1928 Italian Grand Prix

Italy  1928 Italian Grand Prix
Race details
Race 2 of 2 in the 1928 World Manufacturers' Championship

Date September 9, 1928
Official name VIII Gran Premio d'Italia
VI Grand Prix d'Europe
Location Monza, Italy
Course Autodromo Nazionale Monza
10.00 km (6.21 mi)
Distance 60 laps, 600.00 km (372.82 mi)
Pole position
Driver Italy Baconin Borzacchini
Grid positions set by ballot
Fastest lap
Driver Italy Luigi Arcangeli Talbot
Time 3:37.4
Podium
First Monaco Louis Chiron Bugatti
Second Italy Achille Varzi
Italy Giuseppe Campari
Alfa Romeo
Third Italy Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti

The 1928 Italian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race run on 9 September 1928, at Monza. It was run over 60 laps, and was won by Louis Chiron driving a Bugatti 37A. It was the 8th Italian Grand Prix. This race was also the VI Grand Prix d'Europe.

This race was marred by the death of Emilio Materassi on lap 17, when his car lost control on the main straight at over 200 km/h while trying to overtake Giulio Foresti. The car swerved to the left of the track, bounced over a three-meter deep and four-meter wide protection ditch and a fence and crashed into the grandstand, killing him along with 22 spectators. Other sources have stated that 27 spectators were killed overall, but this is unconfirmed.

By either estimation this is the worst accident, with respect to the number of lives lost, to occur at a Grand Prix and it is only surpassed by the 1955 Le Mans disaster in the history of motor racing. As a result the Italian Grand Prix was to not be held until 1931.

The fatal accident of Emilio Materassi during the race.

Classification

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid
1 50 Monaco Louis Chiron Bugatti 37A 60 3:45:08.6 14
2 38 Italy Achille Varzi
Italy Giuseppe Campari
Alfa Romeo P2 60 +2:20.4 21
3 26 Italy Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti 35C 60 +14:37.2 9
4 40 France Guy Drouet Bugatti 35B 60 +14:40.0 16
5 6 Italy Aymo Maggi Maserati 26R (8C-1700) 60 +25:09.0 22
6 42 Italy Ernesto Maserati Maserati 26R (8C-1700) 55 +5 laps 13
7 22 France Guy Bouriat Bugatti 35 55 +5 laps 10
8 10 Italy Giulio Foresti Bugatti 35C 54 +6 laps 2
NC 24 Italy Edoardo Probst Bugatti 37A 45 +15 laps 7
NC 36 France J-C d'Ahetze Bugatti 37A 40 +20 laps 12
Ret 2 Italy Baconin Borzacchini Maserati 26B (8C-2000) 26 Wheel 1
Ret 28 France Pierre Blaque Belair Bugatti 35C 24 +36 laps 11
Ret 46 Italy Luigi Arcangeli Talbot 700 19 Withdrawn 17
Ret 44 Italy Antonio Brivio Talbot 700 18 Withdrawn 20
Ret 8 Italy Gastone Brilli-Peri Talbot 700 17 Withdrawn 5
Ret 18 Italy Emilio Materassi Talbot 700 17 Fatal crash 3
Ret 48 Italy Gianfranco Comotti Talbot 700 16 Withdrawn 19
Ret 32 Italy Carlo Tonini Bugatti 35C 15 Mechanical 15
Ret 20 Italy Giulio Aymini Delage 2LCV 14 Mechanical 6
Ret 12 United Kingdom William Grover-Williams Bugatti 35C 5 Engine 4
Ret 30 Italy Cleto Nenzioni Bugatti 37A 2 Mechanical 8
Ret 52 Italy Mario Piccolo Maserati 26 (8C-1500) 1 Mechanical 18
DNA 4 Argentina Manuel Blancas Bugatti 35B Did not appear
DNA 14 Italy Giuseppe Gilera Bugatti 35 Did not appear
DNA 16 Italy J. Ghica-Cantacuzene Cozette Spl. Did not appear
DNA 34 Italy Ugo Stefanelli Bugatti 35 Did not appear
DNA 54 Argentina Manuel Ceratto Delage 2LCV Did not appear
DNA 56 Italy Federico Fisauli Maserati 26 Did not appear
DNA 58 Italy Ruggiero Bisighin Bugatti Did not appear
DNA 60 Italy Alberto Kechler Alfa-Romeo 6C-1500 Did not appear
DNA 62 Italy Roberto Serboli Delage 2LCV Did not appear

Fastest Lap: Luigi Arcangeli, 3m37.4 (165.59 kph)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1928 Italian Grand Prix.
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