigi Fagioli. Borzacchinis success ultimately led to an offer to join the Maserati racing team and driving for them, he won the 1927 Terni-Passo della Somma, in 1928 he drove a Maserati to first place in the Coppa Gallenga hillclimb at Rocca di Papa. On 28 September 1929, Baconin Borzacchini set a new flying 10-kilometre land speed record of 246.069 km/h in a Maserati V4 and that same year, he finished second in the Circuito di Alessandria and in the Tripoli Grand Prix. Maserati entered the 1930 Indianapolis 500, unfortunately, magneto problems forced him out of the race after just three laps. However, Borzacchini and his Maserati claimed victory at the 1930 Tripoli Grand Prix and won another hillclimbing event, in 1931 he signed to drive Alfa Romeos for Scuderia Ferrari where he became a great friend of team-mate Tazio Nuvolari. Although he won the Circuito di Avellino, Baconin Borzacchinis season was dogged by bad luck and the brilliance of Nuvolari. He finished second at the Targa Florio, the Grand Prix of Monza, at the 1932 French Grand Prix and the Coppa Ciano, driving the new Alfa Romeo P3 Borzacchini finished second behind team mate Nuvolari and third at Germanys Großer Preis von Deutschland. However, with co-driver Amadeo Bignami, he won the gruelling Mille Miglia, when Alfa Romeo decided to withdraw from racing after the 1932 season and sold its cars to Enzo Ferrari, Borzacchini rejoined the Maserati team. United with Luigi Fagioli and Giuseppe Campari, in March 1933 he picked up where he had left off the previous year, finishing second to Nuvolari at the Grand Prix of Tunisia. In April he took second at the Monaco Grand Prix. At the 1933 Targa Florio, held at the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, Borzacchini set the pace with the fastest lap,10 September 1933 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza was one of the blackest days in racing history. The Italian Grand Prix was held in the morning without serious incident, in an effort by the organizers to attract the largest possible crowd, another event called the Monza Grand Prix, using only the banked oval circuit, was staged in the afternoon. Borzacchini tried unsuccessfully to avoid the oil, and his car spun down to the infield, Borzacchini was taken to the hospital, where he died later that day. During his years of racing, Baconin Borzacchini participated in more than one hundred events, although his number of victories is considerably less than some of the other Italian racing notables, he was much loved and respected by his countrymen. In his honor, the circuit in Magione in the Province of Perugia in Umbria, Baconin Borzacchini is interred in the local cemetery in his native Terni. Camaiore Circuit 1926 Targa Florio 1926,1927 Etna Cup 1928 Tripoli Grand Prix 1930 Coppa Principe di Piemonte 1931 Mille Miglia 1932 Official site
6.
Luigi Arcangeli
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Luigi Arcangeli was an Italian motorcycle and car racer. Arcangeli was born at Forlì in 1894, a factory rider for Sarolea, Sunbeam, Bianchi and Moto Guzzi, he turned to four wheels in the wake of his friend Tazio Nuvolari. His first appearance was a win in 1928 at the Circuito di Senigallia with a 2-litre Bugatti, after Bugatti he drove Talbot-Darracqs, winning at Cremona in 1928, continuing with Maserati Tipo 8C-2500, with a first place at the Rome Grand Prix in 1930. Later he moved to Alfa Romeo and joined Enzo Ferraris scuderia with Nuvolari as team mate. Arcangeli died the year at Monza, during the tests for the Italian Grand Prix. A Scuderia Luigi Arcangeli was created to honor Luigi Arcangeli name, the Scuderia is active nowadays, building ArcangeliMoto regolarità race bikes in limited numbers
7.
Talbot
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Talbot or Clément-Talbot Limited was a London automobile manufacturer founded in 1903. Clément-Talbots products were named just Talbot from shortly after introduction but the business did remain Clément-Talbot Limited until 1938 when it was renamed Sunbeam-Talbot Limited, both men, Chetwynd-Talbot and Clément-Bayard, reduced their financial interests in their Clément-Talbot business during the First World War. Soon after the end of the war Clément-Talbot was brought into a combine named S T D Motors, shortly afterwards S T D Motors French products were renamed Talbot instead of Darracq. In the mid 1930s Rootes bought the London Talbot factory and Antonio Lago bought the Paris Talbot factory, then Lago used Talbot or Talbot-Lago in Paris. In 1938 Rootes renamed Clément-Talbot Limited Sunbeam-Talbot Limited, Rootes stopped using the brand name Talbot in the mid-1950s, the Paris factory closed a few years later. The marque came by a series of takeovers to Peugeot S. A. which revived use of the Talbot name from 1978 until 1994. In December 1919 A Darracq and Company Limited of London with its factory in Suresnes, Paris, bought the entire capital of Clément-Talbot and later bought Sunbeam and those initials referred to Sunbeam, Talbot and Darracq. But in the depth of the Great Depression S T D Motors became unable to pay its debts and its subsidiaries managed to find buyers and in 1936 S T D Motors ceased to exist. Clément-Talbot continued to be famous for the design and quality of its products, Clément-Talbot was bought by Rootes Group and later renamed Sunbeam-Talbot. Then Sunbeam alone twenty years after that, in 1920 Suresnes products were branded Talbot-Darracq but the word Darracq was dropped in 1922. Following the financial collapse of S T D Motors and Pariss Automobiles Talbot Antonio Lago, Antonio Lago involved Talbot in sports car and Grand Prix racing as well as producing high quality luxury cars. In the postwar world of austerity and socialism the French government introduced punitive annual taxation on cars with larger than 2. 6-litres. Lago continued the Talbot business until 1958 when the doors were closed. The dormant Talbot marque was sold to Simca, Simca was bought by Chrysler Europe in 1970. PSA Peugeot Citroën acquired the still dormant Talbot marque when it bought Chrysler in 1978, with mounting pressure on its core North American business, the decision was taken by Chryslers then CEO Lee Iacocca to offload the ailing European operations. The French Government persuaded both Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroën to bid for the company, as it was keen to keep Simca in domestic ownership. In August 1978, PSA purchased Chrysler Europe for a nominal $1, the Peugeot takeover saw the end of the Rootes Chrysler Hunter production, but the Simca-designed 1510, and Horizon continued as Talbots. All former Chrysler products registered in Britain after 1 August 1979 bore the Talbot badge, the entry-level model in the Talbot range from 1982 onwards would be the Talbot Samba, a three-door hatchback based on the Peugeot 104
8.
