Vittorio Brambilla facts for kids
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| Born | 11 November 1937 Monza, Italy |
|---|---|
| Died | 26 May 2001 (aged 63) Lesmo, Italy |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Italian |
| Active years | 1974–1980 |
| Teams | March, Surtees, Alfa Romeo |
| Entries | 79 (74 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Career points | 15.5 |
| Pole positions | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First entry | 1974 South African Grand Prix |
| First win | 1975 Austrian Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1975 Austrian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1980 Italian Grand Prix |
Vittorio Brambilla (born November 11, 1937 – died May 26, 2001) was a Formula One driver from Italy. He raced for teams like March, Surtees, and Alfa Romeo. People called him "The Monza Gorilla" because he was known for his bold and sometimes aggressive driving style. He was especially good at driving in the rain. Vittorio won one Formula One race in his career, the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, which was held in very wet conditions.
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Vittorio Brambilla's Racing Journey
Vittorio Brambilla was born in Monza, Italy. He started his racing journey on motorcycles in 1957. In 1958, he won the Italian national 175cc motorcycle title. Even later in his career, he still raced motorcycles sometimes. Before becoming a mechanic, he also raced go-karts. His older brother, Ernesto, was also a racing driver.
Early Racing Years
Vittorio returned to racing cars in 1968, starting in Formula 3. He won the Italian Formula 3 championship in 1972. By then, he was already racing in Formula 2. In 1970, he finished second in a Formula Two race in Austria. He also drove a March BMW to fourth place in a 1973 Formula Two race in Germany.
Brambilla won the City of Enna Cup in 1973, driving an Abarth-Osella car. He also got the top starting spot (pole position) for the Monza 4-hour car race in a BMW 3.5 CSL.
Formula One Adventures
Racing with March (1974–1976)
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In his first year in Formula One in 1974, Brambilla was very fast, like his teammate. However, he also had more accidents. In the Swedish Grand Prix, he was running in fifth place until his engine had problems. He finished 18th in the 1974 Formula One World Championship.
In 1975, he surprised many people at the Belgian Grand Prix. He led the race until his brakes had problems. At the 1975 Swedish Grand Prix, he got the pole position, meaning he started first. But a gearbox problem made him stop racing early.
His most famous day was at the Österreichring in 1975. He won the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, which was a very wet race. Right after crossing the finish line, he spun his car and damaged the front. He completed his slow-down lap waving to the crowd with the front of his car wrecked! Because the race was shortened, he only received half points for his win.
Later that season, Brambilla had a more serious crash during practice for the 1975 United States Grand Prix. He was not hurt, but the session ended because of his accident. In 1976, he had several accidents and mechanical issues. He only scored one point at the 1976 Dutch Grand Prix.
Driving for Surtees (1977–1978)
In 1977, Brambilla joined the Surtees team and scored six points. At the same time, he also drove for the Alfa Romeo sports car team. He helped them win the World Championship for their team.
He continued with Surtees in 1978. At the 1978 United States Grand Prix West, he qualified 17th. His car finished 14th after its engine failed.
At the 1978 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, there was a big crash involving many cars at the start. Brambilla was hit by a flying wheel and suffered serious head injuries. After this race, which also saw Ronnie Peterson sadly pass away from his injuries, there were talks about moving the Italian Grand Prix to a different track for a few years.
Time with Alfa Romeo (1979–1980)
Brambilla briefly drove for the Alfa Romeo Formula One team in 1979 and 1980. In December 1979, Alfa Romeo showed off their new Formula One car for the 1980 season. They named Brambilla as one of their drivers. The car had a powerful V-12 engine.
Retirement and Later Life
Vittorio Brambilla stopped racing at the end of the 1980 season. In the early 1990s, he opened a shop in Milan that sold Formula One items. He sometimes drove the safety car during the Italian Grand Prix.
Vittorio Brambilla passed away at his home in Lesmo, near Milan, at the age of 63. He had a heart attack while gardening.
Racing Highlights
Vittorio Brambilla had a notable career in different racing categories:
- He won the Italian Formula 3 Championship in 1972.
- In Formula 2, he achieved several strong results, including a win at the Salzburgring in 1973 and another win at Vallelunga in 1975. He often finished in the top few positions.
- In Formula One, his biggest achievement was winning the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix. He also secured a pole position at the 1975 Swedish Grand Prix. Throughout his F1 career, he scored points in several races, showing his skill and determination.
See also
In Spanish: Vittorio Brambilla para niños
