", "The rest of the drivers proceeded to put on a display of shunting never before seen. This was followed by the car being impounded at its next race in Germany, as the team had a dispute with a former driver. It was in one of their BMW-powered 2-litre prototypes that she became the first woman to win a round of an FIA-sanctioned World Championship, the 1979 Enna-Pergusa Six Hours, with hill-climb specialist Enrico Grimaldi as her co-driver. This approach works for an endless parade of nobody male drivers, and it got Lella close enough to just grasp at history, at least for a moment, before it all started to slip away from her. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. In 1976, Lombardi was confirmed at March Engineering alongside Brambilla and Stuck. Over her career, Lombardi started an impressive twelve F1 races, spanning the 1974-1976 seasons. Lella voted to race, with Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Ronnie Peterson, Vittorio Brambilla, Tony Brise, Jacky Ickx and Bob Evans sharing the idea. Lombardi then switched to racing an Alfa Romeo in the European Touring Car Championship from 1982 until the end of her career in '87. Med Cadillac (General Motors) som partner synes teamet at have konomien p plads, og en ny, moderne fabrik med Formel 1-poteantiale og -teknik er under opfrelse i Indianapolis. Her best result of the season would come at her last Grand Prix, 12th place in Austria. She finished 14th at the Brazilian Grand Prix that year, and subsequently, the team decided to replace her with Ronnie Peterson. 0 That includes both domestic and international flights. Complete European F5000 Championship results, Complete Formula One World Championship results, Complete Shellsport International Series results, Complete British Formula One Championship results, Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results, "Information about Lella Lombardi from historicracing.com", "Trailblazing racer Lella Lombardi remembered, 30 years on from her death", "Pitstop pioneers: the queer drivers who changed motorsports", "Trailblazing racer Lella Lombardi remembered, 30 years on from her death | Formula 1", "Lombardi, Lella (1942) | Encyclopedia.com", "Pioniere. ), She is commemorated by a bust in her birthplace Frugarolo, near Alessandria, and her eponymous team in Lombardy exists to this day. And they finished 11th at Le Mans, despite a long delay because of an electrical glitch that stranded Beckers without engine or headlights; her resourceful fix surprised the team. She admitted privately, however, that it felt like riding a buffalo and, unsurprisingly, Guthrie, who had finished a fine 12th in that years Daytona 500, outqualified her by nine places. Lella Lombardi: "Preferisco un incidente che innamorarmi", http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/llombard00/cup/index.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lella_Lombardi&oldid=1132016872, Italian Formula Three Championship drivers, Sportspeople from the Province of Alessandria, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 6 January 2023, at 21:48. Her sex and sexuality were not topics of conversation in the paddock. Proudly created with. ), (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap), (key) (note: results shown in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap), (key) (Bold Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Her F1 debut came in the tragic Spanish Grand Prix of 1975, where a car lost control and killed four spectators. Lombardi had had experience of sports-prototypes in the 1975 World Championship for Makes, finishing sixth at Mugello and a class-winning fourth at Monza in Equipe Elf Switzerlands 2-litre Alpine A441, co-driven by Marie-Claude Beaumont. Now she impressed racings international set by finishing 12th in F3s most prestigious race. Well, I dont agree at all. She called out the hostile climate towards women after the Grand Prix, which was a first for the sport. Her team-mate was established series front-runner Ian Ashley: She was the first woman racing driver to seriously impress me. She was 50 years old and was buried in Frugarolo. After she had finished 12th in the prestigious Monaco F3 support race, an impressed John Webb of Brands Hatch fame put her in his Celebrity Escort Mexico series, where she beat Jacques Laffite and Mike Wilds. But its boss Charles James wanted to be involved lock, stock and barrel. In situations where options are slim, you have to take every opportunity that comes your way. You can set your cookie preferences using the toggles below. She continued in sports cars until the beginning of the 80s, when she swapped over to the much less-publicized touring car racing. However, the onset of the Second World War led her to joining the RAF as a pilot something she had previously trained as. We miss her passion, determination and modesty., Lombardi checked into Milans San Camillo Clinic in February 1992 and died on March 3, days short of her 51st birthday. Lella Lombardi is a name firmly etched into the motorsport history books. She failed to qualify RAM Racings BT44B at Brands where Divina Galica, the Webbs latest fast lady, outperformed her and in Germany the car was impounded by court injunction. Lombardi bought her first car in 1965, competing in Formula Monza. By checking this box, you agree to Nitto Tires, 6 Racers That Broke Barriers Who Youve Probably Never Heard Of, 10 Great Ayrton Senna Quotes to Motivate You, Yes, I would like to receive emails from Nitto Tire and Driving Line. That didnt mean it was a