Clay Regazzoni Story – part one

«By thinking positively and always living all experiences to the fullest, Clay Regazzoni taught me to love life. I learned the taste of life from Clay, and after my accident his teaching was even more precious. Because if there was one of Clay's talents that was superior to the others, it was his positive thinking." [Niki Lauda]

Gian Claudio Giuseppe Regazzoni, better known as Clay, was born in Lugano, Switzerland, on 5 September 1939. After a long internship at his uncle's factory, where he became an expert mechanic, at the age of 24 he entered the world of racing – driven in part by his friend Silvio Moser – competing in some hill climbs aboard an Austin-Healey Sprite. He has little experience behind him, he has recently finished the sports driving course organized by the Automobile Club of Switzerland and his entry into the world of competitions is certainly not the best. The young Regazzoni almost immediately decided to change cars, moving to Mini, where he achieved few placings and many retirements. The turning point came in 1965, where out of over 200 participants he proved to be the fastest at Jim Russell's driving course, first getting the wheel of a De Tomaso, then of a Brabham.

It was with the Brabham F3 that he achieved his first podiums at the Vallelunga and Monza circuits. Thus for 1967 he earned a seat at the Italian Tecno team, winning the "XV Gran Premio de España", raced on the Jarama circuit and coming second in the European Cup in a single race at the Hockenheimring, thus allowing Switzerland to win the Nations Cup. In '68 he took part in several F3 races again, but this time he won the much coveted European Cup not only for his country, but also for himself. The same year he escaped a dangerous accident at the Monte Carlo circuit: at the exit of the variant after the tunnel Regazzoni lost control of his Tecno, which went under the sharp guardrail; only the Swiss driver's quick reflexes allow him to crouch in the cockpit, avoiding being literally cut in half. For the rest of the season his main commitment is F2, where, missing three of the nine races, he still manages to grab two podiums. Noticed by Ferrari, he immediately signed the contract for the 1969 season, alternating between the European Championship with the Dino 166 F2 and with the Tecno 68 – Cosworth.

And finally in 1970 Regazzoni achieved his first successes, first becoming European champion with the reliable and well-known Tecno, then taking part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in the Sports Prototype category. On board a Ferrari 512 S paired with another Italian, Arturo Merzario, after only two hours of racing the couple was forced to retire due to an accident.

In the following two years he will compete again in the World Championship for Makes with the Ferrari 312 PB, winning the 1000 km of Monza teamed up with the multi-talented Jacky Ickx, the 9 hours of Kyalami still paired with Merzario, substantially contributing to Ferrari's victory as a team at the end of the championship. In 1973 he was instead hired by Autodelta and placed behind the wheel of the new Alfa Romeo 33 TT/12; although the start is promising, at the end of the year no results will arrive that would allow the continuation of the Regazzoni-Autodelta combination: three consecutive withdrawals at 1000 km of the Nürburgring, To 1000 km Zeltweg and to Targa Florio.

However, already since 1970 Clay had had the opportunity, again thanks to the agreement with Ferrari, to set foot in the biggest motoring circus of all, that of Formula One. Where between ups and downs, he will make himself known to the public, as well as allowing in turn the entry onto the scene of one of the most well-known and loved drivers of all time, Niki Lauda.

Keep it going…

Andrea Villa