Ferdinando Minoia

2/6/1884 - 28/6/1940

Record updated 28-Jun-06

Racing driver who specialised in the Targa Florio, winning the the race in 1907. He won the Mille Miglia in 1927 and the first European Drivers Championship in 1929.

Ferdinando Minoia
In 1907 Ferdinando Minoia won the Coppa Florio, held near Brescia in Italy in a Isotta-Fraschini.

The 1922 Targa Florio There was a record entry of 46 cars, 42 of which actually raced, including no less than 7 Mercedes entries. Two of the brand-new works supercharged 1.5 litre Mercedes cars were raced by Italian veteran Ferdinando Minoia and Mercedes employee Paul Scheef, who did his only appearance as works driver. Unfortunately Minoia was an early retirement.

1926 Targa Florio he came second driving a Bugatti 35T and then finished fourth in the Gran Premio de España at Lasarta. He finished forth at Le Mans in an Officine Meccanice (O.M.) 665 S Superba driving with Giulio Foresti. At the German Grand Prix he set the fastest lap but retired.

1927 finished 4th at Monza in an OM 865. The Mille Miglia was held on March 26th and 27th 1927, covering 1,018 miles, and attracted an entry of 77 starters of whom 54 finished the course. Ferdinando Minoia won, driving with Giuseppe Morandi driving an Officine Meccaniche in a total time of 21 hours 4 minutes and 48 seconds having achieved an average speed of 47.9 miles per hour. They also came third there in 1931.

He came 2nd in the 1929 Targa Florio in a Bugatti Type 35C setting the fastest lap on the way.
In 1931, the A.I.A.C.R. finally introduced a European Championship for drivers. Without winning a single event, Ferdinando Minoia driving an Alfa Romeo became European Champion, narrowly beating his teammate Campari.

At the 24 Heures du Mans 1932 driving an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 with Carlo Canavesi they crashed out after 22 laps. Ferdinando did set the fastest lap.



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