LELLA LOMBARDI

Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi (26 March 1941 – 3 March 1992) was a racing driver from Italy. Born in Frugarolo, Piedmont, she participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 20 July 1974 and finishing her career with half a point. She is the only female Formula One driver in history to have a top six finish in a World Championship race, which she did at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix (Half points were awarded for this race due to a shortened race distance, hence Lombardi received half a point instead of the usual one point). As well as being the sole female driver to score points in Formula One (and the only driver with a career total of half a point), she is one of two who qualified for a Formula One race (the other being compatriot Maria Teresa de Filippis).

Lombardi debuted in Formula One in 1974 with a privately entered Brabham supported by the Italian Automobile Club but failed to qualify. In 1975 she was invited to join Vittorio Brambilla and Hans-Joachim Stuck at March and raced the full season. At the opening race of the campaign in South Africa. 1975 would prove to be an eventful season for the March Team. Brambilla scored a surprise victory in the rain-shortened 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, while Lombardi scored a Championship point in the Spanish Grand Prix. The race suffered a major tragedy after 25 laps, when the rear wing on Rolf Stommelen's Embassy Hill broke, sending him into the barrier. He bounced off it and back into the road, hitting the barrier across the way and flying over it. While trying to avoid Stommelen as he crossed the track, Carlos Pace crashed. Five spectators were killed by Stommelen's flying car with the driver suffering a broken leg, a broken wrist and two cracked ribs. The race continued for another four laps, during which Jochen Mass passed Jacky Ickx for the lead. On lap 29, the race was halted with Mass the winner, Ickx second and Jean-Pierre Jarier crossed the line in third position. Carlos Reutemann finished fourth ahead of Brambilla, while Lombardi finished in sixth. With the race being stopped before three-fourths of the scheduled race distance was reached, only half points were awarded. Lombardi's other best result was at the German Grand prix, where she finished seventh. At the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen Lombardi had a one-off drive for Williams. She qualified for the race but an ignition problem prevented her from starting.

In 1976 Lombardi was confirmed at March alongside Brambilla and Stuck. She finished 14th at the Brazilian Grand Prix but the team decided to replace her with Ronnie Peterson, who became available after breaking away from Lotus. She then had a short-lived and unsuccessful partnership with RAM Racing, her best result being 12th at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Activity: 1974 - 1976
Grand Prix: 17
Drivers Championships: -
Victories: 0
Podiums: 0

Pole Positions: 0
Fastest Laps: 0
Career Points: 0,5