Alberto Ascari

Alberto Ascari was an elite driver for the Ferari and Maserati factory teams during the early days of Formula One racing. He captured the F1 championship in back to back years, 1952 and 1953. Ascari also competed successfully in motorcycle racing in his youth and won the Italian Mille Miglia race in 1954. Grand Prix racing in its early days had more attrition among its drivers than it does today. Numerous famous racers were killed during competition. Formula One was also dangerous for those who attended the races. In January 1953 Ascari won the Grand Prix of Argentina in which ten spectators died. The unfortunate fans had gathered along the home stretch and were plowed over by Giuseppe Farina's Ferrari. Ascari's father Anthony was killed on the same day in 1925 that his famous son would die thirty years later in 1955.