1928 Italian Grand Prix

1928 Italian Grand Prix
Race 2 of 2 in the 1928 World Manufacturers' Championship
Race details
Date	September 9, 1928
Official name	VIII Gran Premio d'Italia VI Grand Prix d'Europe
Location	Monza, Italy
Course	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Course length	10.00 km (6.21 miles)
Distance	60 laps, 600.00 km (372.82 miles)
Pole position
Driver	Baconin Borzacchini
Grid positions set by ballot
Fastest lap
Driver	Luigi Arcangeli	Talbot
Time	3:37.4
Podium
First	Louis Chiron	Bugatti
Second	Achille Varzi Giuseppe Campari	Alfa Romeo
Third	Tazio Nuvolari	Bugatti

The 1928 Italian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race run on 9 September 1928, at Monza. It was run over 60 laps, and was won by Louis Chiron driving a Bugatti 37A. It was the 8th Italian Grand Prix. This race was also the VI Grand Prix d'Europe.

This race was marred by the death of at least 22 spectators as well as driver Emilio Materassi on lap 17, when Materassi lost control of his car on the main straight at over 200 km/h while trying to overtake Giulio Foresti. The car swerved to the left of the track, bounced over a three-meter deep and four-meter wide protection ditch and a fence and crashed into the grandstand, killing him along with 22 spectators. Other sources have stated that 27 spectators were killed overall, but this is unconfirmed.

By either estimation this is the worst accident, with respect to the number of lives lost, to occur at a Grand Prix, and the second-deadliest in motor racing history, being surpassed by the 1955 Le Mans disaster. As a result the Italian Grand Prix was not held again until 1931.

The fatal accident of Emilio Materassi during the race.

Classification

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid
1	50	Louis Chiron	Bugatti T37A	60	3:45:08.6	14
2	38	Achille Varzi Giuseppe Campari	Alfa Romeo P2	60	+2:20.4	21
3	26	Tazio Nuvolari	Bugatti T35C	60	+14:37.2	9
4	40	Guy Drouet	Bugatti T35B	60	+14:40.0	16
5	6	Aymo Maggi	Maserati 26R (8C-1700)	60	+25:09.0	22
6	42	Ernesto Maserati	Maserati 26R (8C-1700)	55	+5 laps	13
7	22	Guy Bouriat	Bugatti T35	55	+5 laps	10
8	10	Giulio Foresti	Bugatti T35C	54	+6 laps	2
NC	24	Edoardo Probst	Bugatti T37A	45	+15 laps	7
NC	36	J-C d'Ahetze	Bugatti T37A	40	+20 laps	12
Ret	2	Baconin Borzacchini	Maserati 26R (8C-2000)	26	Wheel	1
Ret	28	Pierre Blaque Belair	Bugatti T35C	24	+36 laps	11
Ret	46	Luigi Arcangeli	Talbot 700	19	Withdrawn	17
Ret	44	Antonio Brivio	Talbot 700	18	Withdrawn	20
Ret	8	Gastone Brilli-Peri	Talbot 700	17	Withdrawn	5
Ret	18	Emilio Materassi	Talbot 700	17	Fatal crash	3
Ret	48	Gianfranco Comotti	Talbot 700	16	Withdrawn	19
Ret	32	Carlo Tonini	Bugatti T35C	15	Mechanical	15
Ret	20	Giulio Aymini	Delage 2LCV	14	Mechanical	6
Ret	12	William Grover-Williams	Bugatti T35C	5	Engine	4
Ret	30	Cleto Nenzioni	Bugatti T37A	2	Mechanical	8
Ret	52	Mario Piccolo	Maserati 26 (8C-1500)	1	Mechanical	18
DNA	4	Manuel Blancas	Bugatti T35B		Did not appear
DNA	14	Giuseppe Gilera	Bugatti T35		Did not appear
DNA	16	J. Ghica-Cantacuzene	Cozette Spl.		Did not appear
DNA	34	Ugo Stefanelli	Bugatti T35		Did not appear
DNA	54	Manuel Ceratto	Delage 2LCV		Did not appear
DNA	56	Federico Fisauli	Maserati Tipo 26		Did not appear
DNA	58	Ruggiero Bisighin	Bugatti		Did not appear
DNA	60	Alberto Kechler	Alfa-Romeo 6C-1500		Did not appear
DNA	62	Roberto Serboli	Delage 2LCV		Did not appear

Fastest Lap: Luigi Arcangeli, 3m37.4 (165.59 km/h)