We have already examined here, in this History of F1 column, the grandiose career of Lella lombardi and his great Spanish enterprise. Today we offer you the miracle of his teammate, the Vittorio Brambilla from Monza, completed in the same year, the 1975.
Before Vittorio Brambilla's great race...
At Zeltweg, under the rain, the pilot from Monza Victor Brambilla (Monza, 11 November 1937 – Lesmo, 26 May 2001) was theauthor of one of the most surprising races for the March team. As well as the author of his own unique, magnificent victory in his career, in August 1975. A necessary premise for the competition is that the start of the race, scheduled for 14:00 UTC, was postponed at 15,30 due of the Mark Donohue accident. The American driver, in fact, went off the track following thetire explosion of Goodyear and unfortunately, once in the operating room, he went into a coma and died three days later. They died also two track attendants. This tragic event forced the safety works – relating to those times – of the track.
The long-awaited departure
They are therefore the 15pm and at Zeltweg, in the Austrian region of Styria, and the the sky is clouding over. The pilots are have just had to perform a further free practice session for to test a harder compound with Goodyear tires. Bernie Ecclestone calls everyone to run and we set off at 15,30pm. Niki starts from pole Lauda, on Ferrari which expects to win its first world title in its home race. The British James Hunt he leaves instead according to, aboard aamazing Hesketh. The only F1 car of the time initially without a sponsor. In second row we Emerson Fittipaldi with the McLaren and an unexpected Hans Joachim Stuck su March Ford. Clay regazzoni snaps fifth with the other Ferrari, while Victor Brambilla, Lella Lombardi's teammate, is eighth at the time of deployment on the grid. With an eccentric March Orange, color of the Beta sponsor.
Vittorio Brambilla, the rain wizard!
At the start Lauda va ahead, then there are Hunt and an surprising Depailler on Tyrrell that, started seventh, is already third at the first corner. Meanwhile, the rain shows no signs of abating and, after 15 laps, Hunt overtakes Lauda, whose car is trimmed when dry. But a little later the Hesketh engine gives problems, so English is forced to slow down. From this moment the pit races begin, featuring many leading drivers, often forced to retire. In this chaos of pit stops and failed overtaking, emerge, totally unexpected, the March n° 9 di Victor Brambilla. The pilot from Monza thus completes the miracle of his career.
First he reaches Lauda, already suffering, overcoming it with determination and then follows in the leader's wake, james Hunt. At the first attempt at braking, the Englishman resists well, but then the Brianza passes it of strength at the second attack, taking the lead. The number 9 then leads the rest of the race until the 29th lapor, when the race director decides to suspend the Grand Prix.
Poor March!
So upon arrival, Vittorio Brambilla raise your hands to the sky. In this way, loses control of March, spinning immediately after crossing the finish line. Result? A lap of honor marked by a small accident. The March's loss of control causes it to hit the guardrail, which causes it crumple the nose of the car. So the finish under the podium is characterized by a nosedive dangling, but which fortunately remains attached to the rest of the bodywork of the March 751 n° 9.
This muzzle then did for years beautiful display as a trophy in the family workshop in Monzain memory of that memorable feat. TO thirty-eight years old play it, Brambilla wins his only world championship race, But the score assigned was halved because of the early suspension of the race. As it had been, a few months earlier, for Lella Lombardi's only world championship point. In any case, the success of the Brianza host generates two nicknames, one English and one local: "The Monza's Godzilla"and "The Rain Wizard“. What a talent!
source: formulapassion.it
