Ascari and son
Antonio Ascari (pictured here with his son Alberto, then six, after winning the 1924 Italian GP), was killed soon after writing this report. In the next event, the French Grand Prix at Montlhery, his rivalry with Campari erupted into the open and the two lunged into a neck-and-neck duel. Ascari ran off the track and died instantly. His son took up the mantle and was World Champion in 1952 and ’53. He survived being plunged into the harbour during the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix but was killed during testing at Monza just weeks later.