Podium
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A podium is a platform used to raise something to a short distance above its surroundings. It derives from the Greek πόδι, in architecture a building can rest on a large podium. Podia can also be used to people, for instance the conductor of an orchestra stands on a podium as do many public speakers. Common parlance has shown a use of podium in American English to describe a lectern. In sports, a type of podium is used to honor the top three competitors in such as the Olympics. In the Olympics a three-level podium is used, traditionally, the highest level in the center holds the gold medalist. To their right is a lower platform for the silver medalist. At the 2016 Summer Games in Rio, however, the Silver, in many sports, results in the top three of a competition are often referred to as podiums or podium finishes. In some individual sports, podiums is a statistic, referring to the number of top three results an athlete has achieved over the course of a season or career. The word may also be used, chiefly in the United States, as a verb, to podium, meaning to attain a podium place. Podia were first used at the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario and subsequently during the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the winner stands in the middle, with the second placed driver to his right and the third place driver to his left. Also present are the selected by the race organisers who will present the trophies. In many forms of motorsport, the three top-placed drivers in a stand on a podium for the trophy ceremony. The recordings are versions of the national anthems, ensuring the podium ceremony does not exceeded its allocated time. Should a driver experience problems with his car on a lap in Formula One. The drivers will generally refrain from spraying if a fatality or major accident occurs during the event. Also, in countries where alcohol sponsorship or drinking is prohibited, alcoholic beverages may be replaced by other drinks, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the highest level of stock car racing in the United States, does not use a podium in post-game events or statistics. Instead, the team celebrates in victory lane, and top-five
9.
Monaco
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Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate, located on the French Riviera in Western Europe. France borders the country on three sides while the other side borders the Mediterranean Sea, Monaco has an area of 2.02 km2 and a population of about 38,400 according to the last census of 2015. With 19,009 inhabitants per km², it is the second smallest, Monaco has a land border of 5.47 km, a coastline of 3.83 km, and a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 m. The highest point in the country is a pathway named Chemin des Révoires on the slopes of Mont Agel, in the Les Révoires Ward. Monacos most populous Quartier is Monte Carlo and the most populous Ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins, through land reclamation, Monacos land mass has expanded by twenty percent, in 2005, it had an area of only 1.974 km2. Monaco is known as a playground for the rich and famous, in 2014, it was noted about 30% of the population was made up of millionaires, more than in Zürich or Geneva. Monaco is a principality governed under a form of constitutional monarchy, although Prince Albert II is a constitutional monarch, he wields immense political power. The House of Grimaldi have ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, the official language is French, but Monégasque, Italian, and English are widely spoken and understood. The states sovereignty was recognized by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. Despite Monacos independence and separate foreign policy, its defense is the responsibility of France, however, Monaco does maintain two small military units. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with the opening of the countrys first casino, Monte Carlo, since then, Monacos mild climate, scenery, and gambling facilities have contributed to the principalitys status as a tourist destination and recreation center for the rich. In more recent years, Monaco has become a major banking center and has sought to diversify its economy into services and small, high-value-added, the state has no income tax, low business taxes, and is well known for being a tax haven. It is also the host of the street circuit motor race Monaco Grand Prix. Monaco is not formally a part of the European Union, but it participates in certain EU policies, including customs, through its relationship with France, Monaco uses the euro as its sole currency. Monaco joined the Council of Europe in 2004 and it is a member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. Monacos name comes from the nearby 6th-century BC Phocaean Greek colony, according to an ancient myth, Hercules passed through the Monaco area and turned away the previous gods. As a result, a temple was constructed there, the temple of Hercules Monoikos, because the only temple of this area was the House of Hercules, the city was called Monoikos. It ended up in the hands of the Holy Roman Empire, an ousted branch of a Genoese family, the Grimaldi, contested it for a hundred years before actually gaining control
10.
Louis Chiron
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Louis Alexandre Chiron was a Monégasque racing driver who competed in rallies, sports car races, and Grands Prix. He is the oldest driver ever to have raced in Formula One, Louis Chiron fell in love with cars and racing when he was a teenager. He started driving in Grand Prix races after World War I, in which he was seconded from a regiment as a driver for Maréchal Pétain. In 1929 he drove a Delage to 7th place in the Indianapolis 500 and he won the 1931 Monaco Grand Prix—the only Monaco-born driver to have done so—and in 1933 he partnered with specialist endurance racer Luigi Chinetti to win the Spa 24 hours race. He retired in 1938, and World War II curtailed motor racing a year later, when racing resumed after the War, he came out of retirement and drove a Talbot-Lago to victory in two French Grands Prix. The review says biographer Miranda Seymour is “circumspect on Nice’s guilt”, a review of the same book in The New York Times says Nice was accused of being a “Gestapo agent”, that Seymour “rebuts” the charge, and that it made Nice unemployable. Paired with the Swiss driver Ciro Basadonna, Chiron won the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally, and achieved podium finishes in the fifteen Formula One races he entered that year. His last race was In 1955, when he took a Lancia D50 to sixth place in the Monaco Grand Prix a few weeks before his 56th birthday, becoming the oldest driver to compete in a Formula One race. He is also the oldest driver ever to have entered for a Formula One race, as he had achieved the greatest number of podium finishes in Bugattis, the 1999 Bugatti 18/3 Chiron concept car and the 2016 Bugatti Chiron are named in his honor. Grand Prix History, Louis Chiron Louis Chiron at The Crittenden Automotive Library Louis Chiron at Le Mans Louis Chiron at Find a Grave
11.
Bugatti
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Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a French car manufacturer of high-performance automobiles, founded in 1909 in the then German city of Molsheim, Alsace by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti. Bugatti cars were known for their beauty and for their many race victories. Famous Bugattis include the Type 35 Grand Prix cars, the Type 41 Royale, the Type 57 Atlantic and the Type 55 sports car. The death of Ettore Bugatti in 1947 proved to be the end for the marque, no more than about 8,000 cars were made. The company struggled financially, and released one last model in the 1950s, in the 1990s, an Italian entrepreneur revived it as a builder of limited production exclusive sports cars. Today, the name is owned by German automobile manufacturing group Volkswagen, the company was known both for the level of detail of its engineering in its automobiles, and for the artistic manner in which the designs were executed, given the artistic nature of Ettores family. During the war Ettore Bugatti was sent away, initially to Milan and later to Paris and he exhibited three light cars, all of them closely based on their pre-war equivalents, and each fitted with the same overhead camshaft 4-cylinder 1, 368cc engine with four valves per cylinder. Smallest of the three was a Type 13 with a body and using a chassis with a 2,000 mm wheelbase. The others were a Type 22 and a Type 23 with wheelbases of 2,250 and 2,400 mm respectively, the company also enjoyed great success in early Grand Prix motor racing, in 1929 a privately entered Bugatti won the first ever Monaco Grand Prix. Racing success culminated with driver Jean-Pierre Wimille winning the 24 hours of Le Mans twice, Bugatti cars were extremely successful in racing. The little Bugatti Type 10 swept the top four positions at its first race, the 1924 Bugatti Type 35 is probably the most successful racing car of all time, with over 2,000 wins. The Type 35 was developed by Bugatti with master engineer and racing driver Jean Chassagne who also drove it in the car’s first ever Grand Prix in 1924 Lyon, Bugattis swept to victory in the Targa Florio for five years straight from 1925 through 1929. Louis Chiron held the most podiums in Bugatti cars, and the modern marque revival Bugatti Automobiles S. A. S. named the 1999 Bugatti 18/3 Chiron concept car in his honour. But it was the racing success at Le Mans that is most remembered—Jean-Pierre Wimille and Pierre Veyron won the 1939 race with just one car. In the 1930s, Ettore Bugatti got involved in the creation of a racer airplane and this would be the Bugatti 100P, which never flew. It was designed by Belgian engineer Louis de Monge who had already applied Bugatti Brescia engines in his Type 7.5 lifting body, Ettore Bugatti also designed a successful motorised railcar, the Autorail Bugatti. The death of Ettore Bugattis son, Jean Bugatti, on 11 August 1939 marked a point in the companys fortunes. Jean died while testing a Type 57 tank-bodied race car near the Molsheim factory, World War II left the Molsheim factory in ruins and the company lost control of the property
12.
