Nice shot of the huge 4.5 litre V12 Ferrari 375 Indianapolis of Luigi Villoresi being tended by it's mechanic in the paddock at Silverstone prior to the 1952 British GP meeting. Alongside it is the regular F1 style 375 of Brazilian driver Chico Landi (which was yellow to reflect his nationality) .
The Villoresi car was based on the 1951 F1 design which Gonzales had famously used to beat the Alfa Romeo 159s and it raced at Indy driven by world champion Alberto Ascai. Later it was entered in the suppporting Daily Express Trophy event at the British GP for Formula Libre (as seen here) against the BRM V16s and Thinwall Ferrari. This was because in 1952 and 1953 all world championship Grand Prix were held to F2 regulations.
The Daily Express Trophy was won by Taruffi in another 375 Ferrari at a speed some 3mph faster than Alberto Ascari managed in the Grand Prix itself (with an F2 Ferrari of course).
Villoresi was one of the top half dozen F1 drivers of the late 30s-early 50s and raced for most of the top teams. He was a close friend of Alberto Ascari and the two of them dominated the 1952-53 Grand Prix season for Ferrari before being lured to the new Lancia team in 1954 and 1955.
Lovely shot showing how casually a factory Ferrari entry was treated in those days. No pit garages, no awning and a mechanic in grubby overalls with oily hands (as it should be!) ... Happy days! The pits can be seen in the distance across the cornfield which is now tarmacked over as forms the massive modern F1 paddock at the track
10x7 inch (254x178mm)
