Luigi Villoresi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luigi Villoresi
Villoresi on the cover of El Gráfico magazine, 1947
Born	(1909-05-16)16 May 1909 Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Died	24 August 1997(1997-08-24) (aged 88) Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Italian
Active years	1950–1956
Teams	Ferrari, Maserati, Lancia, Scuderia Centro Sud
Entries	34 (31 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	8
Career points	46 (49)
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	1
First entry	1950 Monaco Grand Prix
Last entry	1956 Italian Grand Prix
Champ Car career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish	16th (1946)
First race	1946 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 0 0
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	1952–1953
Teams	Ferrari
Best finish	DNF (1952, 1953)
Class wins	0

Luigi Villoresi (born May 16, 1909 – died August 24, 1997) was a famous Italian racing driver. He was one of the first drivers to compete in Formula One when it began.

Luigi Villoresi: A Racing Legend

Early Life and First Races

Luigi Villoresi, known as "Gigi," was born in Milan, Lombardy, Italy. He came from a family with enough money, which allowed him to buy his own car. At 22, he started racing in local rallies with a Lancia Lambda.

A few years later, he got a Fiat Balilla. He and his younger brother, Emilio Villoresi, raced together in the Mille Miglia. In 1935, Luigi finished third in the Coppa Ciano race. He then won the Italian driving championship in the 1100cc sports car class.

Joining Maserati and Ferrari

In 1936, Luigi and Emilio bought a Maserati. They each drove it in different races. Emilio was so good that he joined Scuderia Ferrari in 1937 to drive an Alfa Romeo.

In 1938, Luigi Villoresi became part of the Maserati team. He drove the 8CTF model, which Maserati built to compete with the strong German "Silver Arrows" cars. In 1939, Maserati introduced the Maserati 4CL. Luigi drove it to victory at the 1939 South African Grand Prix.

Sadly, his brother Emilio passed away later that year during a car test at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Just over two weeks after his brother's death, Luigi won the 1939 Adriatic Grand Prix in his Maserati. His racing career was paused because of World War II.

After the war, he went to America to race in the 1946 Indianapolis 500. Then, he returned to race for Maserati until 1949. In 1949, he signed with Ferrari again. He made his Formula One debut on May 21, 1950.

Racing Highlights: 1949-1952

In 1949, Villoresi finished second in the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in Argentina. He also won the first Grand Prix de Bruxelles, beating Alexander Orley from the United States.

In June 1949, Louis Rosier won a 500 km Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Villoresi finished second. In September 1949, Villoresi came in third at a 60-mile international race at Silverstone. Italian drivers took the top three spots, with Alberto Ascari first and Giuseppe Farina second.

In 1950, during a race in Geneva, Villoresi's car skidded and crashed. He broke his left leg and had head injuries, needing hospital care. The race was won by Juan Manuel Fangio. In 1951, Villoresi finished third at the 1951 British Grand Prix.

In July 1952, Villoresi won the French Grand Prix at Les Sables d'Olonne while driving a Ferrari. He won the three-hour, 208-mile race. Ferrari cars took the top three spots at the Grand Prix d'France in La Baule in August 1952. Alberto Ascari was first, followed by Villoresi and Rosier. Villoresi also won the 1952 Grand Prix of Modena in his Ferrari.

Later Career and Retirement

In 1953, Villoresi showed his amazing skill at the 1953 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Another car hit a Maserati near the finish line. Villoresi made a brilliant move, pulling his car off the track at high speed to avoid the crash. He finished third in that race.

By 1954, Villoresi was 41 years old. He was like an older, wise member of the Formula One team. He was a mentor to Alberto Ascari, who became his closest friend. In 1954, Villoresi and Ascari joined the new Lancia racing team. Sadly, his close friend Alberto Ascari passed away the next year. This deeply affected Villoresi, and his racing career slowed down.

In April 1954, Villoresi was seriously injured while testing a Lancia car near Rimini, Italy. He was with his mechanic when he skidded to avoid another car. Both Villoresi and his mechanic were stuck under the Lancia. Farmers helped them by using oxen to lift the car. Villoresi had several head wounds and bruises.

In May 1955, Villoresi finished third at the Naples Grand Prix, driving a Lancia. He crashed his car in the 1956 Grand Prix of Rome.

Villoresi retired from Grand Prix racing in 1957. He had 31 Formula One championship starts but no victories. However, he finished on the podium eight times and earned 49 championship points. He continued rally racing and won the Acropolis Rally in Greece in 1958. After that, he retired to his home in Modena.

Luigi Villoresi passed away in 1997 at the age of 88.

Notable Victories

• Alsace Grand Prix 1947
• British Grand Prix 1948
• Coppa Acerbo 1938
• Coppa Edda Ciano 1938
• Dutch Grand Prix 1949
• Grand Prix d'Albigeois 1938, 1948
• Grand Prix de Bruxelles 1949
• Grand Prix du Comminges 1948
• Grand Prix de Marseilles 1950, 1951
• Gran Premio de Modena 1952
• Grand Prix de Nice 1946, 1947
• Grand Prix de Nîmes 1947
• Pau Grand Prix 1951
• Grand Prix of Naples 1948
• Gran Premio del Valentino 1952
• Interlagos Grand Prix 1949
• Lausanne Grand Prix 1947
• Mille Miglia 1951
• Penya Rhin Grand Prix 1948
• Buenos Aires Grand Prix-General Juan Perón Grand Prix 1947, 1948
• Buenos Aires Grand Prix-Eva Duarte Perón Grand Prix 1947, 1948
• Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix 1949
• Giro de Sicilia 1953
• Syracuse Grand Prix 1951
• South African Grand Prix 1939
• Targa Florio 1939, 1940
• Masaryk Circuit Grand Prix 1937
• Tripoli Grand Prix 1937
• Zandvoort Grand Prix 1949

Images for kids

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  Villoresi on the cover of El Gráfico magazine, 1947