Italian Motorcycle Racing Championship
The Flying Mantuan
Dr. Ferdinand Porsche called him “The greatest driver of the past, the present, and the future.” His name was Tazio Nuvolari and he followed a career racing both motorcycles and cars. Tazio was born on November 16, 1892 in Castel d’Ario, Italy. Both his father, Arturo, and his older brother, Giuseppe were motorcycle racers and Guiseppe had won the Italian national championship more than once. Tazio obtained his license to race motorcycles in 1915 but World War I broke out in Europe and he wound up in the Italian army as a driver. At the end of the war Tazio returned to racing. He won the European Grand Prix in 1925 and became a European Motorcycling champion. At the end of 1930 Tazio decided to give up motorcycle racing and focus on automobile racing. He is notable in auto racing not just for his many wins but also for the conditions under which his victories occurred. In 1934 he was racing in the Circuito di Peitro Bordino race at Alessandria when he crashed and broke a leg. Just four weeks after his accident, he had his Maserati modified so he could use all of the pedals with his left foot and competed in the AVUS-Rennen race with his right leg in a cast. Due to leg cramping, he crossed the finish line in fifth place. This prompted Earl Howe to comment, “Let any who say it was foolhardy at least be honest and admit it was one of the finest exhibitions of pluck and grit ever seen. By such men are victories won!”
Then in 1935, Tazio scored a win that was considered to be the greatest car racing victory of all times. He entered the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, driving an Alfa Romeo P3 with 265 HP. He was competing against the German team all equipped with 375 HP Mercedes. By driving at the edge and occasionally over it, he was able to pass the lead German car which was forced to retire with a blown tire and cross the finish line first to the applause of a crowd of 300,000 applauding spectators. The Nazi officials, expecting a victory, were appalled. His win was called ‘The Impossible Victory.’ In another minor race, the steering wheel dislodged from the car and Tazio returned to the pits with the wheel in one hand, holding onto the steering column with the other.
Then in 1936 when practicing for the Tripoli GP he had a serious accident that landed him in the hospital. However, on the day of the race he left the hospital, taxied to the track, borrowed a spare car and finished in 7th place. And again in 1946, Tazio finished the Milan Grand Prix steering with one hand while holding a bloodstained handkerchief over his mouth with the other hand. Four cars have been named after him. A song, Nuvolari, was written and recorded by Italian singer Lucio Dalla and appears in Dalla’s album Automobili. Although he expressed the wish to die in his sport, he actually passed away in bed nine months after a paralyzing stroke. He was buried in his uniform and his coffin was placed on a car chassis. From 25 to 55 thousand people attended his funeral and the procession was a mile in length.
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Full gas for MotoGP´s Italian stars
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Art Poster, World Motorcycle Championship – 1963 – 27.5 x 18.75 $19.95 FREE SHIPPING on this item when you purchase 2 or more Art Posters from ClassicPix.com. This high quality, durable Art Poster measures 18.75″ x 27.50″ and arrives ready to frame. Posters are printed on heavy-stock, semi-matte paper producing the best possible combination of color vibrancy and durability. All posters from ClassicPix.com are made on demand one-at-a-time, just for you — not mass-pro… |
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Black Framed/Matted Print 17×23, World Motorcycle Championship – 1963 $69.95 FREE SHIPPING on this item when you purchase 2 or more Framed Art Posters from ClassicPix.com. This high quality art poster is matted and framed by our professional framers, and arrives fully assembled and ready to hang. The durable black wood frame measures 17″ x 23″ – poster size is 12″ x 18″. A clear plexiglass facing protects your poster and adds a lusterous shine. Posters are printed on heavy… |
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Canvas Print, World Motorcycle Championship – 1963 – 18 x 12 $39.95 FREE SHIPPING on this item when you purchase 2 or more Canvas Prints from ClassicPix.com, any size — mix or match. This high quality, durable Canvas Print measures 12″ x 18″ and arrives ready to hang with all necessary hardware already fastened. The Canvas Print is stretched over a sturdy wood frame for maximum stability and tautness, creating a striking three-dimensional piece of artwork. All pr… |
