She was taking home swaths of victories in the lower tiers of racing, ready to make a name for herself. Motorsports have always been popular with all kinds of people. That was the first time we saw her, says John Webb, the UKs most go-ahead promoter of the period. She very tenacious, she from an early age she was attracted to four wheels and motors, preferring scale models to dolls. Driver Information Born in 1941 in Frugarolo, Italy, Lombardi first started driving as the delivery person for her family shop (they were butchers). We were too busy building production racing cars. There was no fairy-tale result in South Africa, however, as her car was retired with low fuel pressure. Formula One World ChampionshipCareer Statistics By checking this box, you agree to Nitto Tires, 6 Racers That Broke Barriers Who Youve Probably Never Heard Of, 10 Great Ayrton Senna Quotes to Motivate You, Yes, I would like to receive emails from Nitto Tire and Driving Line. She is the only woman to win points in Formula One, winning half a point in the Spanish Grand Prix. Lombardi's career in the Grand Prix arena was done, but her career in motorsport was not. She'd signed a deal, backed by personal sponsor Lavazza, the leading Italian coffee provider double espressos for everyone! Growing up an all-around sportswoman, Lombardi had the opportunity to become anything she wanted, but she didnt fall in love with racing until she was in her twenties. Or become a seller if you've got a car to sell. Lombardi finished 31st. ), (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap). Having survived being held as a prisoner of war, she returned to racing after WWII, founding her own motor racing team in 1946 and competing in a number of races across Europe. She was charming but stubborn and independent, and a tremendously careful road driver. She failed to qualify RAM Racings BT44B at Brands where Divina Galica, the Webbs latest fast lady, outperformed her and in Germany the car was impounded by court injunction. We knew what shed done beforehand and clearly she was very capable.. In 1971, Lomardi added the Formula Ford Mexico championship title to her collection. She didnt give many interviews, reveal too much, or even dress in the traditionally feminine way that might draw her more attentionits almost impossible to find many quotes from her. In Formula One, more than any other branch of the sport, if you are not in the right car at the right time, then you stand little chance of success. Such was her tenacity that she basically taught herselfand also worked for her parents to save the money to pay for her first car, which she bought at the age of 24. During one of the most controversial weekends in F1 history, set amid a notoriously dangerous Barcelona street circuit . But it seemed to be the most fruitful option for a woman looking to continue behind the wheel due to how many options were available for her. She scraped together enough money to go racing and competed in any car she could get her hands on. In 1979, she won the 6 hours of Pergusa and the 6 hours of Vallelunga. She raced a Lola-Chevrolet and finished 14th. It was easily one of the most consistently successful eras of her career. She raced with the talented racer/journalist Marie-Claude Beaumont in 1975 in an Alpine A441 under the far-sighted Francois Guiters Ecurie Elf Ladies Team, and later won the 1979 Enna Six Hours with Enrico Grimaldi (becoming the first woman to win an FIA Championship event). The World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, had the courage of his convictions and did the bare legal minimum of practice, and refused to start the race at all. This was the race stopped prematurely at only 29 laps after Rolf Stommelens leading Hill had lost its rear wing and crashed heavily, killing onlookers. The damaged monocoque was still in the workshop so we took it apart and discovered a crack in its cast-magnesium rear bulkhead. But he skipped 1952 season. After a further two category victories in 1971, at Monza and Vallelunga, she returned to F3 in 1972 and, with her Lotus 69 running under the Jolly Club umbrella, finished 10th in the standings. The following year, in 1976, Lombardi only contested four F1 weekends. However, Lombardi had an eventful driving career, aside from Formula One. He was very ambitious and so we signed big names Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Henri Pescarolo to show that we meant business. As Angela Webb, one of the race promoters who knew Lella, says in a retrospective in Motorsport Magazine: She stayed in Italy and flew to each race, yet never asked for expenses. At that time, sixth place was the final points-scoring position in a race. (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap. Driving Line Accelerating Automotive Passion by providing a fresh angle of what fuels us. Lella Lombardi She remembered how foreign people appreciated her but at the same time she wanted to be known in Italy despite the difficulties of being accepted in a very male world.. 