Nino Vaccarella
| Nino Vaccarella | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Italian
|
| Years | 1961-1962, 1965 |
| Team(s) | Ferrari, non-works De Tomaso, Lotus, Porsche |
| Races | 5 (4 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Points | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1961 Italian Grand Prix |
| First win | |
| Last win | |
| Last race | 1965 Italian Grand Prix |
| Video | Tribute to Nino Vaccarella a living legend of the Targa Florio |
Nino Vaccarella (born March 4 1933 in Palermo) is a former sports car racing and Formula One driver from Sicily, Italy.
Synopsis
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 5 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on September 10, 1961. He scored no championship points. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.
Sports car career
Vaccarella 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. They took the lead in the early afternoon of May 8, maintained it for three laps, and then broke down. The event was won by Joakim Bonnier and Hans Herrmann in a small silver Porsche. 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. In a Ferrari 330, Vaccarella and Lorenzo Bandini led most of the way in 1966. Their car missed a turn on the 7th lap, ran off the road and was too damaged to continue. 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. Maglioli and Vaccarella piloted a Ford GT-40 to 5th place in the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring. The May 8, 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. Vaccarella qualified 8th 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. 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. Vaccarella competed in the 1972 12 Hours of Sebring in one of 4 Alfa Romeo 33/3 TT's to be entered in the event. His driving partner was Nanni Galli. They qualified 5th after another Alfa Romeo of Rolf Stommelen and Peter Revson, who started third.
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.
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 |
Complete Formula One results
| Yr | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | De T | MON | DUT | BEL | FRA | GBR | DEU | ITA | USA | De T | ||
| 1962 | Lotu | DUT | MON | BEL | FRA | GBR | DEU | ITA | USA | SAF | Lotu | |
| 1965 | Ferr | SAF | MON | BEL | FRA | GBR | DUT | DEU | ITA | USA | MEX | Ferr |