Eugenio Castellotti


Eugenio Castellotti was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One at 14 Grands Prix from to. Nicknamed "il Bello", Castellotti won the Mille Miglia and 12 Hours of Sebring, both in 1956 with Ferrari.
Born and raised in Lombardy, Castellotti began his career in sportscar racing aged 20, driving a Ferrari 166. He took his first major victory at the Portuguese Grand Prix in 1952. The following year, he won the 10 Hours of Messina; he took further podiums in sportscars at the Bari and Monaco Grands Prix in 1952, as well as the Carrera Panamericana in 1953. Castellotti debuted in Formula One with Lancia in, taking his maiden podium in Monaco and becoming the then-youngest polesitter in Formula One history in Belgium, aged 24.
Castellotti contested the final three rounds of 1955 with Ferrari, taking a podium at the to clinch third in the World Drivers' Championship. He retained his seat in, securing his third career podium at the. Amongst his Formula One duties, he continued his sportscar career, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring alongside Juan Manuel Fangio, as well as the Mille Miglia in a 290 MM. Remaining with Ferrari for his campaign, he won the 1000 km Buenos Aires. In March 1957, Castellotti died following an accident whilst testing the Ferrari 801 at Modena.

Driving career

Castellotti was born in Lodi, Italy. He acquired a Ferrari 166 MM s/n 0058M at the age of twenty, from a local benefactor, and began racing sports cars. In 1952, he won the Portuguese Grand Prix, was third at Bari and second at Monaco which was run that year for sports cars. In 1953, he won the 10 Hours of Messina and finished third in the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. In 1954, he signed for Lancia and again drove sports cars whilst awaiting the team's Grand Prix car. He eventually made his Grand Prix debut at Buenos Aires on 16 January 1955, for Lancia, but struggled in the warmer temperatures and crashed. However, he finished second at Monaco, but in mid-season the team amalgamated with Scuderia Ferrari, for whom Castellotti drove for the remainder of his career. He participated in 14 World Championship Grands Prix, achieving 3 podiums and scored a total of 19.5 championship points. He secured pole position, with Lancia, at the 1955 Belgian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver to do so, a record that stood for 13 years until Jacky Ickx's pole position at the 1968 German Grand Prix.
Castellotti also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races. Castellotti won the March 1956 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring, Florida partnered with Fangio. He followed this triumph by winning the Mille Miglia race in Brescia and the Grand Prix for sports cars in Rouen, France. Castellotti's Ferrari achieved a total race time of 2 hours 10 minutes 31.1 seconds, winning the race. He was also second in the Nürburgring 1000 km race again partnered with Fangio.

Private life

Known for his sophisticated manners and tailored clothes, Castellotti had significantly prominent media profile in Italy for his relationship with ballerina and actress Delia Scala. Castellotti and Scala were officially engaged at the time of his death.

Death

Castellotti died at 26 years old during a private Ferrari test session at the Aerautodromo di Modena. Castellotti was testing a new Ferrari Grand Prix car for the 1957 season. He had been told by Enzo Ferrari in person to test there and set a fast time, in order to beat an unofficial lap record that had just been set by Jean Behra for Maserati. He hit a high kerb at a chicane and was thrown out of the car; his body was hurled. The car repeatedly overturned before coming to rest in the members' stand. No other people were hurt. According to physicians, Castellotti's skull fracture caused his instant death.

Legacy

Castellotti was considered the greatest Italian driver since Alberto Ascari. In 1958, Castellotti's friend Giuseppe Corsi founded Scuderia Castellotti in Lodi to honour his memory. The team used modified Ferrari Tipo 553 2.0-litre engines bored out to 2.5 litres and rebranded as "Castellotti", with "Eugenio" on the cam covers. The team folded in 1961 after driver Giulio Cabianca fatally crashed in the same autodrome where Castellotti had his accident. Castellotti's legacy has been honoured by Club Auto Moto Storiche Castellotti in Lodi.
Major career wins :

Racing record

Non-championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112131415161718
1955Scuderia LanciaLancia D50Lancia V8NZLBUEVAL
4		PAU
2		GLOBORINTNAPALBCURCORLONDARREDDAT
1955Scuderia FerrariLancia D50Lancia V8OUT
7		AVOSYR
1956Scuderia FerrariLancia D50Lancia V8BUE
Ret		GLVSYR
Ret		AININTNAP
Ret		100VNWCAESUSBRH-------
1957Scuderia FerrariLancia D50Lancia V8BUE
5		SYRPAUGLVNAPRMSCAEINTMODMOR--------