Bruno Giacomelli, born in 1952 in Poncarale near Brescia, grew up with an unwavering passion for anything powered by an engine. His motorsport journey began on two wheels, but by the age of nineteen—finally eligible to compete in Italy thanks to the one?year driving licence rule—his fascination shifted to racing cars.
Giacomelli entered Formula Italia with a Tecno purchased from Piercarlo Ghinzani. Money was tight, and he worked as a factory machine operator, a job aligned with his training as an industrial draftsman. It provided the precious free Fridays he needed to go racing.
By the middle of the 1975 season, he was remarkably still leading the championship while working full?time. Eventually, with his family’s support, he committed fully to racing. His team, Brescia Racing, guided him to the championship title.
A decisive moment came when the team offered him the chance to compete in the final round of the Italian F3 Championship. His mechanic for that event was Cesare Gariboldi, later famous as the manager of Ivan Capelli and instrumental in bringing Leyton House to Formula 1. Gariboldi’s regular trips to England to buy parts from March, Chevron, and Hewland opened an important door: a move to race in the UK.
March Engineering was looking for a promising young driver for both European and British Formula 3. With 5 million lire of prize money and good negotiation skills, Giacomelli secured the drive.
In 1976, he enjoyed a breakthrough season:
• Winner of the Shell F3 Championship (B?series)
• Runner-up in the BP Championship
• Winner of the prestigious Monaco F3 race, taking pole position and fastest lap—a record that stood for five years
His performances caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari, who phoned Giacomelli at the end of the year to offer him a Formula 1 seat as Clay Regazzoni’s replacement. However, the situation changed when Ferrari shifted the proposal to a struggling F2 Dino?engined programme. Knowing the car’s limitations, Giacomelli declined. Max Mosley, who had already arranged an F1 opportunity for him with March, appreciated the honesty and welcomed him back.
Mosley had just created a new F2 team, running Hart and BMW engines. Giacomelli tested the BMW-powered car, immediately impressed, and went on to win three races—enough to place fourth in the F2 championship.
With a Marlboro sponsorship in hand, Giacomelli met John Hogan of Philip Morris Europe, who arranged a third McLaren entry for the 1977 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Giacomelli qualified fifteenth and ran as high as ninth before an engine failure ended his race.
F2 in 1977
In 1978, he joined the BMW Junior Team in F2 and dominated the season with eight victories, clinching the championship. That same year, Marlboro enabled him to compete in five F1 races with the McLaren M26, scoring an impressive seventh place at Silverstone.
When no F1 drive materialised for 1979, Giacomelli found opportunity elsewhere: Alfa Romeo were preparing a return to Formula 1. Vittorio Brambilla began development of the 177 chassis, and Giacomelli participated in five races while simultaneously helping shape the future 179 car.
He scored pole position at the United States Grand Prix with the 179 and finished fifth in Argentina and Germany. His strong performances earned him a 1980 seat alongside Patrick Depailler, who was still recovering from severe injuries sustained in a hang?gliding accident.
During a test at Hockenheim, tragedy struck—Depailler suffered a fatal crash at the Ostkurve. Giacomelli, among the first to reach the scene, witnessed the devastation firsthand.
Despite the emotional blow, Giacomelli continued testing the new 179C for the following season. However, regulations changed: Goodyear withdrew, side skirts were outlawed, and cars had to run with a fixed 5 cm ride height. Alfa Romeo refused to use the flexible?skirt tricks seen in some British teams. Only after Gérard Ducarouge arrived as team principal did Alfa adopt a more competitive approach. From mid?season onward, performance improved.
Mario Andretti joined as his teammate that year. Giacomelli took a podium in Las Vegas, placed fourth in Montreal, and ran third at Monza before a gearbox failure ended his charge.
In 1982, he continued with Alfa Romeo, but the 179D and later the 182 proved inconsistent. A fifth place in Germany was his best finish. Late in the season, Alfa informed him his contract would not be renewed.
F1 in 1979:
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F1 in 1980:
Giacomelli signed with Toleman for 1983, not realising the team’s priority was long?time factory driver Derek Warwick. Warwick had the better equipment, including the race car, T?car, extra qualifying tyres, and more track time. Despite Italian sponsorship backing, the partnership struggled. Ironically, the following season would see Ayrton Senna join Toleman.
He later competed in CART, entering two races in 1984 and nine in 1985 with Pat Patrick. Endurance racing followed, driving Kremer Porsche 956s and 962s in 1985 and 1986, as well as Lancia LC2 machinery. His first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988 saw him finish ninth in the Kenwood?liveried Kremer Porsche 962 CK6. He returned in 1989 (DNF) and again in 1990, this time finishing 11th.
Although he diversified, Giacomelli remained close to the world of Formula 1. In 1988, Robin Herd invited him to serve as a development driver for March.
Then in 1990, he made an unexpected return to the F1 paddock with Life Racing Engines, replacing Gary Brabham. Giacomelli was intrigued by their unusual Rocchi?designed W12 engine concept, but budget constraints forced the team to switch to a Judd V8. The car remained uncompetitive, and he failed to pre?qualify in twelve attempts.
Ron Dennis later invited him to join McLaren as a test driver, but Giacomelli declined, choosing instead to retire. Today he remains a welcome figure at historic racing events—no longer competing, but enjoying the sport that defined his life.
