Luigi Musso

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Luigi Musso
Nationality  Flag of Italy Italian
Formula One World Championship career
Active years 1953-1958
Teams Ferrari, Maserati
Races 25 (24 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 1
Podium finishes    7
Career points 44
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 1
First race 1953 Italian Grand Prix
First win 1956 Argentine Grand Prix
Last win 1956 Argentine Grand Prix
Last race 1958 French Grand Prix

Luigi Musso (born July 28, 1924 in Rome - died July 6, 1958 at Reims-Gueux) was an Italian racing driver.

Musso began his racing career driving sports cars before debuting on the Formula One circuit on January 17, 1954, driving a Maserati. In 1954 he won the Coppa Acerbo, a non-championship Formula One race. At Zandvoort, in the 1955 Dutch Grand Prix, Musso placed third in a Maserati.[1] At the end of the 1955 Formula 1 season he switched to Ferrari. He shared victory in the 1956 Argentine Grand Prix with Juan Manuel Fangio, however his season was cut short after a crash in a sports car race at Nürburgring.

Musso triumphed in a Ferrari 3500 in the City of Buenos Aires sports car race on January 20, 1957. He was the third driver of the car. Stirling Moss finished second in a light powered Maserati 3000. Moss made a last ditch effort for his team at the end but came up short. A second Ferrari 3500, driven by Eugenio Castellotti, came in third. The Ferrari team gained eight points toward the 1957 World Championship in the event.[2] The same year he won the Grand Prix de la Marne. Although the Marne was also not part of the Drivers' Championship, Musso nevertheless finished third in the overall standings for the season.

In 1958, he picked up two second place finishes in his first three races but was killed in an accident during the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims, France. Musso's Ferrari hurtled off the course on the 10th lap of the 50 lap race.[3] He was thrown off the Reims' track at the tricky Muizone Curve while holding second place[4]

During his F1 career, Luigi Musso won one World Championship Grand Prix, achieved 7 podiums, and scored a total of 44 championship points.

[edit] Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Yr Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Points
1953 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati Straight-6 ARG
500
NED
BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
SUI
ITA
7 †
- 0
1954 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati
A6GCM/250F
Maserati Straight-6 ARG
DNS
500 BEL FRA GBR GER SUI 8th 6
Maserati 250F ITA
Ret
ESP
2
1955 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 ARG
7 ‡
MON
Ret
500 BEL
7
NED
3
GBR
5
ITA
Ret
10th 6
1956 Scuderia Ferrari Lancia D50 Ferrari V8 ARG
1 *
MON
Ret
500 BEL FRA GBR GER
Ret
ITA
Ret
11th 4
1957 Scuderia Ferrari Lancia D50A Ferrari V8 ARG
Ret
MON 500 3rd 16
Ferrari 801 FRA
2
GBR
2
GER
4
PES
Ret
ITA
8
1958 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Dino 246 Ferrari V6 ARG
2
MON
2
NED
7
500 BEL
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR GER POR ITA MOR 8th 12
† Indicates shared drive with Sergio Mantovani.
‡ Indicates shared drive with Sergio Mantovani and Harry Schell.
* Indicates shared drive with Juan Manuel Fangio.
Preceded by
Eugenio Castellotti
Formula One fatal accidents
July 6, 1958
Succeeded by
Peter Collins

[edit] References

  1. ^ Fangio Captures Dutch Grand Prix, Long Beach Independent, June 20, 1955, Page 15.
  2. ^ Ferraris Nip Maserati, Lima, Ohio News, January 21, 1957, Page 19.
  3. ^ Luigi Musso Is Killed In Race Crash, Fresno Bee Republican, July 7, 1958, Page19
  4. ^ Hawthorn in Race Victory, Los Angeles Times, July 7, 1958, Page C4