1961 Italian GP
Gran Premio d'Italia |
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Monza |
September 10, 1961 |
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Ecurie Maarsbergen |
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Porsche 718 (201) |
No: 74 |
Q: 15 |
R: 7 |
C: GP |
The 1961 edition of the Italian Grand Prix turned out be an extremely tragic one. Although Phil Hill and Ferrari clinched the World Drivers and Constructors titles the price they paid was very high. Wolfgang von Trips, who had led the title chase before the start of the race, hit Jim Clark's Lotus and lost control of his Ferrari at the banked section of Parabolica on lap two. He was catapulted off the track into a fence, killing himself and fifteen spectators. This was a great loss for everybody including Carel, who had considered the fellow nobleman driver his close friend. Only three months earlier Von Trips was awarded the ‘button of Maarsbergen’, an award for special sporting achievements that was installed by Carel’s father and presented by his mother. Carel attended the funeral of Von Trips four days later, together with his sister Cornelie.
These events overshadowed Carel’s performance at Monza. He qualified 15th of 33 starters in practice and even managed to finish seventh after early battles with Salvadori and Trintignant. At the end of the race he had to keep off the charging Bandini. The Monza tragedy also meant it was the last time the banked section of the Monza circuit was used for a Grand Prix.
1961 Italian GP highlights