Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,995
Lella Lombardi...
So far (and again today!), the drivers in the so-called "Formula 1" have been exclusively men - women are only intended to function as "garnier girls" or "pit sluts".
It was different for a while:
In the 1970s there was only one woman in the "Formula 1" circus, Lella Lombardi from Italy - and she didn't do badly!
She made her Formula 1 debut in 1974 for the Allied Polymer Group Team at the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, but was unable to qualify for the race.
Her participation was a sensation and a media event at the time - her racing car was specially brought in front of Tower Bridge in London so that she could pose with it for the photographers...:
In 1975 she started for the first time in a Formula 1 race, the South African Grand Prix, for the March team. At the final race of the season, the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, she competed for Frank Williams Racing Cars, but was unable to start the race due to ignition problems during warm-up.
In 1976 she drove a race for March, which she started from 22nd place and finished 14th...:
She then switched to Team RAM and drove three races there.
She drove her last of twelve races in 1976 in Zeltweg at the Austrian Grand Prix and, after qualifying 24th, finished 12th.
But on April 27, 1975, Lella Lombardi made history:
At the "Grand Prix D'Espagna" on the "Circuit de Montjuïc" in Barcelona, she finished sixth in her March/Williams racing car...
...and thus in the points when the race was stopped due to a serious accident involving the German driver Rolf Stommelen, in which five spectators died!
Lella Lombardi was awarded half a championship point for this sixth place.
That is - to this day! - the only time that a woman was in the world championship standings in Formula 1!
She and her racing car are also available as a 1:24 model (but hard to get!)...:
Lella Lombardi died of cancer on March 3, 1992 in Milan.
So far (and again today!), the drivers in the so-called "Formula 1" have been exclusively men - women are only intended to function as "garnier girls" or "pit sluts".
It was different for a while:
In the 1970s there was only one woman in the "Formula 1" circus, Lella Lombardi from Italy - and she didn't do badly!
She made her Formula 1 debut in 1974 for the Allied Polymer Group Team at the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, but was unable to qualify for the race.
Her participation was a sensation and a media event at the time - her racing car was specially brought in front of Tower Bridge in London so that she could pose with it for the photographers...:
In 1975 she started for the first time in a Formula 1 race, the South African Grand Prix, for the March team. At the final race of the season, the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, she competed for Frank Williams Racing Cars, but was unable to start the race due to ignition problems during warm-up.
In 1976 she drove a race for March, which she started from 22nd place and finished 14th...:
She then switched to Team RAM and drove three races there.
She drove her last of twelve races in 1976 in Zeltweg at the Austrian Grand Prix and, after qualifying 24th, finished 12th.
But on April 27, 1975, Lella Lombardi made history:
At the "Grand Prix D'Espagna" on the "Circuit de Montjuïc" in Barcelona, she finished sixth in her March/Williams racing car...
...and thus in the points when the race was stopped due to a serious accident involving the German driver Rolf Stommelen, in which five spectators died!
Lella Lombardi was awarded half a championship point for this sixth place.
That is - to this day! - the only time that a woman was in the world championship standings in Formula 1!
She and her racing car are also available as a 1:24 model (but hard to get!)...:
Lella Lombardi died of cancer on March 3, 1992 in Milan.