0 The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix was cut short while Lombardi was running in sixth place. The joyless Spanish Grand Prix of April 1975 ended in tragedy when the rear wing of Rolf Stommelens leading Hill failed with catastrophic result: dead bodies pinned beneath its wreck. * Most laps led. View the profiles of people named Lella Lombardi. But even today we associate motorsports with something overly fraternal. But its boss Charles James wanted to be involved lock, stock and barrel. In '74 the title was won by Bob Evans in a T332. By 1974 she was ready to make her Formula One debut behind the wheel of a privately entered Brabham in which, unfortunately, she didnt qualify. Delightful. And in 1976 she shared a Lancia Stratos Turbo with Christine Dacremont at Le Mans and finished 20th one lap and one place ahead of the Cosworth DFV-powered Inaltera of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, Jean Rondeau and Belgiums Christine Beckers. In 1975 Lombardi took part in all F1 championship weekends apart from the first two races, Argentina and Brazil. Though Zanon, a huge fan of Petersons, smoothed matters by helping her find employment elsewhere, the transition was not without problem. World Titles 0.5 "My directing partner Vincent Tran and I first became aware of Lella Lombardi in 2018. She was very professional and we enjoyed working with her. Lombardi is commemorated by a sculpture in her birthplace, Frugarolo. Feeling this to be an overt bid by NASCAR to discredit her operation, her offer of help to these sisters-in-arms, though genuine, was made through gritted teeth. Marie-Claude believes that she and Lella could have won Le Mans in 1975. Back then it was an endurance race rather than a sprint and we were quite competitive. Points There were two other female drivers in the field: American Janet Guthrie and Belgian Christine Beckers. As one might expect, Lombardi turned her hand to endurance racing in both sports and touring cars racing at Le Mans on four occasions, including her final appearance when she partnered with Mark Thatcher, son of the British Prime Minister. Lombardi raced a Lola-Chevrolet finishing unclassified in 14th. On her deathbed she asked us to continue the team to preserve what she had achieved. Her father found her passion for racing difficult to understand, but was secretly proud of her achievement when, in 1968, she finished runner-up to Franco Bernabei. She didnt care. And post-war, we had Maria Teresa de Filippis a bold trailblazer herself French sportscar racer and rallyist Marie-Claude Beaumont, Desire Wilson, Deborah Gregg, Olympic skier Davina Galica, Lella herself and Giovanna Amati. [1] Her father was a butcher, who gave Lella her first job as a delivery driver for the family's shop. The Indy 500's gender segregation had just been nullified, which meant NASCAR had to step up to the plate. But she wanted me to be just as fast and was always giving me tips and help. Could Lella have made it, if Max and Robin had listened and believed her comments, and discovered that cracked rear bulkhead sooner? Lombardi is one of two female drivers to qualify for Formula One and is the only female who scored points in Formula One. While apremature end to a life and career that had not reachedits full potential, Lella Lombardi nevertheless made her point; no one can take that away from her. Lella Lombardi died in March 1992 She was one of the few women that have raced the 24 hours of LeMans, witha best result of 4th. By then she was fighting the cancer that would eventually take her lifeMarch 1992 at the young age of 50. You can set your cookie preferences using the toggles below. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. She was a racing driver first and foremost. There was some consolation that year when Lombardi found herself qualified to enter the Race of Champions, becoming the first ever woman to do so. She finished 14th at the Brazilian Grand Prix that year, and subsequently, the team decided to replace her with Ronnie Peterson. It was clear that the Tigress of Turin a geographically misleading nickname coined by a lazy press would not be disgraced should she be given an F1 opportunity. The race was stopped shortly thereafter and half points awarded to those who happened to occupy the top six positions at the time.". Had Lombardi not begun to get sicklater discovered to be breast cancershe likely would have continued in racing past the late 80s, when she was forced to retire. Lella Lombardi (and every other woman to ever compete in F1 for that matter) is shit and didn't deserve to score anything. Sign up to receive marketing communications. Maria