Achille Varzi
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This article is on the Italian racecar driver. For the Columbia University philosopher see Achille Varzi, Achille Varzi was an Italian Grand Prix driver. Born in Galliate, province of Novara, Achille Varzi was the son of a textile manufacturer. Varzis first race car was a Type 35 Bugatti but he changed to driving an Alfa Romeo. In 1930 Varzi acquired a vehicle from the relatively new Maserati company and he drove it as well as an Alfa Romeo earning his countrys racing championship, a feat he would repeat in 1934. One of his big victories came at the prestigious Targa Florio where he upset the favored Louis Chiron. Following his win at the 1933 Tripoli Grand Prix, a race at the associated with a lottery. Varzi won 6 Grand Prix in 1934 driving the Alfa Romeo P3, at Alessandria, Tripoli, Targa Florio, Penya Rhin at Barcelona, Coppa Ciano and Nice. This move coincided with Varzi having serious problems, including an addiction to morphine and a difficult affair with Ilse Pietsch. Quickly overshadowed by team-mate Bernd Rosemeyer, his trips to the winners circle dropped to only four, by 1938 he had dropped out of sight and the advent of World War II ended racing in Europe. During the war, Varzi overcame his addiction and settled down with his new wife. At the end of the War, Varzi made a comeback at the age of 42. In 1946 he attempted to race a Maserati for the Indianapolis 500, in 1947, he won three minor Grand Prix races and traveled to Argentina to race in the Buenos Aires Grand Prix. During practise runs for the 1948 Swiss Grand Prix a light fell on the Bremgarten track. Varzis Alfa Romeo 158 skidded on the wet surface, flipping over and he was buried in his hometown. In 1991, motorsport journalist Giorgio Terruzzi recounted Varzis story in a book titled Una curva cieca - Vita di Achille Varzi, during his career, Achille Varzi competed in 139 races, winning 33. A Formula One team entered some races in 1950 as Scuderia Achille Varzi, the team was equipped with Maseratis 4CL and 4CLT and featured drivers José Froilán González, Antonio Branca, Alfredo Pián and Nello Pagani. On 5 June 2004 Poste Italiane issued a stamp commemorating Achille Varzi and his relative and namesake, Achille C
13.
Giuseppe Campari
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Cavaliere Giuseppe Campari was an Italian opera singer and Grand Prix motor racing driver. Born near the city of Lodi southwest of Milan, as a teenager he went to work for the Alfa Romeo automobile company, Camparis job eventually involved test driving factory cars and his skills and interest led to his participation in competitive hillclimbing events. In 1914 the 21-year-old rookie showed his abilities with a finish at the Targa Florio. His career was just getting going when World War I broke out, following the Armistice that ended the war, racing resumed and in 1920 Campari earned his first major race win and the first for the Alfa Romeo company when he drove to victory at Mugello in Tuscany. The 1925 racing season was less successful for Campari as he. Despite Maseratis strong performances, Campari claimed victory for Alfa Romeo in the 1927 Coppa Acerbo, the 1928 season saw Giuseppe Campari win his second consecutive Coppa Acerbo and his first at the Mille Miglia. He earned a second-place finish in the Targa Florio, a race he entered several times and although he finished near the top. Run in front of more than 100,000 spectators, Campari was hit in the eye by a small rock but was successfully treated in hospital. Campari also raced in the Tourist Trophy Races at the Ards course in Belfast where he finished second to Caracciolas Mercedes, in 1930, Tazio Nuvolari joined Campari on the Alfa Romeo team. That same year, Campari won his third Coppa Acerbo but for 1933 he became part of the Maserati team with Baconin Borzacchini, Campari won his second French Grand Prix driving for Maserati, but at age 41 was ready to retire at the end of the season. The Monza Grand Prix on September 10,1933 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, while leading the race, Campari was instantly killed when his car crashed after skidding in a sharp turn on a patch of leaked engine oil. Immediately behind him in place, team-mate Baconin Borzacchini tried unsuccessfully to avoid Camparis wrecked vehicle and was killed when his car veered off the track. Later on, when the race was restarted, the vehicle of Polish driver, Count Stanislas Czaykowski, crashed and caught on fire, burning him to death. In addition to his love of racing, Giuseppe Campari had two other passions, food, in great quantities that he liked to prepare himself. Blessed with a baritone voice from the depths of an expansive paunch, he took singing lessons
14.
Alfa Romeo
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Alfa Romeo Automobiles S. p. A. is an Italian car manufacturer, founded as A. L. F. A. on 24 June 1910, in Milan. The brand is known for sporty vehicles and has involved in car racing since 1911. The company was owned by Italian state holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale between 1932 and 1986, when it became a part of the Fiat group, in February 2007, the Alfa Romeo brand became Alfa Romeo Automobiles S. p. A. A subsidiary of Fiat Group Automobiles, now Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Italy, the company that became Alfa Romeo was founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, with Italian investors. In late 1909, the Italian Darracq cars were selling slowly, on 24 June 1910, a new company was founded named A. L. F. A. Initially still in partnership with Darracq, the first non-Darracq car produced by the company was the 191024 HP, designed by Merosi. Ventured into motor racing, with drivers Franchini and Ronzoni competing in the 1911 Targa Florio with two 24-hp models. In August 1915, the company came under the direction of Neapolitan entrepreneur Nicola Romeo, in 1920, the name of the company was changed to Alfa Romeo with the Torpedo 20-30 HP the first car to be so badged. In 1921, the Banca Italiana di Sconto, which backed the Ing, Nicola Romeo & Co, went broke and the government needed to support the industrial companies involved, among which was Alfa Romeo, through the Consorzio per Sovvenzioni sui Valori Industriali. In 1925, the activities were separated from the Romeo company. In 1933, the ownership was reorganized under the banner of the Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale by Benito Mussolinis government. The company struggled to return to profitability after the Second World War, in 1954, it developed the Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine, which would remain in production until 1994. Alfa Romeo has competed successfully in Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sportscar racing, touring car racing and it has competed both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries, and private entries. The first racing car was made in 1913, three years after the foundation of the company, and Alfa Romeo won the world championship for Grand Prix cars in 1925. The company gained a name in motorsport, which gave a sporty image to the whole marque. Enzo Ferrari founded the Scuderia Ferrari racing team in 1929 as an Alfa Romeo racing team and it holds the worlds title of the most wins of any marque in the world. The companys name is a combination of the name, A. L. F. A. and the last name of entrepreneur Nicola Romeo. The company that became Alfa Romeo was founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, One of them, Cavaliere Ugo Stella, an aristocrat from Milan, became chairman of the SAID in 1909
15.
