The Late Biagio Nazzaro.
The Late Biagio Nazzaro.
mANY of our readers will remember the tragic death of Biagio Nazzaro in the 1922 French Grand Prix, which was held that year on the circuit of Strasbourg. He was making his first appearance in a big race, and it was felt that by his death Italy lost one of her most proinising drivers.
The race marked the reappearance of Fiat in the racing world, with a team of three very fast 2-litre cars, and it was at the wheel of one of these that Biagio Nazzaro met his death. Now, 10 years after, a memorial has been erected at Strasbourg, to commemorate the young Italian, and on July 15th
it was formally unveiled in the presence of officials of French and Italian motor clubs.
The veteran Felice Nazzaro, brother of Biagio, and winner of the 1922 race, was present at the ceremony.
Ettore Bugatti Honoured.
OUR readers will join us in tendering our congratulations to M. Ettore Bugatti on his being made an Officier de la Ldgion d’Honneur. M. Bugatti deserves the gratitude of all Europe for his courageous sportsmanship in fostering motor-racing. Long may his Molsheim model factory flourish 1
Nuvolarl wins Coppa Ciano.
SO tortuous is the nature of the Circuit
• of Montenero, on which was held the race for the Coppa Ciano, that it was considered too dangerous to use a massed start, and the cars were accordingly sent off in threes, with a minute interval between each group. Achille Varzi was the sole Bugatti representative against an opposition composed primarily of Alfa-Romeos, and for some time he worthily upheld the honour of the Molsheim manufacturer. Starting in the first group, -Varzi held his lead well, and for some time the official Alfa-Romeo team (Campari was in the 3rd group, and Nuvolari and Borzacchini were in the 4th) did not gain at all on the 2.3-litre • Bugatti,
Then it was seen that Nuvolari was gradually gaining on the French car, and soon afterwards he covered a record lap in 13 mins. 42 secs. Borzacchini was not far behind, however, and with Campari driving his usual steady race, the ultimate issue of the event was not difficult to guess.
The winding nature of the course began to tell on the drivers. Premoli (Maserati) overturned, injuring his shoulder,. Finally, Varzi crossed the line first, not having been passed throughout the entire race, but as he had started three minutes before Nuvolari, victory went to the latter as he roared over the finishing line one minute later. Soon after came Borzacchini and Campari, who beat Varzi by the narrow margin of 20 secs.
A race for 1,100 c.c. was also held, and resulted in an easy win for Ceram i (Maserati) .
60,000 spectators witnessed the race, which was attended by the donor of the Coppa, Signor Ciano, Minister of Communications. Rusulas :
OVER 1,100 C.C. 1. Nuvolari (Alfa-Romeo 2,650 c.c.),
2 h. 20 min. 53 secs. (Average speed 54 m.p.h.). (2. Borzacchini (Alfa-Romeo 2.650 c.c.),
2 h. 18 min. 45 secs. 3. Campari (Alfa-Romeo 2,650 c.c.),
2 h. 20 min. 38 secs.
4. Varzi (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.).
5. Taruffi (Alfa-Romeo).
6. Ghersi (Alfa-Romeo).
7. Brivio (Alfa-Romeo).
8. d’Ippolito (Alfa-Romeo).
9. Balestrero (0 .M.).
10. Castelbarco (Maserati), UNDER 1,100 C.C.
1. Cerami (Maserati), 2 h. 4 min. 29 secs.
2. Matrullo (Salmson), 2 h. 10 min. 15 secs.
3. Ruggeri (Maserati), 2 h. 11 min . 33 secs.
The Klausen Hill Climb. This year a determined effort was made by the organisers of the Klausen Hill Climb to make the event an outstanding success, an aim which they easily achieved,
for no less than 60,000 spectators paid for admission to the mountain, which was completely closed for the day. The charges for admission to the various car parks were rather high, in some cases reaching as much as £2, while to take a car into the enclosed area at all cost about £1 5s., so that the gross receipts of the meeting, which lasted two days, must have been considerable.
