Obituary

Umberto Maglioli

Former Ferrari Grand Prix driver Umberto Maglioli has died aged 70. One of several drivers of the ’50s and ’60s who excelled in sports and GT cars, Maglioli never quite made it in Grand Prix racing. Born in Biella, Italy in 1928, he was introduced to racing by the legendary Giovanni Bracco and accompanied him on several Mille Miglias and Targa Florios. In 1953 he won the Targa (single-handed) for the first time, in a Lancia, and also the Pescara 12hr race, driving a Ferrari with Mike Hawthorn.

His best year, 1954, was also his worst, for in Ferrari sportscars he won the Buenos Aires 1000Km, the Supercortemaggiore 1000Km (with Hawthorn) and the Carrera PanAmericana, but in F1 he was landed with the troublesome Squalo, which he claimed killed his Grand Prix career. Midway through 1955 he was invited to join Maserati, but Ferrari refused to let him go.

He joined Porsche in 1956 and won the Targa Florio, again single-handed, but the following year an accident put him out of action for 18 months. In 1964 he won the Sebring 12hrs for Ferrari and in 1968 scored his third Targa victory (this time with Vic Elford) in a Porsche. The unassuming and charming Maglioli retired from racing in 1970.