Tazio Nuvolari
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Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari was an Italian racing driver. First he raced motorcycles and then he concentrated on cars and single-seaters. Resident in Mantua, he was known as Il Mantovano Volante, ferdinand Porsche called him the greatest driver of the past, the present, and the future. Nuvolari started racing motorcycles in 1920 at the age of 27, having raced cars as well as motorcycles from 1925 until 1930, he then concentrated on cars, and won the 1932 European Championship with the Alfa Romeo factory team, Alfa Corse. After Alfa Romeo officially withdrew from Grand Prix racing Nuvolari drove for Enzo Ferraris team, Scuderia Ferrari, who ran the Alfa Romeo cars semi-officially. In 1933 he won Le Mans in an Alfa Romeo as a member of Ferraris team, and it was the only time a non-German car won a European Championship race from 1935 to 1939. The relationship with Ferrari deteriorated during 1937, and Nuvolari raced an Auto Union in that years Swiss Grand Prix and he rejoined the Auto Union team for the 1938 season and stayed with them through 1939 until Grand Prix racing was put on hiatus by World War II. The only major European race he never won was the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix, when Nuvolari resumed racing after the war he was 54 and in poor health. In his final appearance in competition, driving a Cisitalia-Abarth Tipo 204A at a Palermo hillclimb on 10 April 1950, he won his class and he died in 1953 from a stroke. Nuvolari was born in Castel dArio near Mantua on 16 November 1892 to Arturo Nuvolari and his wife Elisa Zorzi. Nuvolari was married to Carolina Perina, and together they had two children, Giorgio, who died in 1937 aged 19 from myocarditis, and Alberto, Nuvolari obtained his license for motorcycle racing in 1915 at the age of 23. He served in the Italian army as a driver in World War I. He also raced cars, winning the Coppa Verona reliability trial in 1921, in 1925 he became the 350 cc European Motorcycling champion by winning the European Grand Prix. At the time, the European Grand Prix was considered the most important race of the motorcycling season and the winners in each category were designated European Champions. He won the Nations Grand Prix four times between 1925 and 1928, and the Lario Circuit race five times between 1925 and 1929, all in the 350 cc class on a Bianchi motorcycle and he crashed when the gearbox seized, and severely lacerated his back. He was not picked for the team, six days later, in bandages, with a cushion strapped to his stomach, and lifted onto his motorcycle by Bianchi mechanics for a push-start, he won the rain-soaked Nations Grand Prix at Monza. 1930 In 1930, Nuvolari won his first RAC Tourist Trophy, Motor racing legend has it that when one of the drivers broke the window of a butchers shop, Nuvolari drove onto the pavement and tried to grab a ham as he passed. According to Sammy Davis who met him there, Nuvolari enjoyed dark humour, for example, after he got a ticket for a journey home from the Sicilian Targa Florio he said to Enzo Ferrari, What a strange businessman you are
16.
Grand Prix motor racing
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Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car. Grand Prix motor racing eventually evolved into formula racing, and Formula One can be seen as its direct descendant, each event of the Formula One World Championships is still called a Grand Prix, Formula One is referred to as Grand Prix racing. Motor racing was started in France, as a result of the enthusiasm with which the French public embraced the motor car. Manufacturers were enthusiastic due to the possibility of using motor racing as a window for their cars. The first motoring contest took place on July 22,1894 and was organised by a Paris newspaper, the Paris–Rouen rally was 126 km, from Porte Maillot in Paris, through the Bois de Boulogne, to Rouen. Count Jules-Albert de Dion was first into Rouen after 6 hours 48 minutes at an speed of 19 km/h. He finished 3 minutes 30 seconds ahead of Albert Lemaître, followed by Doriot, René Panhard, in 1900, James Gordon Bennett, Jr. the owner of the New York Herald and the International Herald Tribune, established the Gordon Bennett Cup. He hoped the creation of an event would drive automobile manufacturers to improve their cars. Each country was allowed to enter up to three cars, which had to be built in the country that they represented and entered by that countrys automotive governing body. International racing colours were established in this event, in the United States, William Kissam Vanderbilt II launched the Vanderbilt Cup at Long Island, New York in 1904. Some anglophone sources wrongly list a race called the Pau Grand Prix in 1901 and this may stem from a mistranslation of the contemporary French sources such as the magazine La France Auto of March 1901. The name of the 1901 event was the Circuit du Sud-Ouest, the Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver was the name of the prizes awarded for the lesser classes. The Grand Prix de Pau was the name of the awarded for the Heavy class. Thus Maurice Farman was awarded the Grand Prix de Pau for his victory in the Circuit du Sud-Ouest driving a Panhard 24 hp. In L’Histoire de l’Automobile/Paris 1907 Pierre Souvestre described the 1901 event as, dans le Circuit du Sud-Ouest, à l’occasion du meeting de Pau. ” The only race at the time to carry the name Grand Prix was organised by the Automobile Club de France. The circuit used, which was based in Le Mans, was triangular in shape
17.
