Clay Regazzoni

Gianclaudio Giuseppe Regazzoni , known as Clay Regazzoni , is a racing driver Suisse, born the September 5th 1939 in Mendrisio close to Lugano, Canton of Tessin (Swiss) and deceased the December 15th 2006 with Fontevivo, Province of Parma (Italy). Pilot emblematic of the Formula 1 of the years 1970, it disputed 132 Grand Prix and gained of them 5, including 4 for the Scuderia Ferrari, under the colors of which it ran of 1970 to 1972 and of 1974 to 1976, and with which he was vice-champion of the world in 1974. It also offered to the team Williams his very first success, at the time of GP of Great Britain 1979. Its career in F1 ended following a serious accident in 1980 which left it paraplegic.

Biography

Beginnings

Wire of carriage-builder, but born in a country where the practice of the automobile sport strongly is limited since the drama of the 24 hours of Mans 1955, Gianclaudio " Clay" Regazzoni came only tardily to the competition. It is only into 1963 that, pushed by a friend himself controls (Silvio Moser), Clay carries out its beginnings in competition, in the Swiss championship of hill climb and in rallys (only authorized disciplines), at the wheel of Austin Healey. Champion of Switzerland of the hill climbs in 1964, Clay decides to try his chance on the circuits as from 1965. For that, it buys a De Tomaso Formule 3, which it registers in various international tests. Then, in 1966, it buys a Brabham F3, over which, associated with Moser, it gains in Hockenheim the Trophy of the Nations. In 1967, Regazzoni is incorporated in the team Tecno Pederzani brothers in F3, initially in the capacity as paying pilot, then as from 1968, in the capacity as official pilot. They is besides while being pressed on the Swiss pilot that Tecno carries out in 1968 its beginnings in Formule 2.

In spite of a perfectible material, it is in this discipline that Regazzoni appears truly on the international scene, its style of highly spectacular piloting (consequence of its tendency to surpiloter to compensate for the defects of its mounting) making the treat of the observers. N the other hand, it acquires a reputation of dangerous pilot, that his implication in the fatal accident of Chris Lambert in Zandvoort in 1968 does nothing but consolidate, even if the responsibility for Clay in the fixing shown forever. In 1969, it is recruited by Ferrari for the project Dino F2, but the single-seater is badly designed and Clay turns over to Tecno in 1970, where it cotoie François Cevert. At the wheel of Tecno finally become ripe, Regazzoni gains the championship of Europe of Formula 2.

First seasons in F1

This same year, parallel to its victorious season in F2, it carries out its beginnings Formulates of them 1 on behalf of the Scuderia Ferrari. Initially engaged to divide the wheel of the second car with Ignazio Giunti, it disputes its first GP with Zandvoort in the Netherlands (it finishes 4th), then is definitively established starting from the GP of Great Britain, which it finishes again 4th. Then, after a second place in Austria, it gains in Monza its first victory in F1, as regards only its fifth Grand Prix. Acquired in front of a crowd is delirious about it (Clay Regazzoni, originating in Tessin, is regarded as an Italian by the tifosi), this victory, which occur the shortly after dead of Jochen Rindt, leader of the championship, allows the Swiss pilot to nourish some hopes for the championship of the world, while at the same time it missed five tests at the beginning of season. But in spite of two new podiums at the end of the season, it must be satisfied with the third place of the championship, behind Rindt and its fellow-member Jacky Ickx.

Strong of an end of very impressive season 1970, Scuderia starts the season 1971 in position of favorite. In spite of a victory out-championship with the Race off champions, the hopes of Regazzoni are quickly disappointed, and after two mitigated seasons, not retained by Ferrari, it joined BRM: a choice of not very judicious career since the glorious British team is then sinking.

At Ferrari with Lauda

At the end of 1973, it is recalled by Scuderia Ferrari (extraordinary event if it is) in full reorganization under the crook of its new sport director Luca di Montezemolo. Clay advises in Ferrari to recruit like second pilot Niki Lauda his ex-fellow-member at BRM. In 1974, in spite of the hard internal competition of Lauda which proves to be a born leader that is not really Clay, it carries out the most beautiful season of its career, fighting for the world title until the ultimate sleeve of the season. It must be finally inclined vis-a-vis Emerson Fittipaldi and be satisfied with the title of vice-champion of the world.

