Cesare Perdisa

Cesare Perdisa
Born 21 October 1932(1932-10-21)
Died 10 May 1998(1998-05-10) (aged 65)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Italian
Active years 1955–1957
Teams Maserati, Ferrari
Races 8 (7 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums 2
Career points 5
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First race 1955 Monaco Grand Prix
Last race 1957 Argentine Grand Prix

Cesare Perdisa, October 21, 1932–May 10, 1998,[1] was a racing driver from Bologna, Italy.[1] He participated in 8 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on May 22, 1955. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 5 championship points.

Perdisa was the son of a wealthy publisher.[2]

Perdisa often shared drives with his team-mates, for example on the 11th lap of the 1956 Belgian Grand Prix, Stirling Moss lost the right rear wheel of his Maserati, though he avoided an accident. Moss brought his car to a stop and ran a quarter of a mile back to the pits. There he took over in Perdisa's Maserati, which he piloted to the finish.[3]

In March 1957 Perdisa withdrew from the upcoming 12 Hours of Sebring after the death of his team-mate Eugenio Castellotti. Castellotti died at the Modena Autodrome when he crashed a Ferrari he was testing for the Sebring event. He said he was giving up racing for some time because of a mental shock he experienced when Castellotti died two days earlier.[4] Perdisa was Castellotti's closest friend.[5]

In September 1957, Perdisa transported Juan Manuel Fangio and his wife, Andrea, to a Bologna, Italy hospital. The couple had been thrown from their 2.5 litre Lancia Aurelia while trying to avoid a truck entering the highway. Travelling at close to 100 mph, Fangio's car had smashed into a utility pole, though luckily Fangio and Andrea only sustained bruises.[6]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points
1955 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 ARG
 MON
3 *		 500
 BEL
8		 NED
 GBR
 ITA
 18th 2
1956 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 ARG
 MON
7		 500
 BEL
3 †		 FRA
5 †		 GBR
7		 GER
DNS		 ITA
 16th 3
1957 Scuderia Ferrari Lancia D50 Ferrari V8 ARG
6 ‡		 MON
 500
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 PES
 ITA
 NC 0
* Indicates shared drive with Jean Behra
† Indicates shared drive with Stirling Moss
‡ Indicates shared drive with Peter Collins and Wolfgang von Trips

References

  1. ^ a b Jenkins, Richard. "The World Championship drivers - Where are they now?". OldRacingCars.com. http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Cesare_Perdisa. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  2. ^ Italian Out Of Race, New York Times, March 17, 1957, Page S4.
  3. ^ Collins Auto First In Belgian Contest, New York Times, June 4, 1956, Page 34.
  4. ^ Italian Out Of Race, New York Times, March 17, 1957, Page S4.
  5. ^ Motor Car Sports, New York Times, March 20, 1957, Page 44.
  6. ^ Fangio In Smash-Up, New York Times, September 22, 1957, Page 215.