Motorsport
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The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two-wheeled motorised vehicles under the banner of motorcycle racing, and includes off-road racing such as motocross. Four- wheeled motorsport competition is governed by the Fédération Internationale de lAutomobile. In 1894, a French newspaper organised a race from Paris to Rouen and back, in 1900, the Gordon Bennett Cup was established. Closed circuit racing arose as open road racing, on roads, was banned. Brooklands was the first dedicated motor racing track in the United Kingdom, following World War I, European countries organised Grand Prix races over closed courses. In the United States, dirt track racing became popular, after World War II, the Grand Prix circuit became more formally organised. In the United States, stock car racing and drag racing became firmly established, motorsports ultimately became divided by types of motor vehicles into racing events, and their appropriate organisations. Open-wheel racing is a set of classes of vehicles, with their wheels outside of. However, in North America, the IndyCar series is their pinnacle open-wheeled racing series, more recently, new open-wheeled series have been created, originating in Europe, which omit the Formula moniker, such as GP2 and GP3. Former Formula series include Formula 5000 and Formula Two, the formula regulations contain a very strict set of rules which govern vehicle power, weight and size. In the United States, Indy Car is a class of single seat paved track racing and its premier race is the Indianapolis 500. Enclosed wheel racing is a set of classes of vehicles, where the wheels are primarily enclosed inside the bodywork of the vehicle, sports car racing is a set of classes of vehicles, over a closed course track, including sports cars, and specialised racing types. The premiere race is the 24 Hours of Le Mans which takes place annually in France during the month of June, sports car racing rules and specifications differentiate in North America from established international sanctioning bodies. Stock car racing is a set of vehicles, that race over a speedway track, while once stock cars, the vehicles are now purpose built, but resemble the body design and shape of production cars. NASCAR was organised in 1947, to flat track oval racing of production cars. Daytona Beach and Road Course was founded where land speed records were set on the beach, touring car racing is a set of vehicles, modified street cars, that race over closed purpose built race tracks and street courses. Motorsport was an event at the 1900 Summer Olympics
18.
European Grand Prix
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The European Grand Prix was a Formula One event that was introduced during the mid-1980s and was held regularly from 1999 until 2012. A recent host venue for this event was the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain, the race was removed from the calendar in 2013. In 2016, the race returned, being run on a circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. In earlier years, the European Grand Prix was not a race in its own right but just an honorific title, one of the national Grands Prix was also designated as the European Grand Prix. The first race to be so named was the 1923 Italian Grand Prix, held at Monza and won by Carlo Salamano in a Fiat and the last one was the 1977 British Grand Prix. Since its reintroduction, the European Grand Prix has usually held in a country in Europe that also holds a national Grand Prix in that same year. The European Grand Prix was created as a title by the AIACR. The first race to receive the title was the Italian Grand Prix, in 1923, after a hiatus in 1929, Spa received the last honorific title of the pre-WWII years, in 1930. All post-war honorific European Grands Prix were Formula One races except for the 1952 event, the Italian Grand Prix was named the European Grand Prix seven times, which was more than any other race. It received the three times in the 1920s. The event was created as a stop-gap. In 1983, the Formula One schedule originally featured a race near Flushing Meadows Park in New York City, when the race was cancelled three months before the event, track organizers at Brands Hatch were able to create a European Grand Prix at the track in its place. The success of the event, buoyed by a battle for the World Championship. Brands Hatch returned to host the European Grand Prix in 1985, in 1990, a wealthy Japanese businessman, Tomonori Tsurumaki, built the Nippon Autopolis with the idea of hosting a Formula One race. In 1992, plans were made to have an Asian Grand Prix in 1993 to replace the Mexican Grand Prix on the schedule, however, these plans failed to materialise. Instead, Bernie Ecclestone added a race at Donington Park to the schedule, the race was the brainchild of Tom Wheatcroft, who had been trying to bring F1 to the track since an abortive attempt to host the British Grand Prix in 1988. The first and so far only Formula One Grand Prix at Donington Park resulted in Ayrton Sennas victory in mixed wet, the European race would go the following season to Jerez in Spain. Brands Hatch was unable to host the European Grand Prix in 1984, so the European GP went to a redesigned and it was a far cry from the 14-mile Nürburgring that most were used to seeing, and was initially unpopular during Formula Ones return
19.
1955 Le Mans disaster
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The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race in Le Mans, France on 11 June 1955, when a major crash caused large fragments of debris to fly into the crowd. To reach his pit-stop, Mike Hawthorn had to cut in front of Lance Macklin, the collision propelled Levegh’s car upwards and into an earthen embankment and throwing the driver out, killing him. The momentum of the components of the car carried them into the packed grandstand with terrible effect. There was much debate over the apportioning of blame, the official inquiry held none of the drivers specifically responsible, and criticised the layout of the 30-year old track, which had not been designed for cars of this speed. There was great anticipation for the race for a showdown between Ferrari, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, all of whom had won the race recently and who all arrived with new improved cars. The Ferraris, current champions, were very fast but fragile, Jaguar concentrated their racing almost exclusively on Le Mans and had a very experienced driver line-up including erstwhile F1 Ferrari driver Mike Hawthorn. After conquering Formula 1, Mercedes-Benz had debuted its new 300 SLR in that year’s World Championship, the 300 SLR featured a body made of an ultralightweight magnesium alloy called Elektron. It had been Leveghs epic solo drive in the 1952 race which failed in the last hour, safety measures commonly in place today were relatively unknown in 1955. By 1955 top speeds for the cars were in excess of 270 kph. That said, the circuit had been resurfaced and widened post-war, similarly the pits and grandstands had been reconstructed, although there were no barriers between the pit lane and the racing line, and only a 4’ earthen bank between the track and the spectators. The cars had no seatbelts, the reasoning that it was preferable to be thrown clear in a collision rather than be crushed or trapped in a burning car. The other team cars were being kept on leashes to conserve the cars. It was 6. 26pm, at the end of lap 35 when the leading cars’ first pit stops were starting, on lap 35 Hawthorn and Fangio were racing as hard as ever. In his biography, Hawthorn said he was mesmerized by the legend of the Mercedes superiority. Then I came to my senses and thought ‘Damn it, why should a German car beat a British car. ’” The lap before Hawthorn’s pit crew had signaled for him to come in the next lap. He had just lapped ”Levegh” after Arnage and was determined to keep Fangio at bay as long as possible, coming out of Maison Blanche he rapidly caught Lance Macklin in his Austin Healey 100S, who had seen him and pulled over to the right to let him pass. Putting another lap on Macklin coming up to the main straight Hawthorn then raised his hand to indicate he was pitting and pulled across to the right. What caught Macklin out though was that Hawthorn, using his advanced disc brakes, Macklin, who himself braked hard, ran off the right-hand edge of the track, throwing up dust
20.
1931 Italian Grand Prix
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The 1931 Italian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Monza on 24 May 1931. The race was the first of three Grands Prix that constituted the inaugural European Championship, ^1 — Luigi Arcangeli was originally designated as Camparis co-driver in car #26, but he was replaced by Marinoni after he was killed during practice. Grid positions were allocated by drawing lots, ^2 — Nuvolari and Borzacchini did not receive the points for first and second place, respectively, because they were not driving in their designated cars. The seven points apiece that they received were for driving car #28, attilio Marinoni and Goffredo Zehender, who had been designated to drive cars #26 and #30, respectively, both received eight points, since they did not take part in the race. ^3 — Ruggeri and Balestrero were initially credited with 1290.534 km, ^4 — Sénéchal was not classified because he failed to complete at least three-fifths of the number of laps achieved by the race winner. Notes, The race was limited to ten hours, each driver was allowed to complete a lap begun before the ten-hour cutoff, provided that the lap took no more than five minutes
21.