wholly unsuccessful year. She finished, but she wasnt driving a particularly great car. Lella was survived by her partner, Fiorenza. Career Subscribe Shop Subscribe Articles F1 Articles F1 Opinion Mark Hughes History MotoGP Podcasts Competitions The Showroom Articles Elford: When asked in a press conference how she was coping with such a hefty car, she replied, I dont have to carry it, I just have to drive it.. Half points awarded, Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance), Non-classified finish (<90% race distance). But I dont think he ever did a flying lap in that car. It turned out to be her only sliver of a point that season. Where better to begin than with the most successful female F1 driver of all time: Lella Lombardi. We discovered her story while investigating iconic women from history. After a brief experience with karting as a child, Lombardi bought her first car in 1965, racing in Formula Monza. Thereafter she turned her attention to the European Touring Car Championship and played an important role in Alfas quartet of titles from 1982 by notching numerous class wins in its Group A GTV6 alongside a gamut of co-drivers: Anna Cambiaghi, Antonio Palma, Giancarlo Naddeo, Francia and Rinaldo Drovandi. On reflection, however, he was probably looking after himself.. Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi (26 March 1941 - 3 March 1992) was an Italian racing driver who participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. In 1974, Lombardi became the first woman to race at the Race of Champions at Brand Hatch. READ MORE: 10 F1 cars we wish were as quick as they looked, She crashed in Monaco and didnt qualify, finished seventh in Germany, 14th in Holland, 17th in Austria and 18th in France, and non-started a Williams FW04 in America. Only half points were awarded that day because the race got cut short. Races Lella Lombardi is a name firmly etched into the motorsport history books. She made it a mere 23 laps until she was forced to retire. Died This was Lombardis breakthrough year. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Lombardi was a versatile racer and tried her hand at numerous disciplines throughout her career. races, teams and much more. Regardless of everything though, she still defined herself by her love of motorsports and is remembered by her words: I prefer to have an accident than to fall in love. [12] According to The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World, because of Lella Lombardi, there are more women involved in other aspects of Formula One, especially "traditionally female" jobs such as modeling. She was regularly overshadowed by emergent team mate Vittorio Brambilla, never getting within two seconds of him in qualifying. But, Much later, when her chassis was stripped down, the reason why she complained of persistent understeer that became snap oversteer became apparent, when it was discovered that the cast aluminium rear bulkhead had been cracked since Monaco. People were staring and peeping. She would often speak of sacrifices. Petersons return from Lotus after the Brazilian GP also signalled the end of Lombardis time with March. The race was stopped shortly thereafter and half points awarded to those who happened to occupy the top six positions at the time.". At the Spanish Grand Prix in 1975, former butcher's delivery driver and ex Formula 3 Championship runner up, Lella Lombardi, became the first, and still only, female driver to win F1 World Championship points. This piece offers a snapshot into some of Lombardis most impressive racing achievements. Mike Beuttler was technically the first openly gay F1 driver ever. Recognised by his signature yellow Brabham, Beuttler remained forever, a dash of colour in a grey field. She was survived by her partner, Fiorenza. She quickly discovered a love for the cars but had to hide this from her parents at a time when female drivers were looked down upon. 1976 Austrian Grand Prix. Half points awarded, Race stopped after 29/54 Laps. World Titles In 1971, Lomardi added the Formula Ford Mexico championship title to her collection. She won [from the third row, beating Jacques Laffite and Mike Wilds] and we became very friendly and kept in touch. Held in Barcelona's Parc de Montjuc, later the site of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, the race passed into legend for other reasons. Lombardi is commemorated by a sculpture in her birthplace, Frugarolo. She had an image to keep: Im tough so dont mess with me. The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix was cut short while Lombardi was running in sixth place. Lella Lombardi races, wins and teams | Motorsport Database - Motor Sport Magazine Find out about British F1 driver, Lella Lombardi, their career, history and character information incl. Yes, I would like to receive communications including news, special offers. Her success gave visibility to trans people and a narrative the public hadnt come into contact with that transitions werent smokescreens for the perceived undercurrent of male homosexuality. That year, she won both the 6 Hours of Pergusa and the 6 Hours of Vallelungaevents she was competing in as part of both the World Sportscar Championship and the Italian Sportscar Championship. [10], Lombardi retired from racing in 1988. Discover moreclassic cars| classic motorcycles and scooters, The story of the woman who invented the road trip, Attic stories: engines and ingenuity with Paola Lagnena, The customisable Mini Coopers that everyone wanted. But the Italian would outlast the American