Lorenzo Bandini

Bandini was born in Barce in Cyrenaica, Libya,^[1][2] 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.^[2]

Bandini made his way into auto racing from competing on motorcycles.^[3] He started racing cars in 1957 in a borrowed Fiat 1100. Goliardo Freddi, acknowledging Bandini's talent, decided to support him.^[2] 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.^[2]

In 1962 Bandini was hired by Ferrari for the 1962 and 1963 seasons, and moved to Maranello, near the team's headquarters.^[4] 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.^[2] 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.

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

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,^[5] 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, when the fuel tank itself burst into flames.^[1]

Bandini, who had only ever had a minor accident in his racing career, during a 1957 Formula Junior race,^[4] was gravely injured. Sustaining third degree burns covering more than 70% of his body, a chest wound, and ten chest fractures,^[5] he succumbed three days later at the Princess Grace Polyclinic Hospital in Monte Carlo.

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."^[3] Straw bales were immediately banned from all Formula One races, and replaced by an extended guard-rail in Monaco the following year.^[6]

Bandini's funeral was held in Reggiolo on 13 May.^[7] 100,000 people attended.^[8] He was later buried in the Lambrate cemetery, in Milan.^[9]

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.

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

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

• Formula One drivers from Italy
• Lorenzo Bandini Trophy

• Lorenzo Bandini's fatal accident on YouTube