Bugatti Type 35
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The Type 35 was the most successful of the Bugatti racing models. The Type 35 was phenomenally successful, winning over 1,000 races in its time and it took the Grand Prix World Championship in 1926 after winning 351 races and setting 47 records in the two prior years. At its height, Type 35s averaged 14 race wins per week, Bugatti won the Targa Florio for five consecutive years, from 1925 through 1929, with the Type 35. The original model, introduced at the Grand Prix of Lyon on August 3,1924, bore was 60 mm and stroke was 88 mm as on many previous Bugatti models. This new powerplant featured five main bearings with a ball bearing system. This allowed the engine to rev to 6,000 rpm, solid axles with leaf springs were used front and rear, and drum brakes at the back, operated by cables, were specified. Alloy wheels were a novelty, as was the front axle for reduced unsprung weight. A second feature of the Type 35 that was to become a Bugatti trademark was passing the springs through the front axle rather than simply U-bolting them together as was done on their earlier cars, a rare version was de-bored for a total displacement of 1.5 L. There are two of these cars in New Zealand, dimensions, Length,3680 mm Width,1320 mm Wheelbase,2400 mm Track,1200 mm Weight,750 kg A less expensive version of the Type 35 appeared in May,1925. The factorys Type 35A name was ignored by the public, who nicknamed it Tecla after a famous maker of imitation jewelry, the Teclas engine used three plain bearings, smaller valves, and coil ignition like the Type 30. While this decreased maintenance requirements, it also reduced output, one-hundred thirty nine of the Type 35As were sold. The Type 35C featured a Roots supercharger, despite Ettore Bugattis disdain for forced induction, output was nearly 128 hp with a single Zenith carburettor. Type 35Cs won the French Grand Prix at Saint-Gaudens in 1928, for 1926, Bugatti introduced a special model for the Targa Florio race. Called the Type 35T officially, it became known as the Targa Florio. Engine displacement was up to 2.3 L with a longer 100 mm stroke, Grand Prix rule changes limiting capacity to 2.0 L limited the appeal of this model at the time with just thirteen produced. The final version of the Type 35 series was the Type 35B of 1927, originally named Type 35TC, it shared the 2.3 L engine of the Type 35T but added a large supercharger like the Type 35C. Output was 138 hp, and 45 examples were made, a British racing green Type 35B driven by William Grover-Williams won the 1929 French Grand Prix at Le Mans. The Type 35 chassis and body were reused on the Type 37 sports car, fitted with a new 1.5 L straight-4 engine,290 Type 37s were built
22.
Alfa Romeo P2
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Although 1925 brought drastic changes of regulations, from 1924-1930 the P2 was victorious in 14 Grands Prix and major events including the Targa Florio. It was one of the iconic Grand Prix cars of the 1920s, along with the Bugatti Type 35, and enabled Alfa Romeo, as world champions, to incorporate the laurel wreath into their logo. The P2 was introduced by Alfa Romeo for the Circuit of Cremona in northern Italy in 1924, where Antonio Ascari won at over 158 km/h, the P2 was powered by Alfa’s first straight-8 cylinder supercharged engine with 2 carburettors placed after the compressor. Only 2 of the 6 original models survive, and they can be seen in the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, the P2 had two body styles using either a cut off or long rear. One of the P2s was featured on the sculpture at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Golden Age by Leif Snellman
23.
France
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France, officially the French Republic, is a country with territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European, or metropolitan, area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, Overseas France include French Guiana on the South American continent and several island territories in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. France spans 643,801 square kilometres and had a population of almost 67 million people as of January 2017. It is a unitary republic with the capital in Paris. Other major urban centres include Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Nice, Toulouse, during the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people. The area was annexed in 51 BC by Rome, which held Gaul until 486, France emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages, with its victory in the Hundred Years War strengthening state-building and political centralisation. During the Renaissance, French culture flourished and a colonial empire was established. The 16th century was dominated by civil wars between Catholics and Protestants. France became Europes dominant cultural, political, and military power under Louis XIV, in the 19th century Napoleon took power and established the First French Empire, whose subsequent Napoleonic Wars shaped the course of continental Europe. Following the collapse of the Empire, France endured a succession of governments culminating with the establishment of the French Third Republic in 1870. Following liberation in 1944, a Fourth Republic was established and later dissolved in the course of the Algerian War, the Fifth Republic, led by Charles de Gaulle, was formed in 1958 and remains to this day. Algeria and nearly all the colonies became independent in the 1960s with minimal controversy and typically retained close economic. France has long been a centre of art, science. It hosts Europes fourth-largest number of cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites and receives around 83 million foreign tourists annually, France is a developed country with the worlds sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest by purchasing power parity. In terms of household wealth, it ranks fourth in the world. France performs well in international rankings of education, health care, life expectancy, France remains a great power in the world, being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and an official nuclear-weapon state. It is a member state of the European Union and the Eurozone. It is also a member of the Group of 7, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization, originally applied to the whole Frankish Empire, the name France comes from the Latin Francia, or country of the Franks
24.
Aymo Maggi
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Aymo Maggi was an Italian racing car driver from Brescia. He was the conte di Gradella based in Pandino outside Cremona, Maggi started automobile racing in 1922 and had his first important victory in his hometown 1924 race between Gargnano-Tignale. He won Circuito del Garda in 1925 and 1926, as well as the Rome Grand Prix in 1926, Maggi drove in a Bugatti Type 35 and Bugatti Type 36 alongside Ettore Bugatti and Bartolomeo Costantini. In his own race, he got 6th place driving an Isotta Fraschini 8A SS in 1927 with Bindo Maserati and he survived his first heart attack in 1959, but died from his second in 1961. Miller, Peter, Conte Maggis Mille Miglia, New York, St. Martinss Press, ISBN 0-312-02525-4
25.
