Lella Lombardi

Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi (born 26th March, 1941 in Frugarolo, Piedmont, Italy, died 3rd March, 1992 in Milan, Italy) was an Italian racing driver known for her appearances in Formula One.

She is regarded as one of the most successful female racing drivers of all time, taking several points finishes during her Formula One career.

She died in 1992 after a short bout of cancer.

Formula One career

1976-: Brabham

In 1976, Lombardi joined the Martini Racing team alongside British star James Hunt, piloting their Alfa Romeo-engined BT45 chassis. For most of the season, her time was spent in the pits - with the powerful, yet unreliable Alfa engine causing her to retire from ten of the sixteen races that season. Lombardi would take a season-best fourth place finish at the German Grand Prix - equalling Maria Teresa de Filippis' record best finish for a woman in Formula One - which would then be followed by a sixth in the Netherlands.

Her season would be marked by an incident with Henri Pescarolo at the French Grand Prix, where he would forcibly remove Lombardi from the track whilst lapping her - causing her to lose both her front and rear right wheels. Interestingly, this incident would give her teammate Hunt his best result of the season - with the Briton benefiting from the disqualification of Pescarolo to take a second place.

Lombardi would start the 1977 season with Brabham, but would be ousted by the British team after the season-opening Argentine Grand Prix, being replaced by Lotus refugee Patrick Tambay.