Grazia 'Lella' Lombardi(March 26, 1941 - March 3, 1992) was an Italian female racing driver the second woman to start a Formula One race, after Maria Teresa de Filippis in 1958, and the last woman to do so to date. This was despite the fact that she maintained a great relationship with team owner Robin Herd, who spoke only. She was 50 years old and was buried in Frugarolo. Its hard to be competitive when you dont have the equipment to do so. In 1976 Lombardi was confirmed at March alongside Brambilla and Stuck. The race only continued for four more laps before it was stopped. (Shed already been farmed out to Williams at Watkins Glen the previous October, when her FW04 conked on the warm-up lap.) Enjoying his most competitive spell of F1, and with time against him at 37, the oldest man in the field can perhaps be excused his lack of concern for a friend and future co-driver. That she got as far as she did is a testament to her character. The Petersen Automotive Museum will offer a special premiere screening of the film "Beyond Driven: Lella Lombardi and the Women of Formula Racing, "preceded by a social hour and followed by a question-and-answer session with filmmakers and motorsports drivers. Instead, it was her achievements that did the talking for her. Inaltera [a wallpaper manufacturer] was about to launch in America in 1977 and so we entered the Daytona 24 Hours, too. Italian racing driver (1941-1992) Lombardi at 1975 Dutch Grand Prix. Just her racing. Janet Guthrie, Sarah Fisher, Lyn St James, Danica Patrick and Simona de Silvestro all raced in IndyCars, Danica winning a race at Motegi, and Simona showing a racers courage after a fiery inversion at Indianapolis. In 1975, Lombardi joined the March team for a full seasonat that time alongside the macho Vittorio Brambilla (nicknamed the Monza Gorilla) and Hans-Joachim Stuck. After she had finished 12th in the prestigious Monaco F3 support race, an impressed John Webb of Brands Hatch fame put her in his Celebrity Escort Mexico series, where she beat Jacques Laffite and Mike Wilds. Thats the one I remember. While failing to qualify, Pete Lyons, arguably the leading F1 journalist of that era, nevertheless described Lombardi'sintroduction to the world of Formula One like this: "Lella Lombardi drove her BT42 the same chassis with which Pace failed to qualify in France in a brisk enough, and clean enough, manner to impress people favourably.". Thereafter she turned her attention to the European Touring Car Championship and played an important role in Alfas quartet of titles from 1982 by notching numerous class wins in its Group A GTV6 alongside a gamut of co-drivers: Anna Cambiaghi, Antonio Palma, Giancarlo Naddeo, Francia and Rinaldo Drovandi. [15] As an example of successful women produced by Formula One,[16] Lombardi is credited with making Formula One accessible to women. Lella Lombardi will be remembered for her achievements in motorsport, her Formula 1 record and being one of only three openly LGBTQ+ F1 drivers. In 1989 she founded her own racing team, Lombardi Autosport.[11]. Nel 1988 Lella si ritirata e ha aperto la scuderia Lombardi Autosport, dove diventata team manager. She also raced a Lola and an Eagle for Francisco Mirs team in the US F5000 series, as team mate to rising star James Hunt. Thats unusual for a racing driver. 1976 Austrian Grand Prix. To optimise your browsing experience, please update your browser. The race continued for another four laps, resulting in Lombardis sixth-place finish. Races Stamina was no problem, either, because you couldnt drive flat out back then and expect to last the distance.. Born Maria Grazia Lombardi on the 26th March 1941, Lomardi grew up in Frugarolo in the Piedmont area of Italy, where her first job saw her drive the delivery van for her familys butcher shop. [3] Lella Lombardi was also one of the first female racers in a same-sex relationship. Well, I dont agree at all. We miss her passion, determination and modesty., Lombardi checked into Milans San Camillo Clinic in February 1992 and died on March 3, days short of her 51st birthday. She was in an unreliable car whose problems were only intensified by the fact that the mechanics didnt take Lombardi seriously when she reported complaints to do with the handling. Having coped with her Chevrolets worsening transmission problem, Lombardi chose not to restart after a long stoppage for rain and was classified 31st. That includes both domestic and international flights. That she was a woman was an irrelevancy to Lella. But the Nrburgring was her best drive, says March co-founder/designer Robin Herd. Lombardis uncanny knack of pulling fish from the sea became apparent when they stayed on NASCAR boss Bill Frances boat in the Bahamas. Lombardi made history for two reasons at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix - she was