Always at Ferrari in 1975 and 1976, he adds two new victories to his prize list, but is generally relegated in the shade of Lauda, and does not manage to play a part with the championship of the world.

End of a career in half-tone

Pushed outside by Ferrari which reproaches him a certain lack of implication as well as a little dull performances, and replaces it by Carlos Reutemann, it is constrained to join in 1977 the modest stable Ensign after having refused proposals of Brabham and McLaren (Clay was persuaded that Ferrari was going to prolong its contract). In spite of a combativeness seldom taken at fault, it registers only 5 unhappy points. It hardly obtains more success (only 4 points) in 1978 at Shadow, a stable which it joined at worst the moment, since several key members of the team, whose chief technical officer Tony Southgate, left to found Arrows during the off season. In 1979, at the 39 years age, it is recruited by the young team Williams to which it offers his very first victory in Grand Prix to Silverstone. " This victory is most beautiful of my career because acquired at 40 years and because it is a splendid gift for Frank" Clay will declare. But this success does not manage to make forget its performances in withdrawal compared to its team-member Alan Jones, and Williams does not renew his confidence to him and replaces it by Reutemann (again) for the following season.

The accident Beach Length

In 1980, for the second time of its career, Regazzoni finds refuge at Mo Nunn and its Ensign stable. But its career is broken as of the fourth sleeve of the season, the Grand Prix of the Western USA, disputed in the streets of Long Beach. With the 51e turn, victim of a failure of its brakes at the end of the long straight line of the circuit, it is engulfed to 280 km/h in a loophole, where is already immobilized the Brabham of Ricardo Zunino. After a first shock on with Brabham, Ensign strikes with a rare violence a concrete low wall. Seriously touched at the spinal column, Regazzoni preserves however a sensitivity in its legs. But the operation of stabilization of the column carried out in the evening fails and Clay awakes paraplegic, constrained to pass the remainder of its days in a wheel chair.

An active retirement

Far from to have lost the taste of the automobile sport following the accident which put a term at its career Formulates 1 of them, Clay will continue to control episodically in competition until the end of the years 1990, on board especially arranged cars, with " orders all with the volant". Regazzoni took part thus in several rally-raid (quote in particular Paris-Dakar, as well as London-Sydney), but also in tests on circuit, the such 12 hours of Sebring in 1993, the only restriction on its participation being generally prohibition to take share with the grouped departures. Let us note however that in the middle of the years 1990, the TRUSTED had refused its engagement in a sleeve of the international championship of sport scars.

Death

Clay Regazzoni found death on December 15th, 2006 in an traffic accident on the highway A1 Milan - Bologna, towards the junction the highway a 15 Parma - Spezia, when its monospace Chrysler Voyager modified to be led by paraplegic ran up against a truck which it passed before making a yaw and of going to crash to pieces itself against the safety fence. All lets suppose that Regazzoni felt a faintness and lost the control of its vehicle. The helps could only note the death of Tessinois. The accident did not make of another victim.

Assessment of career

Regazzoni disputed 132 Grand Prix of Formula 1 and counts five victories:

GP of Italy 1970
GP of Germany 1974
GP of Italy 1975
GP of the Western USA 1976
GP of Great Britain 1979

Moreover, it carried out 5 pole-positions, 15 better turns in race, registered 209 points in championship and was vice-champion of the world in 1974, behind Emerson Fittipaldi.

See too

Pilot of Formula 1: classification by Pilot victories
of Formula 1: classification by better Pilot turns
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot podiums
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot poles position
of Formula 1: classification by hat tricks

External bonds

Official site
Aiutiamo the paraplegia - Club Clay Regazzoni Onlus
Article of lequipe.fr reporting the death of Clay Regazzoni
article Swissinfo December 16th, 2006 - 12:18

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