Giulio Masetti (1895 – 25 April 1926) was an Italian nobleman and racing driver, known as "the lion of Madonie"[1] from his dominating the Targa Florio in the early 1920s.
.jpg) Masetti at the 1922 French grand prix | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1895 Vinci, Italy |
| Died | 25 April, 1926 (aged 31-32) Sclafani Bagni |
| Occupation(s) | Nobleman, racing driver |
Early life edit
Born in Vinci, he was the older brother of the racing driver Conte Carlo Masetti, both living in Castello di Uzzano, a palace in Greve in Chianti owned by the Masetti di Bagnano family since 1644.[2]
Career edit
Masetti acquired his first car, a 4.5-litre Fiat S57 B14 from Antonio Ascari, in which he was fourth at X Targa Florio (1919), and won the XII Targa Florio (1921). The next year, he won XIII Targa Florio in his privately entered ex-Otto Salzer 1914 Mercedes 4.5-litre 115 HP 18/100 (1922).[3] Masetti then raced an Alfa Romeo RL TF (second at XIV Targa Florio, 1924) before joining the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq team. He was third in a Sunbeam 135 bhp 2-litre at the 1925 French Grand Prix,[4] but failed to finish the San Sebastián Grand Prix (1925) and the II Rome Grand Prix (1926).
Death edit
He died in a crash Sclafani Bagni, Sicily, during the XVII Targa Florio, while driving entry #13, a Delage 2L CV.[5][6] A stone plaque is erected at the place.[7] Since this incident, the entry #13 is no longer issued at Grand Prix events.[8][9]
References edit
- ^ "Targa Florio 1922". Targaflorio.info. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ Flower, Raymond (1978). Chianti: the land, the people and the wine. Taylor & Francis. p. 252.
- ^ "Legendary teamleaders in the Targa Florio". Forix.com. 1922-04-02. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ "The 1925 Automobile World Championship". Kolumbus.fi. Archived from the original on 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ "Targa Florio 1926". Targaflorio.info. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ Angelo e Mario Grifasi (1926-05-14). "Giulio Masetti". Grifasi-sicilia.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ "stone plaque". Chieracostui.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ "Giulio Masetti, 1922". Motoringpicturelibrary.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ "Car #13". Forums.atlasf1.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
