Franco Comotti

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Franco Comotti
Franco Comotti.jpg
Born(1906-07-24)24 July 1906
Brescia, Lombardy
Died10 May 1963(1963-05-10) (aged 56)
Bergamo, Lombardy
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityItaly Italian
Active years1950, 1952
TeamsMaserati, Ferrari
Entries2
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1950 Italian Grand Prix
Last entry1952 French Grand Prix

Gianfranco "Franco" Comotti (July 24, 1906 – May 10, 1963) was an Italian racecar driver.[1] He participated in two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 3 September 1950. He scored no championship points. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races.

Racing career[]

A native of Bergamo, he first appeared at the 1928 Italian Grand Prix in one of Scuderia Materassi’s Talbots. After this race Comotti disappeared from the racing scene but he returned in 1931 when he won the cyclecar race at the Circuito di Alessandria in a Salmson. He then brought an Alfa Romeo Monza sports car to Scuderia Ferrari in Modena for servicing and became an official driver for the team in 1932. In 1934 Comotti won the Grand Prix du Comminges for Ferrari. Later that year he finished third at the 1934 Italian Grand Prix together with Carlo Felice Trossi. Comotti continued to drive for Ferrari until the end of 1935.[1]

In 1937 Comotti moved to France and joined the Talbot team as a test driver. He tested cars for clients and was a reserve driver for the racing team. That year he won the RAC Tourist Trophy at Donington Park.[2] Comotti left the team at the end of the season and joined Laurie and Lucy Schell's Ecurie Bleue racing for 1938, driving a Delahaye. That year he made his first Grand Prix start at Germany, and also made his only start at Le Mans. But he retired early in both races.

After the war Comotti became a test driver of the new Talbot-Lago T26C. He also made some Grand Prix start with that car in 1948. In 1950 Comotti became a test driver for Scuderia Milano and also made his first World Championship Formula One Grands Prix at the Italian Grand Prix. He made his second and last World Championship Grand Prix start at the 1952 French Grand Prix, driving a Ferrari for Scuderia Marzotto.[1]

Comotti was one of nine founders of the Club international des anciens pilotes de Grand Prix F1 (1962).

Personal life[]

Comotti was born in Brescia, but grew up in Bergamo. He worked in the oil business for his entire life. In 1932 he married Anna Maria Peduzzi (1912–79), who was one of the best female drivers of Italy. Her career lasted even longer than her husband’s.[1]

After his retirement from racing he worked for BP in North Africa.

Racing record[]

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results[]

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1938 France Ecurie Bleue France Albert Divo Delahaye 145 5.0 7 DNF DNF
Source:[3]

Complete European Championship results[]

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 EDC Pts
1938 Ecurie Bleue Delahaye 145 Delahaye 4.5 V12 FRA GER
Ret 		SUI ITA 31st 31
Source:[4]

Post WWII Grandes Épreuves results[]

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4
1947 Edmond Mouche Talbot Spéciale Talbot 4.0 L6 SUI BEL ITA FRA
6
1948 Gianfranco Comotti Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 MON SUI
Ret 		FRA
4 		ITA
7
Source:[5][6]

Complete Formula One World Championship results[]

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Pts
1950 Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA
DNA 		NC 0
Scuderia Milano Maserati 4CLT/50 Milano 1.5 L4s ITA
Ret
1952 Ferrari Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 SUI 500 BEL FRA
12 		GBR GER NED ITA NC 0
Source:[7]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Gianfranco "Franco" Alessandro Maria Comotti (I)". kolumbus.fi. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  2. ^ "RAC TOURIST TROPHY". kolumbus.fi. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  3. ^ "All Results of Gianfranco Comotti". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  4. ^ "THE GOLDEN ERA – OF GRAND PRIX RACING". kolumbus.fi. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  5. ^ "Gianfranco Comotti – Biography". MotorSportMagazine. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  6. ^ Abeillon, Pierre (1992). Talbot-Lago de course. ISBN 2-9700021-0-8.
  7. ^ "Franco Comotti - Involvement". statsf1.com. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
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