Former F1 driver Clay Regazzoni killed in car crash

AutoWeek | Published 12/15/06, 2:08 pm et
Autosport.com reports that former Formula One driver Clay Regazzoni, 67,
was killed in a road car accident in Italy on Dec. 15. According to
Autosport, Regazzoni collided head-on with a truck near Parma.

The Swiss driver made his F1 debut in a Ferrari at the 1970 Dutch Grand
Prix. He won for the first time later that year in the Italian Grand
Prix at Monza. He remained at Ferrari for two more seasons before
switching to BRM as Niki Lauda’s teammate in 1973, then returned to
Ferrari, along with Lauda, in 1974. Regazzoni finished second in the
championship that year behind Emerson Fittipaldi.

Regazzoni went on to drive for the Ensign and Shadow teams before
joining Williams in 1979, for whom he provided the team’s first F1 win
at the 1979 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. He returned to Ensign for
the 1980 season, but his career was cut short after he suffered spinal
injuries in a horrific crash at Long Beach.

Regazzoni competed in the Paris-Dakar Rally in the ’80s and from time to
time drove a hand-controlled car in sports car events. He also drove in
historic rallies and covered F1 for Italian TV.

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Tiger, I know you were friends with Mr. Regazzoni. My heartfelt sympathy
to you and all who knew him.

MH