Piero Taruffi

Piero Taruffi was an Italian motorsport figure who raced motorcycles and cars, managed teams, and worked as an engineer. Born in Rome, he began his career on two wheels, winning the 500cc European Championship in 1932 aboard a Norton. In 1937, he set a motorcycle land-speed record of 274.18 km/h on a Gilera, a mark that stood for 38 days.

Taruffi later moved to four wheels, competing in Formula One for Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes, Maserati, and Vanwall. His sole World Championship victory came at the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix with Ferrari, and he finished third in the drivers’ standings that season. Over 18 championship starts, he scored 41 points.

His endurance racing career was equally notable. Taruffi won the final competitive Mille Miglia in 1957, driving a Ferrari 315 S, and retired immediately after the victory. He also won the 1951 Carrera Panamericana with Luigi Chinetti, averaging 87.6 mph over 21 hours and 57 minutes. In 1953, he placed second in the same event, driving a Lancia D24, with a faster time than his winning run the year before. Other wins included the 1954 Giro di Sicilia, where he set a record average of 64.4 mph, and the 1955 Tour of Sicily in a Ferrari.

Taruffi set multiple world records. In January 1952, he set a 50-mile record for a 22 cc car. At Monza in June 1956, he broke the one-hour mark at 212.543 km/h, set a 100-mile record averaging 129.9 mph, and a 200-kilometer record. He also managed the Gilera motorcycle team and helped design the Cisitalia Tarf and Gilera Rondine. Taruffi died in 1988 at age 81.