Following the 1957 Mille Miglia tragedy, when Marquis Alfonso de Portago’s Ferrari ploughed into a group of spectators, Enzo Ferrari had endured intense criticism from several quarters, including the Catholic Church. The deaths of so many of his countrymen, caused by one of his cars, weighed heavily on Ferrari’s mind. Several Italian drivers had also perished in Ferrari cars, including Luigi Musso and Eugenio Castellotti.
For the next few years Ferrari was notable for his reluctance to employ Italian drivers. When he finally did, it was Lorenzo Bandini who got the drive. Throughout the sixties he graduated from a junior member of the squad to undisputed number one at Ferrari.
Motorcyles and Formula Junior
Bandini had been born in Libya in 1935 to Italian parents, his father dying when Bandini was just a teenager. Raised in Tuscany, Bandini, like so many drivers of his generation, began his racing career on motorcycles. His four-wheel debut came in 1957 and, the following year, he won his class in the Mille Miglia.
During his early career Bandini was fortunate to receive backing and guidance from Signor Freddi, a Milanese garage owner and Bandini’s employer. In 1963 Bandini married Signor Freddi’s daughter, Margherita.
Bandini’s single-seater apprenticeship was served in the cut-and-thrust world of Formula Junior. His Formula 1 debut was made at the 1961 non-championship Pau Grand Prix, driving for Scuderia Centro Sud, where he finished third. His full World Championship debut came at that year’s Belgian Grand Prix, but engine failure forced him to retire.
Formula 1 with Ferrari
Bandini was a works Ferrari Formula 1 driver for 1962 and finished third on his debut for the team at Monaco. Nevertheless, he found himself out of favour with the Old Man the following year, relegated to driving sports cars for the Maranello concern. Demonstrating his ability, he won the Le Mans 24 Hours race, partnering Ludovico Scarfiotti. On the Formula 1 front, Scuderia Centro Sud came to the rescue and gave Bandini a car for 1963.
Back in a Formula 1 Ferrari for 1964, Bandini use it to full effect at Zeltweg, the Austrian Grand Prix marking the sole World Championship victory of his career. In sports cars he continued to shine. A win in the 1965 Targa Florio was followed two years later by victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Ferrari Number One and Monaco 1967
In Formula 1 Bandini was promoted to the role of Ferrari team leader following the departure of John Surtees during the 1966 season. An Italian team leader at Ferrari, Bandini was under considerable pressure to perform. At Monaco in 1967 he was lying second late in the race. On lap 82 of the scheduled 100, probably due to fatigue, Bandini misjudged his entry to the harbour front chicane. The Ferrari clipped some straw bales and overturned, on fire and with Bandini trapped inside.
The raging inferno made rescue difficult, a situation not helped by a TV helicopter fanning the flames from above. Eventually, Bandini was removed and taken to the Princess Grace Hospital, terribly burned. He held onto life for three days before eventually succumbing. In a cruel postscript, Bandini’s wife, expecting the couple’s first child, suffered a miscarriage. An estimated 100,000 people attended Bandini's funeral.
Lorenzo Bandini’s memory is perpetuated today by the Trofeo Lorenzo Bandini. Past winners include Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso. In 2008 Polish driver Robert Kubica drove his BMW Formula 1 car on public roads to collect the trophy in Bandini's home town of Brisighella. It is the residents of the town who vote on which driver deserves the award each year.
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