Gimax facts for kids
"Gimax" at 1978 Italian Grand Prix
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| Born | 1 January 1938 Milan, Italy |
|---|---|
| Died | 13 January 2021 (aged 83) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Italian |
| Active years | 1978 |
| Teams | Surtees |
| Entries | 1 (0 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1978 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1978 Italian Grand Prix |
"Gimax" was the racing name (or pseudonym) of an Italian race car driver named Carlo Franchi. He was born on January 1, 1938, and passed away on January 13, 2021. Interestingly, he always raced using the name "Gimax," never his real name. His son also later used the "Gimax" name when he raced!
Carlo Franchi tried to compete in one big Formula One race, the 1978 Italian Grand Prix, with a team called Surtees. However, he didn't qualify for the main race. He also took part in another Formula One race that wasn't part of the main championship, called the 1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix.
Racing Sportscars
"Gimax" was a regular driver in Italian sportscar races during the 1970s. These races feature special cars designed for speed and endurance, often different from the open-wheel Formula One cars.
In 1978, he also competed in the European Sportscar Championship. This was a new racing series created that year. It allowed powerful "Group 6 prototype" cars to keep racing in Europe.
Winning a Championship
The European Sportscar Championship had two main groups of cars. One group was for cars with 2-liter engines, and the other was for cars with larger engines.
"Gimax" showed his skill by winning the championship for the 2-liter cars. He drove an Osella car to victory. In the same series, another driver named Reinhold Joest, who drove a Porsche, won the championship for the larger engine cars.
