 Facetti in 1975 withLancia-Marlboro racing team | |
| Born | (1935-06-26)26 June 1935 (age 90) Cormano,Lombardy, Italy |
|---|---|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Italian |
| Active years | 1974 |
| Teams | Scuderia Finotto |
| Entries | 1 (0 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Careerpoints | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1974 Italian Grand Prix |
Carlo Giovanni Facetti[1] (born 26 June 1935) is a formerracing driver fromItaly, mainly known for his success intouring car andsports car racing. In his single attempt atFormula One he failed to qualify for the1974 Italian Grand Prix with aBrabham BT42 run by theScuderia Finotto team.
In 1979 he was theEuropean Touring Car Champion. He was also 2nd in 1977 and 4th in 1978.
Facetti was born inCormano,Lombardy. For nearly 40 years, he would work in his workshop and on Sunday put his race overalls and helmet and going racing. He explained his success: "We work from seven in the morning until eight at night with the sole desire to makes engines unrivaled". He learned to drive at the age of 11, withAlberto Ascari, a friend of his father, Piero Facetti, who in turn was a mechanic and a racer, who finished 4th in the 1947 Mille Miglia. His brothers, Giuliano and Rosadelle would also become racing drivers.[2][3]
Carlo started racing in 1953, paired withElio Zagato at the Giro di Calabria, using aFiat 8V 1100, although it was Zagato bodied with Facetti prepared engines. By 1960, he was building and racingFormula Junior cars withLancia Appia engines. "It took a lot of passion, a racing seat and reverse shift from aFiat 600!". Despite everything, he was very fast though he had a great company: Facetti remembers atMonza he was "able to score some good times compared to those of experienced pilots such asLudovico Scarfiotti,Lorenzo Bandini andGiancarlo Baghetti".[2]
For 1963, he moved to touring cars to race in the inauguralEuropean Touring Car Challenge, with Lancia's works team, HF Squadra Corse. He used aLancia Flaminia to fight with the best from around Europe, at the circuits such asNürburgring,Brands Hatch andNépliget Park, Budapest. It was at the later, that Facetti, paired withLuigi Cabella would score his first major international victory. Early 1964, he return to Formula Junior racing inArgentina, in the four race Temporada series for Scuderia Sant'Ambroeus. He took theirLotus-Ford 22 to a series best of fifth place in theGran Premio Internacional Ciudad de Buenos Aires. "I was the Italian driver to run multiple editions of the race in South America. There I had the pleasure of meeting the greatJuan Manuel Fangio and later become good friends and we were often in competition inBuenos Aires andMar del Plata." After returning from South America, he runs aFormula Three teams withJo Siffert andClay Regazzoni, then participates himself in 1965. Back with Scuderia Sant'Ambroeus, he finished second the Campionato Italiano driving aBrabham-Ford BT16.[2][4]
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Come 1969, he was employed byAutodelta, the competition department ofAlfa Romeo. He was hired to help development their sportscars and race in the European Touring Car Championship. Amongst other he teamed up with wasIgnazio Giunti andNino Vaccarella. During this period, Carlo finished third in theSpa 24 Hours twice. In 1973, he was racing the team'sAlfa Romeo T33/TT in theWorld Championship for Makes. After switch co-drivers in 1974, he was now partnered byAndrea da Adamich. This resulted in him visiting the podium on four occasions, the best being second in the 1000 km Österreichring. By the end of the season, Autodelta had finished fourth in the overall standing, but Facetti collaboration with Alfa Romeo was over, after winning the Italian title. "[He] was going through a period of crisis: [he] worked a lot with little satisfaction on a personal level. However, [he] won the Italian title, but that does not stop [him] from leaving Autodelta. As [he] ran at theMugello Circuit,Cesare Fiorio tells [him], 'I have to tell you about an interesting program… A few days later, [he] was in Fiorio office, offered [him] the development of the engine for theStratos. [He] would be working withMike Parkes, to give the engine fuel injection and 4-valve head."[2]
He tried to qualify for theGran Premio d'Italia in aScuderia Finotto preparedBrabham-Cosworth BT42. He was entered in the place ofHelmut Koinigg, but neither driver, despite their best efforts were simply not enough to qualify the car. But there was some mystery surrounding Facetti entry for Monza. With Facetti already due in the car for the meeting, an entry was provisionally received forJean-Louis Lafosse, but reject by the organizers, leaving the team to tend the No.31 Brabham of Facetti.[5][6][7]
