Tazio Nuvolari

Legendary Italian motorbike and car racing champion Tazio Nuvolari was known as il Mantovano Volante (The flying Mantuan) or as Nivola. His career spanned from 1920 to 1950. Among his victories: the European car championship in 1932; the European motorbike championship (350cc) in 1925; the Italian car championship in 1932, 1935 and 1936; the Italian motorbike championship in 1924 (500cc) and in 1926 (350cc); 26 car GPs; 4 motorbike Nations GPs; 5 motorbike Lario circuits; the Mille Miglia in 1930 and in 1933; the RAC Tourist Trophy in 1930 and in 1933; the Targa Florio in 1931 and in 1932; the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1933.
In 1925, Tazio Nuvolari set the motorbike world speed record, on Bianchi 350 in Monza, for the 300 km. (avg. speed: km/h 125.006), the 3 hours (avg. speed: km/h 121.797) and the 400 km. (avg. speed: km/h 121.428).
In 1935, he set the car world speed record, on Alfa Romeo Bimotore (Double engine) on the Firenze-Mare (Florence-Sea) highway, for the speed kilometre (max speed: km/h 321.428) and the speed mile (max speed: km/h 323.125).
Tazio Nuvolari never formalized his retirement.
In the picture above: Tazio Nuvolari on Alfa Romeo (for Enzo Ferrari's racing team Scuderia Ferrari) in the Italian GP in Monza in 1934.

Tazio Nuvolari's professional driving license.

Tazio Nuvolari in 1920.

Tazio Nuvolari on Bianchi 350.
In the years of his motorbike victories, Tazio Nuvolari was called il Campionissimo delle due ruote (the greatest champion of the two-wheels).
From the late 1940s, the term il Campionissimo is referred to legendary Italian cycling champion Fausto Coppi.

Tazio Nuvolari on Bianchi 350 on the Lario circuit, on 29th June 1924.

Tazio Nuvolari on Bianchi 350.

Tazio Nuvolari fixing his Bianchi 350 in Padova in 1925.

Tazio Nuvolari and his Bianchi 350.

Above and in the following pictures: images of Tazio Nuvolari.

Tazio Nuvolari with his airplane.

Tazio Nuvolari (right) with Italian racing champion Achille Varzi.

Tazio Nuvolari (the third from the left) with Enzo Ferrari (the second from the left).

In the centre of the picture: Tazio Nuvolari (sitting on an Alfa Romeo) and Enzo Ferrari (at his left).

Tazio Nuvolari (right) with Vincenzo Florio, the promoter of the legendary open road endurance car race Targa Florio.
The Targa Florio took place in Sicily (first edition in 1906), on the roads of the Madonie mountain groups.

Tazio Nuvolari (left) with Italian poet, novelist, journalist and theatre autor Gabriele d'Annunzio (aka il Vate, literary word for il profeta, the prophet), at the Vittoriale, on 28th April 1932.
Gabriele d'Annunzio was also Lieutenant Colonel of the Italian Air Force, airplane pilot (he led the flight over Vienna, in the World War I) and Nationalistic political leader.
The Vittoriale is the monumental mansion of Gabriele D'Annunzio upon the Lake Garda (on the Lombardy shore).

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Tazio Nuvolari

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Tazio Nuvolari's Legacy
Motorbike victories
European Championship (350cc) 1925.
Italian Championship 1924 (500cc), 1926 (350cc).
Gps: Nations 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928;
Rome 1926.
Circuits: 1922 Mantova; 1923 Busto Arsizio, Piave, Emila, Monti Peloritani; 1924 Belfiore, Cremona, Tortona, Monte Mario; 1925 Padova, Lario, Adriatico; 1926 Ostiense, Lario, Adriatico, Lodi; 1927 Lugo, Helvia Recina, Pozzo, Vercelli, Lario, Colle dell'Infinito; 1928 Tigullio; 1929 Lario; 1930 Stradella, Lario, Coppa del Moto Club d'Italia.
World speed record for the 300 km. (avg. speed: km/h 125.006), the 3 hours (avg. speed: km/h 121.797) and the 400 km. (avg. speed 121.428) in 1925.
Car victories
European Championship 1932.
Italian Championship 1932, 1935, 1936.
GPs: Rome 1927; Tripoli 1928; Monza 1929; Italy 1931, 1932, 1938; Monte Carlo 1932; Automobile Club de France 1932; Tunis 1933; Nimes 1933; Belgium 1933; Nice 1933, 1935; Modena 1934, 1935, 1936; Naples 1934; Pau 1935; Germany 1935; Penya Rhin 1936; Hungary 1936; Milan 1936, 1937; Donington 1938; Belgrade 1939; Albi 1946.
Circuits: 1924 Savio, Polesine, Tigullio, Cremona (10 speed kilometres); 1927 Garda; 1928 Pozzo, Alessandria, Messina; 1930 Trieste-Opicina, Cuneo-Colle della Maddalena, Vittorio Veneto-Cansiglio, Klausen Pass; 1931 Coppa Ciano, Pontedecimo-Giovi, Tre Province, Coppa della Consuma; 1932 Coppa Ciano, Coppa Acerbo, Pontedecimo-Giovi, Avellino, Klausen Pass; 1933 Alessandria, Eifelrennen, Coppa Ciano; 1935 Bergamo, Biella, Turin, Coppa Ciano; 1936 Coppa Ciano, Vanderbilt Cup; 1946 Mantova; 1947 Forlì, Parma; 1950 Palermo-Monte Pellegrino.
Sport and endurance races: Mille Miglia 1930, 1933; RAC Tourist Trophy 1930, 1933; Targa Florio 1931, 1932; 24 Hours of Le Mans 1933.
World speed record for the speed kilometre (max speed: km/h 321.428) and the speed mile (max speed: km/h 323.125) in 1935.

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