Gino Valenzano facts for kids
Luigi "Gino" Valenzano (born April 24, 1920, in Asti, Italy – died May 28, 2011) was a brave Italian racing driver. He took part in many races, competing in 39 events between 1947 and 1955. Gino drove for famous car brands like Abarth, Maserati, and Lancia. He even had well-known drivers like Robert Manzon and Froilán González as teammates.
Gino's Early Life and Challenges
When Gino was young, he was very interested in airplanes and flying. He decided to study at the Academy of Caserta to learn more about them. However, his father passed away suddenly, and Gino had to return home to Turin.
During World War II, Gino and his brother Piero faced a difficult time. Because of their family's connection to Pietro Badoglio, they had to leave Turin. They lived in Rome for a while. Sadly, they were later sent to a very tough place called Mauthausen. This was a camp where many people suffered during the war. Luckily, on May 5, 1945, American soldiers freed them.
Racing Career Highlights
After the war, Gino Valenzano began his exciting journey in car racing. He started by competing in hillclimbs, which are races up steep roads. He even built his own special racing car! Later, he got a car designed by Enrico Nardi that had a BMW engine.
Soon, a famous car designer named Carlo Abarth noticed Gino's talent. Abarth hired him to drive for his company. There, Gino met Gianni Lancia, who was the son of Vincenzo Lancia. Gino and Gianni had actually gone to school together when they were kids!
Gianni Lancia gave Gino a chance to try out a Aurelia B20 car. Gino loved it and decided to become a professional racer. He then drove other powerful Lancia cars, like the Lancia D20 and D24. He raced in very famous events such as the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gino raced alongside legendary drivers like Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Luigi Musso.
In 1955, the Lancia team stopped racing professionally. So, Gino switched to Maserati and competed in six more races. Sadly, this would be his last season. His brother Piero died during a race called the Coppa d' Oro delle Dolomiti on July 10, 1955. This tragic event led Gino to stop his racing career.
