Giuseppe Campari facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giuseppe Campari
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| Born | 8 June 1892 Lodi, Italy
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| Died | 10 September 1933 (aged 41) Monza, Italy
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| Occupation | Racing driver and opera singer |
Giuseppe Campari (born June 8, 1892 – died September 10, 1933) was an amazing Italian Grand Prix motor racing driver. He was also a talented opera singer! He was known for his speed on the race track and his powerful singing voice.
Contents
A Racing Star is Born
Giuseppe Campari was born near Lodi, a city southwest of Milan. When he was a teenager, he started working for the famous Alfa Romeo car company.
Part of his job was to test drive the factory cars. This helped him become a very skilled driver. Soon, he started competing in hillclimbing events, which are races up steep hills.
In 1914, when he was just 21, Giuseppe showed how good he was by finishing fourth in the tough Targa Florio race. His racing career was just beginning when World War I started, and all racing in Europe stopped.
Back on Track: Early Wins
After the war ended, racing started up again. In 1920, Campari won his first big race at Mugello in Tuscany. This was also the very first major win for the Alfa Romeo company! He won at Mugello again the next year.
In 1924, he won the important French Grand Prix. He was part of a super strong Alfa Romeo team. His teammates were Count Gastone Brilli-Peri and Antonio Ascari. They drove the powerful Alfa Romeo P2 cars. These cars were designed by a brilliant engineer named Vittorio Jano.
Challenges and Triumphs
The 1925 racing season was a bit tough for Campari and the Alfa Romeo team. They had to pull out of the French Grand Prix after his teammate Antonio Ascari had a bad crash and sadly passed away.
In 1926, another car company, Maserati, brought out a new, very fast race car called the Tipo 26. Maserati started winning many races. But even with Maserati's strong performance, Campari still managed to win the Coppa Acerbo for Alfa Romeo in 1927.
More Victories and International Races
The year 1928 was great for Giuseppe Campari! He won his second Coppa Acerbo in a row. He also won his first Mille Miglia race, which is a very long and famous road race. He often did well in the Targa Florio, but he never quite managed to win that one.
The next year, 1929, he won the Mille Miglia again! He also traveled to Ireland to race in the first-ever Irish International Grand Prix. More than 100,000 people came to watch! During the race, a small rock hit Campari in the eye, but he was treated at the hospital and was okay. He also raced in Belfast, finishing second to another famous driver, Rudolf Caracciola.
Teaming Up and Final Races
In 1930, another racing legend, Tazio Nuvolari, joined Campari on the Alfa Romeo team. They had an amazing first season together! Nuvolari and Campari teamed up to win their first Italian Grand Prix. This win made them national heroes because they took the championship from the French team, who had won it for the past three years. That same year, Campari won his third Coppa Acerbo.
By 1933, Campari joined the Maserati team. He won his second French Grand Prix while driving for Maserati. At 41 years old, he was planning to retire from racing at the end of that season.
Sadly, the 1933 Italian Grand Prix on September 10, 1933, was his last race. While he was leading the race, his car skidded on some oil that had leaked onto the track. He crashed and sadly died during the race.
Life Outside the Race Track
Besides his love for car racing, Giuseppe Campari had two other big passions. He loved food, especially cooking and eating large amounts of it! And he loved opera.
He had a wonderful, deep baritone singing voice. He took singing lessons and even started singing professionally while he was still racing. He truly was a man of many talents!
Major Victories
- Circuit of Mugello 1920, 1921
- Coppa Acerbo 1927, 1928, 1931
- French Grand Prix 1924, 1933
- Italian Grand Prix 1931
- Mille Miglia 1928, 1929
