1928 Italian Grand Prix
The 1928 Italian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race run on 9 September 1928, at Monza. It was run over 60 laps, and was won by Louis Chiron driving a Bugatti 37A. It was the 8th Italian Grand Prix. This race was also the VI Grand Prix d'Europe.
| 1928 Italian Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 2 of 2 in the 1928 World Manufacturers' Championship | |||
 | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | September 9, 1928 | ||
| Official name |
VIII Gran Premio d'Italia VI Grand Prix d'Europe | ||
| Location | Monza, Italy | ||
| Course | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | ||
| Course length | 10.00 km (6.21 miles) | ||
| Distance | 60 laps, 600.00 km (372.82 miles) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | |||
| Grid positions set by ballot | |||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Luigi Arcangeli | Talbot | |
| Time | 3:37.4 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Bugatti | ||
| Second | Alfa Romeo | ||
| Third | Bugatti | ||
This race was marred by the death of at least 22 spectators as well as driver Emilio Materassi on lap 17, when Materassi lost control of his car on the main straight at over 200 km/h while trying to overtake Giulio Foresti. The car swerved to the left of the track, bounced over a three-meter deep and four-meter wide protection ditch and a fence and crashed into the grandstand, killing him along with 22 spectators. Other sources have stated that 27 spectators were killed overall, but this is unconfirmed.
By either estimation this is the worst accident, with respect to the number of lives lost, to occur at a Grand Prix and it is only surpassed by the 1955 Le Mans disaster in the history of motor racing. As a result the Italian Grand Prix was to not be held until 1931.
Classification
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 |  Louis Chiron |
Bugatti T37A | 60 | 3:45:08.6 | 14 |
| 2 | 38 | Achille Varzi Giuseppe Campari |
Alfa Romeo P2 | 60 | +2:20.4 | 21 |
| 3 | 26 | Tazio Nuvolari |
Bugatti T35C | 60 | +14:37.2 | 9 |
| 4 | 40 |  Guy Drouet |
Bugatti T35B | 60 | +14:40.0 | 16 |
| 5 | 6 | Aymo Maggi |
Maserati 26R (8C-1700) | 60 | +25:09.0 | 22 |
| 6 | 42 | Ernesto Maserati |
Maserati 26R (8C-1700) | 55 | +5 laps | 13 |
| 7 | 22 | Guy Bouriat |
Bugatti T35 | 55 | +5 laps | 10 |
| 8 | 10 | Giulio Foresti |
Bugatti T35C | 54 | +6 laps | 2 |
| NC | 24 | Edoardo Probst |
Bugatti T37A | 45 | +15 laps | 7 |
| NC | 36 | J-C d'Ahetze |
Bugatti T37A | 40 | +20 laps | 12 |
| Ret | 2 | Baconin Borzacchini |
Maserati 26R (8C-2000) | 26 | Wheel | 1 |
| Ret | 28 | Pierre Blaque Belair |
Bugatti T35C | 24 | +36 laps | 11 |
| Ret | 46 | Luigi Arcangeli |
Talbot 700 | 19 | Withdrawn | 17 |
| Ret | 44 | Antonio Brivio |
Talbot 700 | 18 | Withdrawn | 20 |
| Ret | 8 | Gastone Brilli-Peri |
Talbot 700 | 17 | Withdrawn | 5 |
| Ret | 18 | Emilio Materassi |
Talbot 700 | 17 | Fatal crash | 3 |
| Ret | 48 | Gianfranco Comotti |
Talbot 700 | 16 | Withdrawn | 19 |
| Ret | 32 | Carlo Tonini |
Bugatti T35C | 15 | Mechanical | 15 |
| Ret | 20 | Giulio Aymini |
Delage 2LCV | 14 | Mechanical | 6 |
| Ret | 12 |  William Grover-Williams |
Bugatti T35C | 5 | Engine | 4 |
| Ret | 30 | Cleto Nenzioni |
Bugatti T37A | 2 | Mechanical | 8 |
| Ret | 52 | Mario Piccolo |
Maserati 26 (8C-1500) | 1 | Mechanical | 18 |
| DNA | 4 |  Manuel Blancas |
Bugatti T35B | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 14 | Giuseppe Gilera |
Bugatti T35 | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 16 | J. Ghica-Cantacuzene |
Cozette Spl. | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 34 | Ugo Stefanelli |
Bugatti T35 | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 54 | Manuel Ceratto |
Delage 2LCV | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 56 | Federico Fisauli |
Maserati Tipo 26 | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 58 | Ruggiero Bisighin |
Bugatti | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 60 | Alberto Kechler |
Alfa-Romeo 6C-1500 | Did not appear | ||
| DNA | 62 | Roberto Serboli |
Delage 2LCV | Did not appear |
Fastest Lap: Luigi Arcangeli, 3m37.4 (165.59 km/h)