Profile for racing driver Clay Regazzoni from Switzerland. But Regazzoni adored racing. Riccardo Zunini's abandoned Brabham was still parked in the hairpin escape road, and as the brakeless Regazzoni struck it he sustained injuries that left him paralysed from the waist downwards.Soon, he was back at the wheel of a specially converted roadcar, fighting campaigns for disabled drivers and the greatest challenge of his life with his habitual enthusiasm and pride. Please Even after the accident in 1980, he made the best out of his circumstances.When I joined BRM, he was the star and I was the young kid, but I learned a great deal from him.Regazzoni commentated on some grands prix, then competed in the Paris-Dakar and London to Sydney Marathon events.
Clay Regazzoni (Williams FW07 Ford) 1st position, action. I love it, and most of all I love to drive racing cars. Despite taking a win each season from '74-'76, he was moved on for 1977.
Please Raised in Ticino, a predominantly Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, he did not begin competing until 1963, taking two thirds and a fourth in three races with an Austin Healey Sprite before switching to a Mini Cooper. Please "Clay was the sort of guy you could never forget," said Lauda, who partnered him at BRM in 1973 and then at Ferrari.He died as he lived, simply taking life as it came. Clay Regazzoni, who was killed in a road accident on his way to the Bologna Motor Show on Friday, was the archetypal tough-guy race driver. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies Then, at Long Beach, the fourth race of the 1980 season, a titanium brake-pedal broke. After two years out of competitive machinery he was playing the number two role again, this time to Alan Jones at Williams in 1979. His dauntless brio led … At Monaco in 1968, he crashed his Formula Three Tecno exiting the chicane, and the steel guardrail sliced over the cockpit. It is run by the Regazzoni family represented by Clay’s wife Mariapia and his children Alessia and Gian Maria.
Despite only competing in seven races, he finished third in the world championship.He won the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in 1971, but had to wait until the German Grand Prix in 1974 to win again. That was with an Austin-Healey Sprite but “Regga” switched to a Mini Cooper for further local events a year later. Clay Regazzoni, who was killed in a road accident on his way to the Bologna Motor Show on Friday, was the archetypal tough-guy race driver. He pursued the hope that his damaged spinal cord might be repaired, undergoing many operations, before finally accepting that the miracle would not happen for him. 12-14 July 1979. try again, the name must be unique The relationship with the Prancing Horse got off to a dream start when the Swiss driver took fourth on his debut in Holland, while there's nowhere better to take your maiden win in one of the red cars than Monza, which Regazzoni managed later that same season. Born on the Italian border of Switzerland where his father ran a bodywork shop, Clay Regazzoni made his competitive debut in 1963. He left Ferrari for 1973, but was back a year later, playing the role of number two to Niki Lauda. With Lauda back, there was suddenly no room for Regazzoni, who drifted off to race for Morris Nunn's private Ensign team from Walsall. There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts The most insightful comments on all subjects Log in to update your newsletter preferencesPlease Two stints at Ferrari and scoring Williams's maiden grand prix victory are the clear highlights of Clay Regazzoni's 10-year Formula 1 career. There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Somehow, Regazzoni was able to duck down sufficiently to avoid decapitation, sitting up again to find the barrier behind him, jammed up against the rollover bar.In 1973, only the intervention of that great cavalier Mike Hailwood saved "Regga" from death in a blazing inferno after he crashed his BRM in the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.Sometimes he was too tough. There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts Regazzoni's Tecno collided with Lambert's Brabham, which crashed into a bridge abutment. try again, the name must be unique Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when Along with commemorating the feats of the driver, its aim is to raise funds destined for research into paraplegia, Clay’s last great “mission”. It might have been a step from the sublime to the ridiculous, but Nunn's car was neat and Regazzoni got on famously with him and his wife Sylvia.The following year, he partnered with Hans Stuck at Shadow, before being rescued by an emergent Frank Williams as number two to the ebullient Australian Alan Jones for 1979. continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? {{#sender.isSelf}} will be published daily in dedicated articles. Career in Formula 3 and F2 Independent Premium. try again, the name must be unique Other victories followed, at Monza again in 1975 and Long Beach in 1976. The Clay Regazzoni Memorial Room is dedicated to the great Swiss driver. In later years he would always appear at Monaco in his electric wheelchair. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to