Lorenzo Bandini

Lorenzo Bandini (21 December 1935 – 10 May 1967) was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from Template:F1 to Template:F1. Bandini won the 1964 Austrian Grand Prix with Ferrari. In endurance racing, Bandini won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Template:24hLM, as well as the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1967, both with Ferrari.

Born in Libya and raised in Florence, Bandini was initially a mechanic before competing in motorcycle racing. His racing career started in 1957, driving a borrowed Fiat 1100, before he achieved a class win at the Mille Miglia one year later. He soon progressed to Formula Junior, where he attracted the attention of Enzo Ferrari. Bandini made his Formula One debut in Template:F1 with Scuderia Centro Sud, before signing for Ferrari the following year. On debut for Ferrari, at the Template:F1GP, Bandini finished third behind Bruce McLaren and teammate Phil Hill, claiming his maiden podium finish. He competed at seven Grands Prix in Template:F1 for both teams, amongst winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finishing runner-up at the 12 Hours of Sebring, driving the Ferrari 250 P. Bandini retained his seat at Ferrari in Template:F1, scoring his sole victory at the Template:F1GP—amongst several further podiums—on his way to a career-best fourth in the World Drivers' Championship. He scored several podiums in his Template:F1 and Template:F1 campaigns, finishing the seasons in sixth and ninth, respectively.

During the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, Bandini was fatally injured when his Ferrari 312 overturned and caught fire. The Lorenzo Bandini Trophy was established in memorial of Bandini, honouring individuals and teams for achievements in Formula One since 1992.

Early life

Bandini was born in Barce in Cyrenaica, Libya,<ref name=NewYorkTimesMay8>"Hulme Takes Monaco Race; Bandini Seriously Hurt", New York Times, 8 May 1967, Page 59</ref><ref name=TheTimesMay11>"Lorenzo Bandini", The Times, 11 May 1967, Page 12.</ref> then an Italian colony. The family returned to Italy in 1939 and moved near Florence. His father died when he was 15. Bandini left home and found a job as an apprentice mechanic in the Freddi workshop in Milan.<ref name=TheTimesMay11/>

Racing career

File:Bandini-1 1965 1000-km-Rennen Nürburgring - Foto Spurzem.jpg

Bandini at 1965 1000km Nürburgring with Dino 166 P

File:Bandini, Lorenzo - Ferrari-12-Zylinder 1966.jpg

Bandini at 1966 German Grand Prix with Ferrari 312

Bandini made his way into auto racing from competing on motorcycles.<ref name=StarsAndStripesMay11>"Italy's Bandini Dies Of Monte Carlo Burns", Stars and Stripes, 11 May 1967, Page 20.</ref> He started racing cars in 1957 in a borrowed Fiat 1100. Goliardo Freddi, acknowledging Bandini's talent, decided to support him.<ref name=TheTimesMay11/> Bandini would later marry Freddi's daughter, Margherita, in 1963, and remained involved with the family's garage in Milan.

He achieved a first class victory at the Mille Miglia, in a Lancia Appia Zagato, in 1958, and a class win the same year in the 500cc Berkeley in the 12-hour race at Monza. He then purchased a Volpini Formula Junior car and placed third in his first race in Sicily. In 1959 and 1960 he drove a Formula Junior Stanguellini. In 1960 he placed fourth in the Formula Junior World Championship.

In 1961 Bandini and fellow Italian driver Giancarlo Baghetti were both in contention for a Formula One seat at Scuderia Ferrari. Ferrari opted for Baghetti, and Bandini went to drive for Guglielmo "Mimmo" Dei's Scuderia Centro Sud. At a non-championship race, he finished third at Pau. Bandini drove his first world championship race at Spa later in 1961. He retired with engine failure. During the winter of 1961-1962 he drove in the Tasman races in Australia and New Zealand.<ref name=TheTimesMay11/>

In 1962 Bandini was hired by Ferrari for the 1962 and 1963 seasons, and moved to Maranello, near the team's headquarters.<ref name=NewYorkTimesMay11>Bandini Dies of Race Injuries, New York Times, 11 May 1967, Page 62.</ref> His debut in a works Ferrari at the Monaco Grand Prix, finishing third.

For 1963 Bandini was retained by Ferrari for sports car races only. Along with Ludovico Scarfiotti, he won the Le Mans 24 Hours race and placed second in the Targa Florio that year, occasionally racing in Formula One for Scuderia Centro Sud.<ref name=TheTimesMay11/> His string of good results, including a fifth place at the British Grand Prix, convinced Ferrari to retain him as a Formula One driver as well for the rest of the season.

