Clemente Biondetti
| Born |
18 August 1898 Buddusò, Italy |
|---|---|
| Died |
24 February 1955 (aged 56) Florence, Italy |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |
 Italian |
| Active years | 1950 |
| Teams | privateer Ferrari |
| Races | 1 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1950 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1950 Italian Grand Prix |
Clemente Biondetti (18 August 1898 – 24 February 1955) was an Italian auto racing driver. Born into a working-class family, Biondetti raced motorcycles before turning to automobiles where he had greater success.
Biography
Born in Buddusò, Sardinia, into a working-class family, Biondetti began his racing career in motorcycles in 1923 but in 1927 turned to automobiles. By 1931 his performance earned him a spot in Grand Prix motor racing with the Maserati factory team.
His success racing on circuits was minimal, but he was one of the best in tough endurance events. Driving an Alfa Romeo 8C 2900b, Clemente Biondetti won the 1938 Mille Miglia for sports cars and at the Coppa Ciano finished second in the voiturette class then third in the main event. In 1939, he won the Coppa Acerbo voiturette class and took second place at the Swiss Grand Prix. His racing career came to a halt following the outbreak of World War II in 1940. By the time he was able to resume racing after the war, he was already 49 years old. Nevertheless, he dominated Italian endurance racing, driving to victory in the Mille Miglia for three straight years from 1947 through 1949 and the Targa Florio in 1948 and 1949. He won more Mille Miglias than any other driver in history.
Clemente Biondetti participated in one Formula one World Championship event, the 1950 Italian Grand Prix. Driving a self-built Ferrari-Jaguar hybrid car, engine problems forced him out of the race thus he failed to score any championship points. Biondetti loved racing cars and continued to compete in sports car and endurance events, earning a second place finish in a Ferrari at the 12 Hours of Pescara in 1952 against much younger drivers. After suffering from cancer for a number of years, he was forced to retire in 1954. He succembed to cancer on 24 February 1955 in Florence.[1]
Major victories
- Coppa Acerbo 1939
- Mille Miglia 1938, 1947, 1948, 1949
- Targa Florio 1948, 1949
Le Mans 1938 on Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B (with Raymond Sommer)
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Clemente Biondetti | Ferrari 166S | Jaguar Straight-6 | GBR | MON | 500 | SUI | BEL | FRA | ITA Ret |
NC | 0 |
Complete European Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Entrant | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | EDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Officine A Maserati | Maserati | ITA | FRA 3 |
BEL | 23= | 19 | ||
| 1936 | Scuderia Maremmana | Maserati | MON | GER | SUI Ret |
ITA Ret |
25 | 29 | |
| 1937 | Scuderia Maremmana | Maserati | BEL | GER | MON Ret |
SUI | 15= | 34 | |
| Private entry | Alfa Romeo | ITA Ret | |||||||
| 1938 | Alfa Corse | Alfa Romeo | FRA | GER Ret |
SUI | ITA 4 |
13 | 27 | |
| 1939 | Alfa Corse | Alfa Romeo | BEL | FRA | GER | SUI 9 |
16= | 28 |
References
- ↑ "DRIVERS: CLEMENTE BIONDETTI". Grandprix.com.