Carlo Pedrazzini

Carlo Pedrazzini

Complete name: Carlo Pedrazzini

Birth date: ??.???.????

Birth Place: Locarno, Switzerland

Death date: 22.Apr.1934

Death Place: Alessandria, Italy

Nationality: Switzerland

Gender: male

Age at death: 24

Accident date: 22.Apr.1934

Series: Grand Prix - non-championship

Race: Circuito di Alessandria Gran Premio Pietro Bordino

Event: race

Country: Italy

Venue: Alessandria

Variant: Circuito Pietro Bordino (1931-1934)

Role: driver

Vehicle type: car

Vehicle sub-type: single seater

Vehicle brand/model: Maserati 8CM

Vehicle number: 34

Notes:

During the first heat of the 1934 Circuito di Alessandria Gran Premio Pietro Bordino, Carlo Pedrazzini's 3-litre Maserati 8CM entered by Scuderia Siena, hit the parapet on the bridge over Tanaro river and somersaulted, crashing into a wall. He was thrown out of the car, his legs and ribs were broken and he died shortly later in hospital. A heavy rain was pouring down at the time and the road was very slippery.

Pedrazzini was from Locarno, Switzerland. Achille Varzi was the winner of the race, from Louis Chiron, second and Mario Tadini, third all in Alfa Romeos.

During the final race, Italian ace Tazio Nuvolari who raced neck and neck with Varzi broke his leg crashing into a tree, in an accident similar to Pedrazzini's. The Englishman Clifton Penn-Hughes, who finished in 5th position was close behind Nuvolari, and he escaped disaster owing to the excellent signalling system. The day was filled with accidents which injured eight other people. Gerolamo Ferrari collided with a brick wall on first lap and his Maserati burst into flames. He escaped with slight burns. Carlo Felice Trossi escaped with minor injuries as his Alfa Romeo Tipo B caught fire. Giovanni Minozzi at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo Monza 2600 crashed into a barrier injuring three spectators.

The first edition of the Circuito di Alessandria was held in 1924 on a 32.000-kilometer road course. A new circuit, named after Bordino, was inaugurated in 1931 on the edge of the town of Alessandria. Although the whole 7.998-kilometer street course was not used for the previous editions of the race, the straight part of Via Pavia and Strada Vigevanese was shared. Pietro Bordino nicknamed by fans as "The Red Devil", was one of the greatest Italian drivers at the time. He lost his life in 1928, during practice for the 5th edition of the Circuito di Alessandria, the town where he lived.

MASERATI

Maserati > The Company > Heritage > Sportcars > Tipo 26B

TIPO 26B

For the Tipo 26B, the engine was enlarged to 2.0 litres, with the eight cylinders slightly bored out (by 2 mm) and the crankshaft stroke lengthened by 16 mm. Two of the eight engines made were bored out by another 2 mm in order to achieve 2.1 litres. Elektron alloy replaced the iron castings on later engines.

The supercharger was now fed by a single Memini carburettor that was swapped for a Weber in 1929 and the engine produced 155 bhp at 5,300 rpm. 4-speed gearbox. Lighter chassis with a wheelbase shortened by 7 cm from 1928. Reshaped 2-seater body with inclined radiator and a different number of bonnet louvres, coachbuilt by craftsmen already including a young Medardo Fantuzzi. Top speed claimed was between 180 and 210 km/h (112 to 130 mph).

Clients included Carlo Pedrazzini of Lugano and Juan Malcolm of Buenos Aires. One of three former works cars was classified 12th in the 500 Miles of Indianapolis race in 1930, driven by Letterio Cucinotta of Messina. The 1929 model in the Biscaretti Museum of Turin is the earliest complete Maserati known in existence today. Seven cars were made.