Francisco Sacco Landi (July 14, 1907 – June 7, 1989), better known as Chico, was a
racing driver from
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
, Brazil. He participated in six
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
World Championship ''Grands Prix'', debuting on September 16, 1951. He scored a total of 1.5 championship points, awarded for his fourth-place finish in the
1956 Argentine Grand Prix, a drive he shared with
Gerino Gerini. He was the first Brazilian ever to take part in a Formula One Grand Prix, and also the first to score points.
History
Landi came from a modest middle-class family of Italian origins, and got into racing through his father, who owned a garage in Sào Paulo. Along with
Manuel de Teffé and
Irineu Corrêa, he popularized motor racing in Brazil in the late mid-thirties. Landi had left school at eleven to work as a mechanic, and later began illegal street racing at nights, where he had frequent run-ins with the police.
In 1934 he made his racing debut, at the second Rio Grand Prix in 1934. He led until eight laps from the finish, when his engine gave out.
[ Wolfe, p. 101] He was the most popular Brazilian driver of his time, as many considered Teffé, who was the son of a diplomat of Prussian heritage, a wealthy expat rather than an actual Brazilian, as he had started his racing career while living in Europe. When Corrêa, who ended up winning the 1934 Rio Grand Prix, died in a crash on the first lap of next year, Landi was left as the undisputed master of pre-war racing in Brazil. Landi went abroad in 1938, finishing eighth at
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
in what is generally considered the first Brazilian Grand Prix entry.
[ Wolfe, p. 231 (footnote)] Landi's first Brazilian GP victory came at the
1941 Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix.
[
Landi was the first Brazilian driver to win a Grand Prix race, taking a ]Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
to victory at the Bari Grand Prix in 1948, run that year to Formula Two regulations. He also finished second in the 1952 (non-championship) Albi Grand Prix
The Albi Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de l'Albigeois) is a motor race held in Albi, in the Tarn department of Southern France. The first race took place in 1933 and was won by Pierre Veyron in a Bugatti Type 51A. After the Second World Wa ...
in a Ferrari 375
:''See also the Ferrari 340, 340 and Ferrari America, 375 road cars sharing the same engine''
After finding only modest success with the Supercharger, supercharged Ferrari 125 F1, 125 F1 car in Formula One, Ferrari decided to switch for 1950 to t ...
.
Landi also won the 1960 Mil Milhas Brasil
The Mil Milhas Brasil (also known as the Mil Milhas Brasileiras or 1000 Miles of Brazil in Portuguese) is a sports car endurance race held annually in Brazil since 1956.
The Mil Milhas has been held nearly every year since its inception and is ...
in an Alfa Romeo JK 2000, together with Christian "Bino" Heins. This was the first time that a Brazilian-made car won this prestigious race, rather than an American-based "Carretera" special.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
)
:''† Indicates Shared Drive with Jan Flinterman''
:''* Indicates Shared Drive with Gerino Gerini''
References
External links
* http://www.4mula1.ro/history/driver/Francisco_Landi
* http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-lanfra.html
1907 births
1989 deaths
Brazilian racing drivers
Brazilian Formula One drivers
Scuderia Milano Formula One drivers
Maserati Formula One drivers
Brazilian people of Italian descent
World Sportscar Championship drivers
{{Brazil-autoracing-bio-stub