Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi (26 March 1941 – 3 March 1992) was an Italian
racing driver who participated in 17
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. Lombardi is one of two female drivers to qualify for Formula One and is the only female who scored points in Formula One. Lombardi grew up in Italy and developed an interest in racing by driving a delivery van for her family. Starting in karting and moving to Formula Monza and Formula Three, Lombardi advanced through racing until she reached Formula One. She is the only woman to win points in Formula One, winning half a point in the Spanish Grand Prix. However, Lombardi had an eventful driving career, aside from Formula One. Lombardi was the first woman to qualify and compete in the Race of Champions in Brands Hatch and raced in sports cars. She won the 6 Hours of Pergusa and the 6 Hours of Vallelunga. Lombardi's story has impacted generations of racers. Her experience has shaped the involvement of women in racing and how people perceive females in the racing industry.
Personal life
Lombardi was born in
Frugarolo
Frugarolo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about southeast of Alessandria.
Frugarolo borders the following municipalities: Alessandria, Bosco Mar ...
, a small town in Piedmont in Italy. Her father was a butcher, who gave Lella her first job as a delivery driver for the family's shop.
At first, Lombardi’s father found her passion for racing hard to accept but embraced it once she finished runner-up in a 1968 race. Lella Lombardi was also one of the first female racers in a same-sex relationship. Lombardi died of breast cancer in Milan on March 3, 1992. She was 50 years old and was buried in Frugarolo. She was survived by her partner, Fiorenza. Lombardi is commemorated by a sculpture in her birthplace, Frugarolo.
Career
Formula One
After a brief experience with karting as a child, Lombardi bought her first car in 1965, racing in Formula Monza. She moved on to Formula Three in 1968. In 1974, Lombardi was signed to drive the Shellsport-Luxembourg Lola in F5000 and finished fourth.
Initially, Lombardi tried to qualify for Formula One with a privately entered
Brabham
Brabham () is the common name for Motor Racing Developments Ltd., a British racing car manufacturer and Formula One racing team. Founded in 1960 by Australian driver Jack Brabham and British-Australian designer Ron Tauranac, the team won four ...
supported by the Italian Automobile Club but failed to qualify. That winter, she met an Italian nobleman, Count Vittorio Zanon, who sponsored her entrance into F1.
In 1975, Lombardi was invited to join
Vittorio Brambilla
Vittorio Brambilla (11 November 1937 – 26 May 2001) was a Formula One driver from Italy who raced for the March, Surtees and Alfa Romeo teams. Particularly adept at driving in wet conditions, his nickname was "The Monza Gorilla", due to his ...
and
Hans-Joachim Stuck on the
March
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Marc ...
engineering team, racing the full season with Zanon's Lavazza Coffee Company’s sponsorship.
At the opening race of the campaign in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, Lombardi became the first woman, since
Maria Teresa de Filippis
Maria Teresa de Filippis (11 November 1926 – 8 January 2016) was an Italian racing driver, and the first woman to race in Formula One. She participated in five World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1958, but scored no championship ...
in 1958, to successfully qualify for a Grand Prix. 1975 would prove to be an eventful season for the March Team, as Lombardi scored a Championship point in the
Spanish Grand Prix
The Spanish Grand Prix ( es, Gran Premio de España, ca, Gran Premi d'Espanya) is a Formula One motor racing event currently held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The race is one of the oldest in the world still contested, celebrating it ...
. However, this race only lasted 23 laps until Lombardi was forced to retire with a fuel system problem. The race suffered a major tragedy when the rear wing on
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen (11 July 1943 – 24 April 1983) was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points. He also particip ...
's
Embassy Hill
Embassy Racing With Graham Hill, commonly abbreviated to Embassy Hill, was a short-lived Formula One team started by two-time Formula One World Champion Graham Hill. The team debuted in with a customer Shadow DN1 car, and began racing as a cons ...
broke, sending him into the barrier. While trying to avoid Stommelen as he crossed the track,
Carlos Pace
José Carlos Pace (October 6, 1944 – March 18, 1977) was a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 73 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting at the 1972 South African Grand Prix. He won one race, achieved six podiums, a ...
crashed, and five spectators were killed by Stommelen's flying car. The race continued for another four laps, resulting in Lombardi’s sixth-place finish. With the race being stopped before three-fourths of the scheduled race distance was reached, only half points were awarded. Lombardi also successfully performed at other races, including the
German Grand Prix
The German Grand Prix (german: Großer Preis von Deutschland) was a motor race that took place most years since 1926, with 75 races having been held. The race has been held at only three venues throughout its history; the Nürburgring in R ...
at the
Nürburgring
The is a 150,000 person capacity motorsports complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features a Formula One, Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a long "North loop" track, built in the 1920s, around t ...