Maserati
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Maserati is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer established on 1 December 1914, in Bologna. The companys headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident and it has been owned by the Italian-American car giant Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and FCAs Italian predecessor Fiat S. p. A. since 1993. In May 2014, due to plans and product launches. This caused them to production of the Quattroporte and Ghibli models. Maserati is placing a production output cap at 75,000 vehicles globally, the Maserati brothers, Alfieri, Bindo, Carlo, Ettore, and Ernesto were all involved with automobiles from the beginning of the 20th century. Alfieri, Bindo and Ernesto built 2-litre Grand Prix cars for Diatto, in 1926, Diatto suspended the production of race cars, leading to the creation of the first Maserati and the founding of the Maserati marque. One of the first Maseratis, driven by Alfieri, won the 1926 Targa Florio, Maserati began making race cars with 4,6,8 and 16 cylinders. The trident logo of the Maserati car company is based on the Fountain of Neptune in Bolognas Piazza Maggiore, in 1920, one of the Maserati brothers, artist Mario, used this symbol in the logo at the suggestion of family friend Marquis Diego de Sterlich. Alfieri Maserati died in 1932, but three brothers, Bindo, Ernesto and Ettore, kept the firm going, building cars that won races. The brothers continued in engineering roles with the company, Racing successes continued, even against the giants of German racing, Auto Union and Mercedes. In back-to-back wins in 1939 and 1940, a Maserati 8CTF won the Indianapolis 500, the war then intervened, Maserati abandoned car making to produce components for the Italian war effort. During this time, Maserati worked in fierce competition to construct a V16 town car for Benito Mussolini before Ferry Porsche of Volkswagen built one for Adolf Hitler and this failed, and the plans were scrapped. Once peace was restored, Maserati returned to making cars, the Maserati A6 series did well in the racing scene. Key people joined the Maserati team, alberto Massimino, an old Fiat engineer, with both Alfa Romeo and Ferrari experiences oversaw the design of all racing models for the next ten years. With him joined engineers Giulio Alfieri, Vittorio Bellentani, and Gioacchino Colombo, the focus was on the best engines and chassis to succeed in car racing. These new projects saw the last contributions of the Maserati brothers and this new team at Maserati worked on several projects, the 4CLT, the A6 series, the 8CLT, and, pivotally for the future success of the company, the A6GCS. Other racing projects in the 1950s were the 200S, 300S, 350S, Maserati retired from factory racing participation because of the Guidizzolo tragedy during the 1957 Mille Miglia, though they continued to build cars for privateers. Maserati became more and more focused on building road-going grand tourers, the 1957 Maserati 3500 GT marked a turning point in the marques history, as its first ground-up grand tourer design and first series produced car
26.
Ernesto Maserati
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Ernesto led the workshop during World War I, as his brothers joined the military. His racing career started in 1924, when he won the Italian drivers championship in 1927 in the Maserati Tipo 26, after his brother Alfieri Maserati died in 1932, Ernesto became the director, chief engineer as well as sole racing car driver of the company. The company was sold to Adolfo Orsi in 1937, but the brothers remained on a ten-year contract and he left with Ettore and Bindo, to found the O. S. C. A. car company. He died at Bologna in 1975
27.
Gastone Brilli-Peri
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Count Gastone Brilli-Peri was an Italian racing driver, who won the 1925 Italian Grand Prix in an Alfa Romeo P2, securing the inaugural World Manufacturers Championship title for Alfa Romeo. Known simply as Brilli, his face had been scarred in an accident during a Tour of Italy motorcycle race. He used to wearing a hat similar to a Basque beret. Brilli-Peri was born in Florence into a noble family and he debuted in a bicycle race in 1907, aged 14. In 1911 he won the Tuscan cycling championship, in 1912 he bought a motorcycle, and in 1914 he debuted in a race at the Lake Trasimeno, winning the 1st Motogiro of Italy in the same year. He first raced as car driver just after World War I, in 1925, in an Alfa Romeo P2, he won his first Grand Prix at the Italian Grand Prize at Monza. In 1929, still in the Alfa Romeo P2, he won the Circuit of Cremona, Brilli-Peri was killed in 1930 during Saturday practice for the sixth Tripoli Grand Prix. Free practice had been scheduled from 11am to 1, 50pm and Brilli-Peri, who knew the track well having won the one year earlier, came to test the cars of his team. He first made one lap on his car, then moved to the vehicle of his teammate Clemente Biondetti, Brilli-Peri made one lap with Biondettis car and then jumped again in his Talbot for another stint. However, during the lap he crashed heavily near the village of Suq al Jum’ah and was killed on impact. According to eyewitnesses, while negotiating a fast left-handed bend, the car bounced on the surface of the track. Brilli-Peri could not control it anymore and went straight into the right embankment, the race, was won by Baconin Borzacchini in a Maserati. Clemente Biondetti won the heat and was classified third in the final. Brilli-Peri died at the age of 37 years, today the stadium of his native city, Montevarchi, is named in his honour. The Italian actress Nancy Brilli is a niece of Brilli-Peri
28.
Franco Comotti
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Gianfranco Franco Comotti was an Italian racecar driver. After World War II he joined Talbot-Lago and his only Formula One racing was between 1950 and 1952, first with Maserati and in 1952 he briefly was with Scuderia Ferrari. After his retirement from racing he was with BP in North Africa, Comotti was one of nine founders of the Club international des anciens pilotes de Grand Prix F1
29.
Delage
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Delage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delage in Levallois-Perret near Paris, it was acquired by Delahaye in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953. The company was founded in 1905 by Louis Delage, who borrowed Fr 35,000 and its first location was on the Rue Cormeilles in Levallois-Perret. The company at first had just two lathes and three employees, one of them Peugeots former chief designer, Delage initially produced parts for Helbé, with the De Dion-Bouton engine and chassis assembled by Helbé, Delage added only the body. The first model was the Type A, a voiturette which appeared in 1906 and it was powered by a one-cylinder De Dion-Bouton of 4.5 or 9 hp. Like other early carmakers, Delage participated in racing, entering the Coupe de Voiturettes held at Rambouillet in November 1906 with a 9 hp racer. In 1907 the factory moved to the Rue Baudin Levallois, where a 4,000 m2 workshop allowed it to grow, the two-cylinder Delages were no match for the competition this year at the Coupe des Voiturettes. In 1908, the success enabled the development of the factory and entry into more Grand Prix races and that year, racing success returned, Delage won the Grand Prix des Voiturettes held 6 July. This event, six laps of the 47.74 mi Dieppe Grand Prix circuit, saw 47 starters. Delage fielded three cars, a pair with 1,242 cc De Dion-Bouton twins, driven by Thomas and Lucas-Bonnard, Guyot won at an average 49.8 mph, not needing to stop for fuel. All three Delages finished this time, Thomas the quickest of the cars, while the team also took home the regularity prize. These good results contributed to total sales exceeding 300 cars for the year, Delage converted to four-cylinder engines in 1909, at first provided by De Dion and Edouard Ballot, shortly, the company were producing their own sidevalve fours, too. After an increase in sales, the facilities were too small, so in 1910 the factory moved to a new facility at 138 Boulevard de Verdun. The following year saw the creation of advanced bodywork, by 1912,350 workers were producing over 1000 cars annually, and offered four- and six-cylinder sidevalve engines. During the First World War, Delage produced munitions, production of passenger cars virtually stopped, with the exception of some fabrication for the Army. But the Delage factories were running full support for the war effort, when the war concluded, Delage moved away from small cars and made its reputation with larger cars. First up was the CO, with a 4,524 cc fixed-head sidevalve six producing 20 hp, the CO plans had been drawn up during the conflict, this was the first passenger car with front brakes. It was joined by the DO with a 3-liter four, the 1920s were really the first Golden Age of Delage. The most famous were the DE and DI,4 cylinders of about 2 liters and 11 hp, Delage also attempted to compete with Hispano-Suiza, with the GL of 30 hp and 5954 cc, with some success