In 1964 Bandini had his best Formula One season. He won the first Austrian Grand Prix at the Zeltweg circuit and scored two more podiums in Germany and Italy. At the Mexican Grand Prix, Bandini was running second when he decided to let his teammate John Surtees pass, enabling him to score enough points to win the World Championship.

In 1965 Bandini won the Targa Florio.

In 1966 Surtees left Ferrari in mid-season. Bandini was promoted to team leader. He was unlucky not to win the French and U.S. Grands Prix that year which he dominated before mechanical problems struck while holding a huge lead. Bandini's best finish was a second place at the Monaco Grand Prix in a 2.4 liter V-6 Ferrari behind Jackie Stewart's BRM. Later in the season Bandini helped director John Frankenheimer with his movie Grand Prix. Bandini recommended the location at the harbour chicane for a crash scene in the movie filmed at the Monte Carlo circuit. In "The Making of Grand Prix", actress Eva Marie Saint noted bitterly that this spot would be the site of Bandini's fatal accident in the race one year later. Grand Prix was praised for its realism of racing, to which Bandini played a big role. The movie won 3 Oscars.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1967 Bandini won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1000 km of Monza, both teamed with Chris Amon.

Accident and death

On 7 May 1967 Bandini was racing at the Monaco Grand Prix for Scuderia Ferrari, running second to Denny Hulme. On the entry to the harbour chicane on the 82nd lap he lost control of his open-wheel 312, its left rear wheel hit the guard rail, and sent it into an erratic skid. Impacting a light pole, the car overturned,<ref name=SheboyganPressMay8>"Hulme Wins Monte Carlo; Bandini Hurt", Sheboygan Press, 8 May 1967, Page 13.</ref> collided with protective straw bales which lined the harbour, and trapped Bandini beneath it.

Either sparks ignited fuel from a ruptured tank, or fuel leaked from it onto a hot brake line or exhaust pipe and it burst into flames. Bandini was pulled out, unconscious; a second fire occurred afterwards, due to reignition.<ref name=NewYorkTimesMay8/>

Bandini, who had only ever had a minor accident in his racing career, during a 1957 Formula Junior race,<ref name=NewYorkTimesMay11/> was gravely injured. Sustaining third degree burns covering more than 70% of his body, a chest wound, and ten chest fractures,<ref name=SheboyganPressMay8/> he succumbed three days later at the Princess Grace Polyclinic Hospital in Monte Carlo. He was 31 years old.

Though concerns were raised about the promptness of his rescue, investigators from the Principality of Monaco ruled on 10 May that the security operation had "functioned properly."<ref name=StarsAndStripesMay11/> Straw bales were immediately banned from all Formula One races, and replaced by an extended guard-rail in Monaco the following year.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Bandini's funeral was held in Reggiolo on 13 May.<ref name=NewYorkTimesMay12>"Mass Held For Bandini", New York Times, 12 May 1967, Page 56.</ref> 100,000 people attended.<ref name=NewYorkTimesMay14>"100,000 at Bandini Rites", New York Times, 14 May 1967, Page S4.</ref> He was later buried in the Lambrate cemetery, in Milan.<ref>Photos of Bandini's tombstone. Accessed 3 December 2012.</ref>

In popular culture

Bandini is portrayed by Francesco Bauco in Ford v Ferrari, a 2019 film about the rivalry between Ford and Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race.