in the race. Lombardi, Lella (1942) Internationally famous Italian racing-car driver, known as "the Tigress of Turin," who was the first woman to compete in the U.S. Grand Prix. The Grand Prix cars of the '70s were not very reliable, particularly the further down the grid you traveled. Had Lombardi not begun to get sicklater discovered to be breast cancershe likely would have continued in racing past the late 80s, when she was forced to retire. Neither of her parents drove and Lella, as she became known, enjoyed her earliest experiences behind the wheel from driving the delivery truck for her father's salami factory. Those were not easy cars to drive basically a Formula 2 with a big, tall lump stuck in the back but she got quicker and quicker during the year. Thats the one I remember. [2] At the opening race of the campaign in South Africa, Lombardi became the first woman, since Maria Teresa de Filippis in 1958, to successfully qualify for a Grand Prix. Retirements in Belgium and Sweden were followed by a 14th place in Holland, 18th in France and another retirement in Great Britain. Lella Lombardi Photo: Love Entertainment "That is a correct assessment, yes," she laughs. Pitting on lap seven because of flat spots, he would, amid the chaos, recover to finish a lapped fifth. The relationship between Lombardi and the team soured, ending her career with March. Quite what Lombardi made of all of this confusion and acrimony is anyone's guess, but it took a great deal of intestinal fortitude and determination to climb aboard and race to a sixth place and half a point and a place in history. She wasnt a publicity seeker. This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Qualifying was more problematic, but by the end of the season she was only two tenths shy of Mallory Park pole-sitter Ashley; the gap had been 4.6 seconds back in March. The race suffered a major tragedy when the rear wing on Rolf Stommelen's Embassy Hill broke, sending him into the barrier. That includes both domestic and international flights. She had the strength of a man but a womans sensibility: she was kind and transmitted serenity. Points She was really nice, and a good partner to share a car with, something I was not used to. Could Lella have made it, if Max and Robin had listened and believed her comments, and discovered that cracked rear bulkhead sooner? 3 March 1992(1992-03-03) (aged50)Milan, Italy That was the first time we saw her, says John Webb, the UKs most go-ahead promoter of the period. Wikipedia. She lived well and had little trouble getting sponsorship. With its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. The race continued for another four laps, resulting in Lombardis sixth-place finish. She was just the second female driver to ever race in the Formula One World Championship, preceded only by Maria-Teresa de Filippis' pioneering race career in 1958 and '59. Join Facebook to connect with Lella Lombardi and others you may know. Her racing career would flourish from there onwards. But even today we associate motorsports with something overly fraternal. We knew what shed done beforehand and clearly she was very capable.. However, Lombardi had an eventful driving career, aside from Formula One. History of Motorsport . This was back in 1936 and by 1939 shed competed in the Antwerp Grand Prix. And much of the team that backed him in Formula 1 were wealthy gay men. Motorsports have always been popular with all kinds of people. Speaking in this month's. But the Nrburgring was her best drive, says March co-founder/designer Robin Herd. She raced a Lola-Chevrolet and finished fourteenth, but wasnt qualified. Many of the members of the March team expressed their regret at having been so resistant to her ideas, knowing that she could have become an open wheel success if only shed had a reliable car. She tried to blame her breast pain on a sailing injury, but her condition degenerated so rapidly that there was no way it could have been anything minor. While failing to qualify, Pete Lyons, arguably the leading F1 journalist of that era, nevertheless described Lombardi'sintroduction to the world of Formula One like this: "Lella Lombardi drove her BT42 the same chassis with which Pace failed to qualify in France in a brisk enough, and clean enough, manner to impress people favourably.". Lombardi had also raced in the Firecracker 400 NASCAR race at the Daytona International Speedway in 1977. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. The founder brought a pair of 1975 Brabham BT44B Grand Prix cars with help from the driver Loris Kessel, selling the other seat to whoever could afford them for selected races of the 1976 championship. By creating your free Catawiki account, youll be able to bid on any of our 65,000 special objects up for auction every week. Lella Lombardi Driver Information Born 26 March 1941 Frugarolo, Italy Died 3 March 1992 (aged 50) Milan, Italy Nationality ITA Formula One World Championship Career Statistics Status Deceased World Titles 0 Races 18 (12 starts) Poles 0 Wins 0 Podiums 0 Fastest Laps 0 Points 0.5 First Race 1974 British Grand Prix Last Race 1976 Austrian Grand Prix The World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, had the courage of his convictions and did the bare legal minimum of practice, and refused to start the race at all. While she had some poor seasons behind the wheel of poor cars, she also could consistently log top ten finishes. Lella Lombardi (and every other woman to ever compete in F1 for that matter) is shit and didn't deserve to score anything.