30.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
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William Grover-Williams
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William Charles Frederick Grover-Williams, also known as W Williams, was a Grand Prix motor racing driver and special agent who worked for the Special Operations Executive inside France. He organized and coordinated the Chestnut network and he was captured and killed by the Nazis. Grover-Williams was born in Montrouge, Hauts-de-Seine, France, on 16 January 1903 to Frederick, Frederick Grover was an English horse breeder who had settled in Montrouge. Frederick met a French girl, Hermance Dagan, and they were soon married and their first child was Elizabeth, born in 1897. William had two other siblings - Alice and Frederic, born to an English father and a French mother, Grover-Williams grew up fluent in both the French and English languages. When William was eleven, he was sent to live with relatives in Hertfordshire, after the war, Frederick Grover moved the family to Monte Carlo. It was there that William developed a fascination for automobiles, having been taught to drive a Rolls-Royce by his sisters boyfriend, Grover-Williams passed his driving test whilst in Monaco and was granted a licence. Mechanically inclined, and fascinated by motorized vehicles, at the age of 15, Grover-Williams acquired an Indian motorcycle and it became his pride and joy. He would later go on to compete in races in the early 1920s, although he kept it secret from his family by adopting the pseudonym. In 1919, the Irish portrait painter, William Orpen became the official artist of the Paris Peace Conference, Orpen bought a Rolls-Royce car and hired Grover-Williams, who had returned to Paris, as his chauffeur. At the time, Orpen had a mistress named Yvonne Aupicq, Aupicq and Grover-Williams became good friends and after the collapse of Aupicqs relationship with Orpen, the pair were married in 1929. By 1926, Grover-Williams had begun racing a Bugatti in races throughout France, using the alias W Williams, entering the Grand Prix de Provence at Miramas, in 1928, he won the French Grand Prix, repeating in 1929. In November 1929, Grover-Williams married Yvonne Aubicq, whom he had met when chauffeuring the two around Paris, in 1931 he won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. He also won the Grand Prix de la Baule three consecutive years, then his career waned and he was out of racing by the latter part of the 1930s. Following the Nazi occupation of France in World War II, Grover-Williams fled to England where he joined the Royal Army Service Corps, due to his fluency in French and English he was recruited into the Special Operations Executive to foster the French Resistance. On 2 August 1943, Grover-Williams was arrested by the SD, Grover-Williams was executed at Sachsenhausen concentration camp in the spring of 1945 along with Francis Suttill, another important SOE network leader. However, there is a theory that Grover-Williams may have survived the war, Grover-Williams was recommended for an MBE by the head of the SOE, Major-General Colin Gubbins, in September 1945 but when it became clear that he had died, the honour was not awarded. The Saboteur, a game released in 2009, features an Irish protagonist named Sean Devlin who is inspired by Grover-Williams
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Argentina
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Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a federal republic in the southern half of South America. With a mainland area of 2,780,400 km2, Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world, the second largest in Latin America, and the largest Spanish-speaking one. The country is subdivided into provinces and one autonomous city, Buenos Aires. The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions, but exist under a federal system, Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The earliest recorded presence in the area of modern-day Argentina dates back to the Paleolithic period. The country has its roots in Spanish colonization of the region during the 16th century, Argentina rose as the successor state of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish overseas viceroyalty founded in 1776. The country thereafter enjoyed relative peace and stability, with waves of European immigration radically reshaping its cultural. The almost-unparalleled increase in prosperity led to Argentina becoming the seventh wealthiest developed nation in the world by the early 20th century, Argentina retains its historic status as a middle power in international affairs, and is a prominent regional power in the Southern Cone and Latin America. Argentina has the second largest economy in South America, the third-largest in Latin America and is a member of the G-15 and it is the country with the second highest Human Development Index in Latin America with a rating of very high. Because of its stability, market size and growing high-tech sector, the description of the country by the word Argentina has to be found on a Venice map in 1536. In English the name Argentina probably comes from the Spanish language, however the naming itself is not Spanish, Argentina means in Italian of silver, silver coloured, probably borrowed from the Old French adjective argentine of silver > silver coloured already mentioned in the 12th century. The French word argentine is the form of argentin and derives of argent silver with the suffix -in. The Italian naming Argentina for the country implies Argentina Terra land of silver or Argentina costa coast of silver, in Italian, the adjective or the proper noun is often used in an autonomous way as a substantive and replaces it and it is said lArgentina. The name Argentina was probably first given by the Venitian and Genoese navigators, in Spanish and Portuguese, the words for silver are respectively plata and prata and of silver is said plateado and prateado. Argentina was first associated with the silver mountains legend, widespread among the first European explorers of the La Plata Basin. The first written use of the name in Spanish can be traced to La Argentina, a 1602 poem by Martín del Barco Centenera describing the region, the 1826 constitution included the first use of the name Argentine Republic in legal documents. The name Argentine Confederation was also used and was formalized in the Argentine Constitution of 1853. In 1860 a presidential decree settled the name as Argentine Republic
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Gilera
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Gilera is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in Arcore in 1909 by Giuseppe Gilera. In 1969, the company was purchased by Piaggio, in 1935, Gilera acquired rights to the Rondine four-cylinder engine. This formed the basis for Gilera s racing machines for nearly forty years, from the mid-thirties, Gilera developed a range of four-stroke engine machines. The engines ranged from 100 to 500 cc, the most famous being the 1939 Saturno, designed by Giuseppe Salmaggi, the Saturno was inspired by the pre-war Gilera VTEGS 500cc “Otto Bulloni” yet was quite different due to its unit construction. In 1969, Gilera became part of the Piaggio group, in 1992, Gilera made a return to the Grand Prix arena and Piaggio continues to produce small-displacement motorcycles with the Gilera name. The famous factory of Arcore was closed in 1993 and now the motorcycles bearing the name Gilera are produced by Piaggio in Pontedera, after World War II, Gilera dominated Grand Prix motorcycle racing, winning the 500 cc road racing world championship six times in eight years. In May 1963 Minter suffered serious injuries when racing a Norton at Brands Hatch, and his place in the team for the TT races was taken by Phil Read, the team only raced for one season in selected races. The bikes were raced at Brands Hatch later in the year, intended for use with a sidecar, the Marte had a shaft drive and hand-operated transmission. Saturno Produced after World War II until 1959 as a 498 cc OHV single with 22 bhp @5,000 rpm and swinging-arm rear suspension using parallel, twin horizontal coil springs. It is a supermotard which means it is an offroad moped fit for the big city and it has 17-inch rims with broad tires, six gears and a 50 cc engine producing 8.5 hp. List of Italian companies List of motorcycle manufacturers The Gilera Historical Register
Luigi Arcangeli
