The Bleacher Report Grand Prix Hall of Fame: Tazio Nuvolari by Michael Griffin

Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari (November 16, 1892 – August 11, 1953)

Tazio Nuvolari, a legend in his own era and ours today, was known as the Flying Mantuan, acquiring that name for his understanding of how a car would handle, even in the most unknown of conditions.

Nuvolari epitomized courage and determination to win or get the best result possible, whatever was holding him or his car back. For over 30 years, he amazed the motorsport fraternity with his performances and natural ability on both two and four wheels.

He was born November 18, 1892 in Casteldrio near Mantua. His uncle Guiseppe was a dealer in Bianchi and soon he introduced his nephew to a phenomenon which would soon become his life. After Tazio served his time in the Italian Army as a driver, he began to race competitively on motorcycles when he was 28, a relatively late age when you look at motorsport in the modern era.

In his time, he raced Nortons, Saroleas, Garellis, Fongris and Indians. His riding was soon noticed by the incredibly powerful team Bianchi, of which he soon became a member and then national champion of motorcycling in Italy.

At the Monza Grand Prix for motorcycle racing, Tazio crashed heavily in practice and was lucky to survive. He suffered two broken legs, which to any normal person which leave them immobile, but not Tazio Nuvolari.

After the doctors put both of his legs in plaster, they told him it would be a minimum of one month before he would even be able to stand, never mind walk, and much longer before they would allow him to race again.

The next day, Tazio instructed his engineers to tie him to the bike and give him a push start, which they did, and Tazio went on to win the race...the legend was born.

Nuvolari began racing motorcars in 1924 when he was 32, still competing in motorcycle series at the time. Three years later he started his own team, buying a pair of Bugatti 35b’s which he shared with his partner Achille Varzi, who also happened to be a successful motorcycle racer.

Unbeknownst to the pair, this friendship would soon turn into a heated rivalry.

Nuvolari soon began to win races at the expense of Varzi, who soon grew agitated with the success and talent of his team-mate, and decided to leave the team. Varzi, the son of a wealthy merchant banker, could easily afford better equipment and soon bought a pair of Alfa Romeo’s.

Nuvolari soon joined his team and became embroiled in a heated rivalry with Varzi again. The rivalry reached its climax in the best possible way, in the 1930 Mille Miglia. Nuvolari took the brave decision of driving with no lights on in the night, to let Varzi believe that he was well ahead of him.

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