the first woman to score points in a Grand Prix, and the first driver to score a career total of 0.5 points, after the accident of Rolf Stommelen which stopped the Grand Prix before half-distance, remaining the only person to achieve either of these. She stayed in Italy and flew to each race, yet never asked for expenses. We discovered her story while investigating iconic women from history. Those were not easy cars to drive basically a Formula 2 with a big, tall lump stuck in the back but she got quicker and quicker during the year. Pitting on lap seven because of flat spots, he would, amid the chaos, recover to finish a lapped fifth. [6]. Last Race Half points awarded, Race stopped after 29/54 Laps. [13] Journalist Phil Pash reports that though Lombardi viewed racing as a masculine sport, she succeeded regardless because of her competitive spirit. [13] Among others who comment on the effects of Lombardis legacy is Matt Majendie, who writes about Jamie Chadwick. For Lombardi to gain the respect of such men as the legendary Arturo Merzario (seen above with teammateVittorio Brambilla) was a clear indication of herabilities and bravery. She had an image to keep: Im tough so dont mess with me. The early days of her love affair with motorsports saw her sneak into Brooklands racing circuit wearing mechanics overalls, offering to help any mechanic or driver who would accept it. Her success gave visibility to trans people and a narrative the public hadnt come into contact with that transitions werent smokescreens for the perceived undercurrent of male homosexuality. Lombardi's story has impacted generations of racers. Proudly created with. Women began competing as grand-prix racing drivers as early as 1958, when Anna-Maria de Fillipis competed in three Formula One events. At present, women hold two team principal positions in F1: Claire Williams and Monica Kaltenborn with Williams Grand Prix and Sauber, respectively. Lombardi kept her personal affairs particularly quiet to protect the identity of her lover, Fiorenza. Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi was, and still is, an inspiration to many women in motorsport. Died Tatiana Calderon follows in their wheeltracks this season. Vit would come back in and say, Yeah, yeah, cars perfect. Nine tenths shy of the grid, she had, in a better car admittedly, lapped as quickly as Tom Bels and faster than Vern Schuppan, John Nicholson, Howden Ganley, Wilds and Leo Kinnunen. Lella only complained about the inequality of Formula 1 because nobody had listened to her about changes for the car. But at 25 laps into the race, Rolf Stommelen crashed his car and killed five spectators. Originally from Frugarolo in Piedmont district of Italy, Lombardi climbed through the junior Formulas, becoming the Ford Escort Mexico Champion and putting on a very assured performance in the Monaco F3 race, ahead of then future World Champion, Alan Jones. Not only was she a novice in Formula One, but her car also suffered a broken gearbox in the vital Final Qualifying Session. She would just say to me, Marie, I have to do Formula 1., READ MORE: 5 reasons F1 fans are still in awe of the legendary Gilles Villeneuve. Italics Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. Lella voted to race, with Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Ronnie Peterson, Vittorio Brambilla, Tony Brise, Jacky Ickx and Bob Evans sharing the idea. 1974 British Grand Prix At Catawiki, youll be surprised every week with the impressive selection of special objects we have on offer. She finished fifth overall, with four fourth places, two fifths and three sixths. She had raced hard against some of the best drivers in the world, and she finished in sixth place. She was judged purely as a racing driver. Its perfect. The irony of Beuttlers racing record is that even though he achieved five top-10 finishes in the 28 races he took part in, he never managed to secure any points though todays regulations would have awarded him some. On reflection, however, he was probably looking after himself.. Lella Lombardi is one of only two women to start a world championship race in the history of F1 Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi, the only female driver to finish in a points position in a Formula One world championship motor race, was born on this day in 1941 in Frugarolo, near Alessandria in Piedmont. Lombardis friends remember her fondly as someone humble who enjoyed her life but understood its difficulties. Later she would race in NASCAR, sharing a Chevrolet with Janet Guthrie in Daytonas Firecracker 400 in 1977 but being classified only 31st after transmission problems. She would often speak of sacrifices. Maria Grazia Lombardi aka Lella Lombardi (1941-1992) was a female racing driver from Italy who recorded 17 participations (12 starts) in the Formula One World