Cesare Perdisa
| Born |
21 October 1932 Bologna, Italy |
|---|---|
| Died |
10 May 1998 (aged 65) Bologna, Italy |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |
 Italian |
| Active years | 1955–1957 |
| Teams | Maserati, Ferrari |
| Entries | 8 (7 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Career points | 5 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1955 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1957 Argentine Grand Prix |
Cesare Perdisa (October 21, 1932 – May 10, 1998)[1] was a racing driver from Bologna, Italy.[1] He participated in 8 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on May 22, 1955. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 5 championship points.
Significantly younger than the majority of the drivers around at the time, Perdisa often gave his car to his more experienced team-mates when they encountered troubles. This happened, for example, on the 11th lap of the 1956 Belgian Grand Prix, Stirling Moss lost the right rear wheel of his Maserati. Moss brought his car to a stop and ran a quarter of a mile back to the pits where he took over Perdisa's Maserati, which he drove to the finish.[2]
In March 1957 Perdisa withdrew from the upcoming 12 Hours of Sebring after the death of his team-mate Eugenio Castellotti. Castellotti died at the Modena Autodrome when he crashed a Ferrari he was testing for the event. Although Perdisa initially claimed he was giving up racing for some time because of the shock he experienced when Castellotti died, he subsequently retired for good.[3] Perdisa was Castellotti's closest friend.[4]
After his retirement, Perdisa hit the news again in September 1957 when he rushed Juan Manuel Fangio and his wife, Andrea, to a hospital in Bologna. The couple had been thrown from their 2.5 litre Lancia Aurelia while trying to avoid a truck entering the highway. Travelling at close to 100 mph, Fangio's car had smashed into a utility pole, although he and his wife only sustained bruises.[5]
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati 250F | Maserati Straight-6 | ARG | MON 3 * |
500 | BEL 8 |
NED | GBR | ITA | 18th | 2 | |
| 1956 | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati 250F | Maserati Straight-6 | ARG | MON 7 |
500 | BEL 3 † |
FRA 5 † |
GBR 7 |
GER DNS |
ITA | 16th | 3 |
| 1957 | Scuderia Ferrari | Lancia D50 | Ferrari V8 | ARG 6 ‡ |
MON | 500 | FRA | GBR | GER | PES | ITA | NC | 0 |
- * Indicates shared drive with Jean Behra
- † Indicates shared drive with Stirling Moss
- ‡ Indicates shared drive with Peter Collins and Wolfgang von Trips
References
- 1 2 Jenkins, Richard. "The World Championship drivers - Where are they now?". OldRacingCars.com. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ↑ Collins Auto First In Belgian Contest, New York Times, June 4, 1956, Page 34.
- ↑ Italian Out Of Race, New York Times, March 17, 1957, Page S4.
- ↑ Motor Car Sports, New York Times, March 20, 1957, Page 44.
- ↑ Fangio In Smash-Up, New York Times, September 22, 1957, Page 215.