The hill itself is tremendous, judging by English standards, and a drive up it amply convinces one of the truth of Von Stuck’s remark, when he first saw our Shelsley Walsh, that “it is only a little hill.”
211 kilometres long, the hill rises from 664 to 1,937 metres above sea level, a total rise of 1,273 metres. As early as 4 a.m. cars and motor cycles began to scatter on the hillside, and when we arrived there were already many thousands present.
On the first day, Saturday, bicycles, motor cycles, combination and touring cars vied with each other in roaring up the hill, and it was gratifying to see an Austin Seven and two M.G. Magnas win their respective classes in the hands of Swiss drivers, with climbs of 27 mins. 43.4 secs., and 24 mins. 59.6 secs. Fastest time of the day was made by Schcibler, with a 2.3 Bugatti, who climbed in 19 mins. 40.6 secs., 2 minutes slower than the record held by, Caracciola, who in 1927 drove his Mercedes up in 17 mins. 43.8 secs.
On the following day the proceedings opened with the sports cars, an M.G. and Austin being first and second in the 1,100 c.c. class, both driven by Swiss, showing that in the small car field Great Britain is supreme. Alfa Romeo took first place in the 1,500 c.c., 2,000 c.c. and 3,000 c.c. classes, Nuvolari making a lurid climb in 17 mins. 2 secs., to win the 3 litre class. In the 5,000 c.c. class fastest time was made by Strazza on a Lancia Dilambda, in 18 mins. 39.8 secs., beating Donald Healey on his Invicta by 1 min. 10 secs. The latter had the misfortune to crash on a corner, bending his dumb-irons and cross bar, and almost stunning himself. He pluckily continued, and had it not been for this incident might have equalled Strazza’s time. Needham, on another Invicta, was 4th, with 20 mins. 18.8 secs., while a climb which evoked much favourable comment was that of Buzio, on one of the new 8 cylinder Fords, who was placed third.
In the Unlimited Class, the inimitable Von Stuck made a rousing climb on a Mercedes Benz in 17 mins. 0.6 secs., thus making fastest time of the sports car classes. The 1,100 c.c. racing class produced a very interesting little machine called the Monaco, which won the class comfortably from an Minicar, an Austin and a Maser ati. The Monaco is a neat single seater, powered by a Jap 1,000 c.c. V-twin engine, with front wheel drive. The sus
pension is by two large transverse springs fore and aft, and the whole car seemed a most promising little vehicle. In the 2 litre class Trintignant proved conclusively his promise as a first class driver by climbing in 17 mills. 35.2 secs.,
while one of the best performances of the day was put up by Fri. Munz, who piloted a 2.3 Bugatti up the hill in 19 mins. 9.6 secs., beating that experienced driver, Mlle. Helle-Nice, by 40 seconds.
Then came the 3 litre class, and we looked forward to some real thrills. They were not wanting, for everyone of the nine drivers beat 18 mins. for the hill. By far the best was Rudolf Caracciola, at the wheel of a” Monoposto ” Alfa Romeo, who smashed the record for the hill (16 min. 24.6 secs. by Chiron in 1930) with ease, recording the amazingly fast time of 15 mins. 50 secs. Second place was taken by Stfiber (Bugatti) in 16 mins. 53 secs. And the handful of British spectators present were all highly delighted when we heard that Earl Howe, Britain’s sole representative in this class, was third, with a climb in 17 mins. 21.8 secs. Earl Howe handled his Bugatti with great mastery, and from where we stood, seemed to cross the finishing line as fast, if not faster than the winners.
Finally Chiron won the unlimited class on a 4.9 Bugatti with a time of 16 mins. 27.8 secs., closely followed by Varzi.
As the great crowd drove slowly down the hill, clouds of white dust rose from the rough road, coating cars and spectators in a mantle of white.
The good record of the meeting was marred by a fatal accident to a motorcyclist named Mazzapicchi, who struck the wall in a tunnel just after the start. The organisation was good, but there were rather long waits between climbs, except on one occasion when a Bugatti caught up a slower car of the same make, and passed it before the finish, thereby providing a little light relief to the proceedings.