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Alberto AskariItalian racing driver
Date of Birth: 13.07.1918
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Alberto Ascari
Alberto Ascari was an Italian racing driver who competed in the Formula One racing series. He was born into a racing family, with his father Antonio Ascari also being a well-known Grand Prix participant. Unfortunately, Antonio died in a racing accident when Alberto was only seven years old.
Early Career
In his youth, Alberto Ascari participated in motorcycle races before transitioning to car racing in 1940. He made his debut in the famous "Mille Miglia" race, piloting a Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari, who was a former colleague of Alberto's father, took the young Ascari under his wing and brought him into the Ferrari team.
Formula One Success
In 1947, Alberto Ascari competed in his first Grand Prix race. From 1947 to 1950, he won seven Grand Prix races. In the inaugural Formula One World Championship in 1950, he finished in fifth place. In 1951, his performance improved, and he secured two victories, finishing the season in second place behind Juan Manuel Fangio.
In 1952, Ascari switched to Formula Two cars with 2-liter engines, which proved to be advantageous for him as Ferrari had developed an excellent engine of this type. Although he missed the first race of the season, his teammate Piero Taruffi won, Ascari went on to win the remaining six races, earning him the title of World Champion.
Ascari's winning streak continued in 1953, as he once again won the championship. He achieved an unprecedented nine consecutive wins in Grand Prix races. It is worth noting that Ascari became the only two-time World Champion in the Formula Two class.
Later Career and Tragic Death
In 1954, Alberto Ascari left Ferrari and began racing for Maserati before joining Lancia. However, the Lancia team suffered from unreliability, and Ascari failed to finish any of the four races he participated in that season.
On May 26, 1955, Alberto Ascari went to watch the testing of the new Ferrari 750s at the Monza circuit in Italy with some friends. After having lunch at a nearby restaurant, Ascari accepted his friend Eugenio Castellotti's offer to drive the new car for a few laps. He borrowed Castellotti's helmet and goggles, surprising his superstitious friends who knew him as a very superstitious person.
However, in the third lap at the "Vialone" bend, Ascari lost control and veered off the track, flipping the car multiple times. He was thrown out of the cockpit, flew over a live hedge, and landed on the ground. Ascari was rushed to the hospital but tragically passed away before regaining consciousness.
Alberto Ascari's racing career was marked by success and his untimely death left a lasting impact on the motorsport world.
