Swiss-born racer Gianclaudio “Clay†Regazzoni passed away in a tragic accident on Italy’s public roads. The 67-year old ex-Formula One racer won five grand prix events in the 1970s, and despite not being a native Italian, he was quickly adopted as such by Ferrari fans, for whom he campaigned for most of his career.
In 1974, Regazzoni came within three points of winning the World Championship, besting teammate Niki Lauda, but he is perhaps best known for giving Williams their first F1 victory ever in 1979’s race at Silverstone.
Regazzoni could well have continued racing, but a horrific crash at the 1980 Long Beach Grand Prix left him paralyzed from the waist down. He would go on to be an active advocate for disabled people, as well as a race announcer.