, where she finished seventh. At the
United States Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The Grand Prix later became part of the Formula One World Championship. , the Grand Prix has been held ...
at
Watkins Glen, Lombardi had a one-off drive for
Williams. However, she was prevented from starting due to an ignition problem.
In 1976, Lombardi was confirmed at March Engineering alongside Brambilla and Stuck. She finished 14th at the
Brazilian Grand Prix
The Brazilian Grand Prix ( pt, Grande Prêmio do Brasil), currently held under the name São Paulo Grand Prix ( pt, Grande Prêmio de São Paulo), is a Formula One championship race which is currently held at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace ...
that year, and subsequently, the team decided to replace her with
Ronnie Peterson
Bengt Ronnie Peterson (; 14 February 1944 – 11 September 1978) was a Swedish racing driver. Known by the nickname 'SuperSwede', he was a two-time runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship.
Peterson began his motor racing caree ...
. Then, Lombardi briefly moved to RAM Racing, her best result being 12th at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Race of Champions
In 1974, Lombardi was the first female racing driver to qualify and compete at the
Race of Champions
The Race of Champions (ROC) is an international motorsport event held at the end/start of each year, featuring some of the world's best racing and rally drivers. It is the only competition in the world where stars from Formula One, World Ral ...
in
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit in West Kingsdown, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Originally used as a grasstrack motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently host ...
. She raced a
Lola
Lola may refer to:
Places
* Lolá, a or subdistrict of Panama
* Lola Township, Cherokee County, Kansas, United States
* Lola Prefecture, Guinea
* Lola, Guinea, a town in Lola Prefecture
* Lola Island, in the Solomon Islands
People
* Lola ...
-
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
and finished 14th. In the 1975 event, she was once again able to qualify and compete with a
March
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Marc ...
-
Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
. She was retired after 20 laps.
Sports cars
Lombardi later raced in
sports cars
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
. In 1979, she won the 6 hours of Pergusa and the 6 hours of Vallelunga. She also competed four times at the 24 hours of Le Mans, where she finished 20th in 1976 in a Lancia Stratos Turbo.
Lombardi had also raced in the
Firecracker 400
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is an annual NASCAR Cup Series stock car race at Daytona International Speedway. First held in 1959, the event consists of 160 laps, , and is the second of two major stock car events held at Daytona on the Cup Series cir ...
NASCAR race at the
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NA ...
in 1977. There were two other female drivers in the field: American
Janet Guthrie
Janet Guthrie (born March 7, 1938) is a retired professional race car driver and the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, both in 1977. She had first attempted to enter the Indianapolis 500 in 1 ...
and Belgian Christine Beckers. Lombardi finished 31st.
Lombardi retired from racing in 1988. In 1989 she founded her own racing team, Lombardi Autosport.
Legacy
Lella Lombardi’s racing career has influenced the perceptions of subsequent generations of females in racing.
Lombardi is considered an F1 trailblazer, after which women increasingly joined Formula One in many capacities aside from driving.
According to ''The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World,'' because of Lella Lombardi, there are more women involved in other aspects of Formula One, especially "traditionally female" jobs such as modeling.
Lombardi is also used as one of the reference points for females in racing.
Journalist Phil Pash reports that though Lombardi viewed racing as a masculine sport, she succeeded regardless because of her ‘competitive spirit.’
Among others who comment on the effects of Lombardi’s legacy is Matt Majendie, who writes about Jamie Chadwick.
Chadwick argues that for women entering Formula One in 2022, financial support is a greater obstacle than gender.
Majendie argues this by citing Lombardi’s example as a racer, who despite her gender, successfully entered Formula One.
This need for financial support is combated by the rise of the W-series, which started in October 2018.
The W-series is a women’s racing championship, which eliminates financial barriers, and gives equal opportunity to female racers.
As an example of successful women produced by Formula One,
Lombardi is credited with making Formula One accessible to women.
Racing record
Complete European F5000 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 ...
) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap.)
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 ...
) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap.)
Formula One non-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 ...
) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap.)
24 Hours of Le Mans results
Complete Shellsport International Series 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 ...
) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
Complete British Formula One 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 ...
) (note: results shown in bold indicate pole position; results in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
NASCAR
(
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 ...
) (
Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Winston Cup Series
Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 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 ...
) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
See also
*
List of female Formula One driversDriver Data Base profile
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lombardi, Lella
1941 births
1992 deaths
People from Frugarolo
Italian racing drivers
Italian Formula One drivers
Italian female racing drivers
Italian Formula Three Championship drivers
24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
Deaths from cancer in Lombardy
March Formula One drivers
Williams Formula One drivers
RAM Racing Formula One drivers
World Sportscar Championship drivers
British Formula One Championship drivers
LGBT sportspeople from Italy
Lesbian sportswomen
LGBT racing drivers
20th-century LGBT people
Sportspeople from the Province of Alessandria