Racing record

Complete Formula One 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	Template:Tooltip	Pts
1961	Scuderia Centro Sud	Cooper T53	Maserati 6-1500 1.5 L4	MON	NED	BEL Template:Small	FRA	GBR Template:Small	GER Template:Small	ITA Template:Small	USA				NC	0
1962	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 1.5 V6	NED	MON Template:Small	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER Template:Small	ITA Template:Small	USA	RSA			12th	4
1963	Scuderia Centro Sud	BRM P57	BRM P56 1.5 V8	MON	BEL	NED	FRA Template:Small	GBR Template:Small	GER Template:Small						10th	6
	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 1.5 V6							ITA Template:Small	USA Template:Small	MEX Template:Small	RSA Template:Small
1964	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 1.5 V6	MON Template:Small				GBR Template:Small	GER Template:Small	AUT Template:Small					4th	23
		Ferrari 158	Ferrari 205B 1.5 V8		NED Template:Small	BEL Template:Small	FRA Template:Small				ITA Template:Small
	North American Racing Team	Ferrari 1512	Ferrari 207 1.5 F12									USA Template:Small	MEX Template:Small
1965	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 1512	Ferrari 207 1.5 F12	RSA Template:Small	MON Template:Small	BEL Template:Small	FRA Template:Small				ITA Template:Small	USA Template:Small	MEX Template:Small		6th	13
		Ferrari 158	Ferrari 205B 1.5 V8					GBR Template:Small	NED Template:Small	GER Template:Small
1966	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 246	Ferrari 228 2.4 V6	MON Template:Small	BEL Template:Small										9th	12
		Ferrari 312/66	Ferrari 218 3.0 V12			FRA Template:Small	GBR	NED Template:Small	GER Template:Small	ITA Template:Small	USA Template:Small	MEX
1967	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 312/67	Ferrari 242 3.0 V12	RSA	MON Template:Small	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	CAN	ITA	USA	MEX	NC	0
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Complete Formula One 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 Centro Sud	Cooper T53	Maserati 6-1500 1.5 L4	LOM	GLV	PAU Template:Small	BRX	VIE	AIN	SYR Template:Small	NAP Template:Small	LON	SIL	SOL	KAN	DAN	MOD Template:Small	FLG Template:Small
		Cooper T51																FLG Template:Small	OUL	LEW	VAL	RAN	NAT	RSA
1962	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 1.5 V6	CAP	BRX	LOM	LAV	GLV	PAU Template:Small	AIN	INT	NAP Template:Small	MAL	CLP	RMS	SOL	KAN	MED Template:Small	DAN	OUL	MEX	RAN	NAT
1963	Scuderia Centro Sud	Cooper T53	Maserati 6-1500 1.5 L4	LOM	GLV	PAU	IMO Template:Small	SYR Template:Small	AIN
		BRM P57	BRM P56 1.5 V8							INT Template:Small	ROM	SOL Template:Small	KAN	MED Template:Small	AUT	OUL
	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 1.5 V6														RAN Template:Small
1964	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 1.5 V6	DMT	NWT	SYR Template:Small	AIN	INT	SOL Template:Small	MED	RAN
1965	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 1512	Ferrari 207 1.5 F12	ROC	SYR Template:Small	SMT	INT Template:Small	MED	RAN
1966	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 246	Ferrari 228 2.4 V6	RSA	SYR Template:Small	INT	OUL
1967	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 312/67	Ferrari 242 3.0 V12	ROC Template:Small	SPC	INT	SYR	OUL	ESP
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Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
Template:24hLM	Template:Flagicon SEFAC Ferrari	Template:Flagicon Mike Parkes	Ferrari 330 LMB	E+3.0	56	DNF (Radiator)
Template:24hLM	Template:Flagicon SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Template:Flagicon Ludovico Scarfiotti	Ferrari 250 P	P3.0	339	1st	1st
Template:24hLM	Template:Flagicon SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Template:Flagicon John Surtees	Ferrari 330 P	P4.0	337	3rd	3rd
Template:24hLM	Template:Flagicon SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Template:Flagicon Giampiero Biscaldi	Ferrari 275 P2	P4.0	221	DNF (Valves)
Template:24hLM	Template:Flagicon SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Template:Flagicon Jean Guichet	Ferrari 330 P3	P5.0	226	DNF (Engine)
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Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1963	Template:Flagicon S.E.F.A.C. Ferrari	Template:Flagicon Willy Mairesse Template:Flagicon Nino Vaccarella	Ferrari 250 P	P3.0	208	2nd	2nd
	Template:Flagicon S.E.F.A.C. Ferrari	Template:Flagicon Mike Parkes	Ferrari 330 LMB	P+3.0	72	DNF (Split fuel tank)
1964	Template:Flagicon S.E.F.A.C. Ferrari	Template:Flagicon John Surtees	Ferrari 330 P	P+3.0	212	3rd	3rd
1966	Template:Flagicon SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Template:Flagicon Ludovico Scarfiotti	Ferrari Dino 206 S	P2.0	206	5th	2nd
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Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1967	Template:Flagicon Ferrari SpA	Template:Flagicon Chris Amon	Ferrari 330 P3/4	P+2.0	666	1st	1st
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See also

• Formula One drivers from Italy
• Lorenzo Bandini Trophy

External links

• Template:YouTube