Championship between 1974 and 1976, setting the record as a woman who raced the most in Formula 1. Formula 1 was very important for her and her friend Fiorenza. As a trans woman, Cowell won the 1957 Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb, one of the worlds oldest motorsports events. But I dont think he ever did a flying lap in that car. Jackie Epstein was running a Formula 5000 team out of Brands and we persuaded him to give Lella a try that winter. Wed just started the ShellSPORT Celebrity Series [for Escort Mexicos] and my wife Angela invited her to compete at Brands Hatch in July. She wasnt there to make up the numbers. She was much more concerned by the settings than I was, great with the mechanics and very speedy. The male gaze has shaped motorsports, which is why those drivers that operate outside of its sight and yet succeed within it, are so remarkable. After a difficult and unrewarding ETCC campaign she failed to start the final round at Nogaro due to illness. BBC News came to her first test with us at Goodwood and she wanted to know why. Regardless of everything though, she still defined herself by her love of motorsports and is remembered by her words: I prefer to have an accident than to fall in love. Lombardi is one of two female drivers to qualify for Formula One and is the only female who scored points in Formula One. Neither of her parents drove and Lella, as she became known, enjoyed her earliest experiences behind the wheel from driving the delivery truck for her father's salami factory. Lella was my recommendation. Status asks Mark Hughes. As one might expect, Lombardi turned her hand to endurance racing in both sports and touring cars racing at Le Mans on four occasions, including her final appearance when she partnered with Mark Thatcher, son of the British Prime Minister. However, as were her wishes, the team remained active after her death and remains so today. By the time she arrived at Monaco in early June she had scored half of the six victories that would help her become Italys Ford Escort Mexico Challenge champion. In situations where options are slim, you have to take every opportunity that comes your way. Lombardi thus joined the ShellSPORT Luxembourg squad for the 74 Rothmans F5000 Championship and her Lola T330 wore 208 as a nod to the famous radio stations frequency. Fourth at Brands Hatch at the first time of asking, Lombardi matched that result at Monza, Oulton Park and Mallory Park during a consistent campaign: she finished all bar the last of 18 rounds to be fifth in the points. She impressed him not only with her driving but also by her mechanical knowledge and feel. Montjuich 1975: Lella Lombardi hustles her March to sixth place and the only GP point for a woman albeit halved by the shortened race. She wasnt rich and, with no sponsors to begin with, she slept in her truck to save money. Lombardi practiced her skills behind an F1 car in several non-championship events. She told me shed been hit on her breast during a sailing trip and it hurt very much. [2] Initially, Lombardi tried to qualify for Formula One with a privately entered Brabham supported by the Italian Automobile Club but failed to qualify. Catawiki is continuously updating its technology. This, and other good results, attracted attention, with whichLombardi obtained backing to try and run in the 1974 British Grand Prix. 26 March 1941(1941-03-26)Frugarolo, Italy The world in general, and motor racing in particular, was a less enlightened place in the mid-'70s than present day. Purtroppo, il 3 marzo del 1992, morta di cancro. She was passionate about racing. Born in Frugarolo, Italy, on March 21 1941, she reached adolescence understanding that two aspects of her nature were at odds with public opinion of the day: she loved cars and she was gay. Lombardi and Beckers qualified fourth at Daytona, but crashed out after 78 laps when a slower Porsche suffered a blow-out as Beckers drew alongside. I always regard the F5000 race she did with a Matich A50 at Sandown Park later in 1974 as a better indicator of her grit and potential. In the 1975 event, she was once again able to qualify and compete with a March-Ford. Wins Lella Lombardi Where better to begin than with the most successful female F1 driver of all time: Lella Lombardi. Her experience has shaped the involvement of women in racing and how people perceive females in the racing industry. But she wasnt done with racing quite yet. Formula 1 Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Lombardi was the first woman to qualify and compete in the Race of Champions in Brands Hatch and raced in sports cars. Lella Lombardi Photo: Love Entertainment "That is a correct assessment, yes," she laughs. She wasnt interested in fashion and usually wore trousers if she was in civvies.
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