1961 Coppa Italia

NC Italy Coppa Italia I Coppa Italia ACI Vallelunga Circuit 12 October 1961 Permanent racing facility 1.1 1.77 30 x 2 66.1 106.378 Nino Vaccarella Italy Cooper-Maserati 59.1 Nino Vaccarella Cooper-Maserati 58.1 Italy Giancarlo Baghetti Italy Porsche Ernesto Prinoth Italy Lotus-Climax Nino Vaccarella Italy Cooper-Maserati The 1st Coppa Italia was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 12 October 1961 at Vallelunga Circuit. The race was run over two heats of 30 laps of the circuit, and was won by Italian driver Giancarlo Baghetti in a Porsche 718. After the Italian Drivers' Championship finished as a tie between Giancarlo Baghetti and Lorenzo Bandini, a deciding race was organised. However, the fairness of this idea is in question since it was well known that Bandini would not be available to take part. Article at 8W Baghetti's team, Scuderia Sant Ambroeus, borrowed the Porsche from Ecurie Nationale Suisse, and their driver won both heats to take the national title. Results Pos Driver Entrant Constructor Time/Retired Grid Heat 1/2 1 Italy Giancarlo Baghetti Scuderia Sant Ambroeus Porsche 1.00:53.9 2 1st / 1st 2 Italy Ernesto Prinoth Scuderia Dolomiti Lotus-Climax + 15.3 s 3 2nd / 2nd 3 Italy Nino Vaccarella Scuderia Serenissima Cooper-Maserati 59 laps 1 3rd / 3rd 4 Italy Roberto Bussinello Isobele de Tomaso De Tomaso-Alfa Romeo 58 laps 4 5th / 4th 5 Italy Roberto Lippi Scuderia Settecolli De Tomaso-O.S.C.A. 58 laps 6 4th / 5th 6 Italy Albino Buticchi Scuderi Sant Ambroeus Cooper-Climax 57 laps 8 6th / 6th 7 Italy Lucien de Sanctis Scuderi Sant Ambroeus Cooper-Climax 56 laps 9 7th / 7th 8 Italy Gaetano Starrabba Gaetano Starrabba Lotus-Maserati 31 laps 5 8th / 8th 9 Italy Elio Pandolfo Scuderia Montegrappa Elios 22 laps 10 9th / Ret Ret Italy Rovero Campello Rovero Campello de Sanctis-Fiat Engine 7 Ret / DNS WD Italy Ludovico Scarfiotti Pescara Racing Club De Tomaso-O.S.C.A. Car not ready – – / – WD Italy Menato Boffa Menato Boffa Cooper-Climax Car not ready – – / – References "The Grand Prix Who's Who", Steve Small, 1995. "The Formula One Record Book", John Thompson, 1974. Baghetti article at 8W Article at Atlas F1 - Rear View Mirror Coppa Italia 1961 1961 Lewis-Evans Trophy 1961 Rand Grand Prix — — Coppa Italia Coppa Italia