“The Monza Gorilla”

Vittorio Brambilla (1937-2001) was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1974 to 1980 for the March, Surtees and Alfa Romeo teams. Nicknamed “the Monza Gorilla” for his rough driving style and his macho attitude, Brambilla won the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix with March.

In 1975, he amazed many at the Belgian GP at Zolder, where he led until encountering brakes problems, and at the 1975 Swedish Grand Prix, where he secured pole position until a transmission failure forced him to retire. His great day came at Zeltweg in 1975, when he won a wet Austrian Grand Prix and spun as he took the checkered flag and completed his slowing down lap with the front of his car destroyed.

A more serious accident occurred that season when Brambilla crashed his March 751 at Watkins Glen (picture-above) during qualifying for the 1975 United States Grand Prix. He backed into a guard rail at high speed, but was unhurt.