Nino Vaccarella

Nino Vaccarella
Born 4 March 1933
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Italy Italian
Active years 1961-1962, 1965
Teams Ferrari, non-works De Tomaso, Lotus, Porsche
Races 5 (4 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums 0
Career points 0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First race 1961 Italian Grand Prix
Last race 1965 Italian Grand Prix
Vaccarella at 1970 1000km Nürburgring with Ferrari 512S.

Nino Vaccarella (born 4 March 1933) is an Italian former sports car racing and Formula One driver, born in Palermo, Sicily.

After winning the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, the former headmaster of a nearby school became the local hero of the Targa Florio race after winning in 1965, then repeating in 1971 and again in 1975, when it was no more a World Sportscar Championship event. He also drove the big V12-powered Ferrari 512S in a heroic yet ultimately losing effort in 1970, damaging the car in the final stages.

Vaccarella participated in five World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 10 September 1961. He scored no championship points. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.

Sports car career

Vaccarella's sportscar career was more successful, he was most well known for being a Targa Florio specialist; he was born in Sicily and according to Vic Elford "he knew the roads on Sicily like the back of his hand". He was teamed with Umberto Maglioli for the 1960 Targa Florio in a birdcage Maserati, which was owned by the Camoradi team. Maglioli had won the race twice previously and Vaccarella resided on the course and was a schoolteacher in Palermo. They took the lead in the early afternoon of 8 May, maintained it for three laps, and then broke down. The event was won by Joakim Bonnier and Hans Herrmann in a small silver Porsche.[1] Vaccarella was paired with Lorenzo Bandini in the 1965 Targa Florio. The drove their Ferrari around the 10 twisting laps to claim victory in the 447.4 mile Sicilian event. They averaged 63.7 miles per hour and finished in 7 hours, 1 minute, 12.4 seconds.[2] In a Ferrari 330, Vaccarella and Bandini led most of the way in 1966. Their car missed a turn on the seventh lap, ran off the road and was too damaged to continue.[3] Vaccarella had been in the Ferrari when he waved his hand to acknowledge the cheers of enthusiastic fans. He made contact with a retaining wall that was inscribed Viva Nino.[4] Maglioli and Vaccarella piloted a Ford GT-40 to fifth place in the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring.[5] The 8 May 1968 Giornalia Di Sicilia proclaimed in its headline, Only Vaccarella Can Bring Off The Miracle. The meaning had to do with the Sicilian driver's great task of gaining victory in the Targa Florio in his 2.5-litre Alfa Romeo, called the Tipo 33. He was up against four German competitors who were driving Porsche 910 models. The Porsches had recently swept the endurance races at Daytona and Sebring. Few experts gave the four Alfa Romeos much of a chance against the flawless Porsches, but Sicilians were trusting the skill of Vaccarella's driving.[4] Vaccarella qualified eighth for the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona in a Ferrari 512S. This was one of a series of 11 endurance events held in Europe and North America for the 1970 world manufacturers championship.[6] Vaccarella and Toine Hezemans won the 1971 Targa Florio in an Alfa Romeo. They crossed the finish line over a minute ahead of Andrea de Adamich and Gijs van Lennep, who also drove an Alfa Romeo. This race ended the dominance of Porsche, which had finished first in the previous five Targa Florio races.[7] Vaccarella competed in the 1972 12 Hours of Sebring in one of four Alfa Romeo 33/3TT's to be entered in the event. His driving partner was Nanni Galli.[8] They qualified fifth after another Alfa Romeo of Rolf Stommelen and Peter Revson, who started third.[9]

Formula One

Vacarella was selected for the 1962 Ferrari Formula One race team by Enzo Ferrari. He was joined by John Surtees, Mike Parkes, Willy Mairesse, Bandini, and Ludovico Scarfiotti.[10]

Complete World Championship Formula One Grand Prix results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points
1961 Scuderia Serenissima De Tomaso F1 Alfa Romeo
Straight-4		 MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER ITA
Ret		 USA NC 0
1962 Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia Lotus 18/21 Climax Straight-4 NED MON
DNQ		 BEL FRA GBR NC 0
Porsche 718 Porsche Flat-4 GER
15
Lotus 24 Climax V8 ITA
9		 USA RSA
1965 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC Ferrari 158 Ferrari V8 RSA MON BEL FRA GBR NED GER ITA
12		 USA MEX NC 0

Non-Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
1961 Scuderia Serenissima De Tomaso F1 Alfa Romeo L4 LOM GLV PAU BRX VIE AIN SYR NAP LON SIL SOL KAN DAN MOD
DNQ		 FLG OUL LEW
Cooper T51 Maserati L4 VAL
3		 RAN NAT RSA
1962 Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia Lotus 18/21 Climax L4 CAP BRX
DNQ		 LOM LAV GLV PAU
6		 AIN INT
Ret		 NAP MAL CLP RMS MED
Ret		 DAN OUL MEX RAN NAT
718 Porsche F4 SOL
WD		 KAN

References

  1. ↑ Bonnier and Herrman Capture 450-Mile Targa Florio in 7:33:8, New York Times, May 9, 1960, Page 37.
  2. ↑ 100,000 In Sicily See Famed Event, New York Times, May 10, 1965, Page 46
  3. ↑ Mairesse First In Targa Florio, New York Times, May 9, 1966, Page 74
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Vaccarella Will Carry Hopes Of Sicilian Auto Fans Today, New York Times, May 5, 1968, Page S27.
  5. ↑ Ford's No. 2 Car Is Given 2nd Place, New York Times, April 3, 1967, Page 44
  6. ↑ Porsches Capture Next Three Spots, New York Times, January 31, 1970, Page 40
  7. ↑ Italian Driver Is Killed in Race Won by Vaccarella-Hezemans, New York Times, May 17, 1971, Page 49
  8. ↑ Three Ferrari Teams to Seek Endurance Honors at Sebring, New York Times, March 19, 1972, Page S15.
  9. ↑ Andretti Captures Pole at Sebring With Lap Record, New York Times, March 25, 1972, Page 24.
  10. ↑ Ferrari Team Named, New York Times, December 2, 1962, Page 253.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Ludovico Scarfiotti
Lorenzo Bandini		 Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1964 with:
Jean Guichet 		Succeeded by
Jochen Rindt
Masten Gregory