Born Gianclaudio Regazzoni, he was raised in Ticino, the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland near the Italian border. Although Italians often regarded him as one of their own—a sentiment that brought him pride during his years with Ferrari—he was officially Swiss, holding a Swiss passport, and recognised as such in Formula One records.
| Nationality | Swiss |
|---|---|
| Born | Gianclaudio Giuseppe “Clay” Regazzoni 5 September 1939 Mendrisio, Switzerland |
| Died | 15 December 2006 (aged 67) Fontevivo, Italy |
Regazzoni’s racing career began in the late 1960s, competing in Formula 3 and Formula 2. Known for his assertive style, he was involved in several accidents, including a notable incident in 1968 during the European F2 Trophy at Zandvoort, which resulted in the fatal crash of English driver Chris Lambert. Though initially implicated, Regazzoni was cleared of responsibility, and the episode did not hinder his progression to Formula One, where he joined Ferrari sporadically in 1970.
His debut season in Formula One was marked by victory at the 1970 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, helping him to finish third in the championship despite participating in only eight of the thirteen races. His success at Monza solidified his role as a regular teammate to Jacky Ickx for the subsequent seasons. Regazzoni’s uncompromising racing approach was evident in incidents like the 1972 German Grand Prix at Nurburgring, where he clashed with Jackie Stewart.
After a less successful stint with BRM in 1973, Regazzoni returned to Ferrari in 1974, recommending that Niki Lauda join the team as well. Together, they achieved significant success, including two constructors’ titles and a drivers’ championship for Lauda in 1975. Regazzoni nearly won the drivers’ title himself in 1974, narrowly losing to Emerson Fittipaldi by just three points.
Following his departure from Ferrari in 1976, Regazzoni drove for smaller teams like Ensign and Shadow, and enjoyed a stint with Williams in 1979, where he achieved the team’s first win at Silverstone for the 1979 British Grand Prix. However, his Formula One career ended tragically in 1980 during the Long Beach Grand Prix, where a brake failure led to a crash that paralyzed him from the waist down.
Despite his disability, Regazzoni continued to be involved in motorsports, participating in the Paris-Dakar Rally and sports car events with specially adapted vehicles. He was also active in promoting equal opportunities for disabled individuals, though his application for an FIA international license was declined in 1996.
Regazzoni spent his later years between Monaco and Lugano, occasionally providing TV commentary for Swiss and Italian television. His life tragically ended in a high-speed collision on the A1 Milan-Bologna motorway, where an autopsy revealed he likely died of natural causes immediately before or after the crash.
Clay Regazzoni Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1970–1980 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Ferrari, BRM, Ensign, Shadow, Williams |
| Entries | 139 (132 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Podiums | 28 |
| Career points | 209 (212)[1] |
| Pole positions | 5 |
| Fastest laps | 15 |
| First entry | 1970 Dutch Grand Prix |
| First win | 1970 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1979 British Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1980 United States Grand Prix West |
Sources: Wikipedia.com and historicracing.com