Facetti between 1975 and 1976, was a racer and designer for Lancia, participating in the European Championship for Grand Touring cars. While Facetti immediately begins working on a 24-valve version of the Dino V6 engine, he was racing them. He was leading the Giro d'Italia Automobilistico when he retired with Gearbox problems. "They were three Stratros on the Giro that year; a turbo-charged 2-valve carburetor forMunari, a Pinto and [his] 4 valves with indirect injectons. [He] retired because [he] was too stressed keeping the engine level with the much more powerfulAlfa Romeo Tipo 33 prototype ofJean-Claude Andruet". Although the Frenchman retired before Facetti, his Statros was out of the fight really battered… "In Casale, in a final step before arrival, broke a connecting rod first, then infill the injection pump and finally fire!"[2][8]
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1976 saw the arrival of Silhouette, ofGroup 5 "Special Production Car" category. With it, Lancia switched to theWorld Championship for Makes, and accepted the challenge fromPorsche who took their monstrous935 Turbo andBMW, with their reliable3.5 CSL using the Lancia Stratos Turbo, prepared by Facetti, under the supervision of Parkes. The Stratos was not up to the challenge and following the death of Parkes in August 1977, the collaboration between Facetti and Lancia ended, along with the Silhouette program. His last commitment for Lancia saw him win the Giro d'Italia, with the Silhouette version.[2][9]
For the following season, Facetti successfully returned to the ETCC with a new partner,Martino Finotto, and a new car,BMW 3.0 CSL, while participating in the selection of World Championship Group 5 races, in a Porsche 935. The new partnership started with a podium finish in the 1977 24 Hours of Daytona. Despite having to drive theirJolly Club entered Porsche 935 very carefully and with low boost from the start, they did finish second, as well winning their class.[10]
The returning to the ETCC was a winning one. In Finotto's ex-Luigi BMW form the previous season, and joined byUmberto Grano for the season opener at Monza, the all-Italian were the only contender for victory once the work-supported Jaguars and Alpina BMWs had retired. This trio followed this was second place at Mugello, albeit three laps behind another Luigi BMW. This result promoted Facetti into the lead of the drivers' championship. TheEnna round was Grano dropped, but Facetti and Finotto lead the 500 km race from start to finish, leading home the clear sweep of the podium by the BMW CSLs of Luigi Racing.[11][12][13]
A trip toCzechoslovakia, saw Facetti/Finotto triumph once again, beating the more fancied teams for the third time in five rounds. This after their BMW had survived an engine rebuild following qualifying, helping Facetti move clear in the championship, with Finotto being his nearest rival! After a number non-finishes, the pairing took third place atJarama in Spain, and lost the lead in the title race toDieter Quester. Going into the final round, Facetti was just 11 points behind. This round was held atEstoril, dominated by the changeable weather. As early leader, Grano (now racing for Alpina BMW) faltered, Facetti took his CSL past in the final few minutes of the four-hour race, and scored another win for himself and his partner, Finotto. Grano's second place with his partner, Quester secured the Austrian the championship by just six points.[14][15][16]
For 1978, Finotto had brought the Alpina BMW CSL, and continued to share with Facetti. The first round of the 1978 European Touring Car Championship saw the car arrive atBrands Hatch, although two of the four BMW entered had used the supply of engines in qualifying and therefore did not start. The other remaining BMW was quicker in the hand of Grano andTom Walkinshaw, but due to poor pit by the BMW Italia crew, Facetti/Finotto were able leading until three laps from the end, when Walkinshaw took over the lead. Fresh from their second place in England, Facetti/Finotto were only challenged by their tyres in the four hours event at Monza, eventually winning by seven laps.[17][18]
In the Mugello race, Facetti andJohn Fitzpatrick diced the lead in the early stages of the race, only for the Englishman to drop away when hisgear lever came loose. Facetti continued in the lead until Fitzpatrick retook it during a tyre stop. Soon afterwards, the car began to overheat with Finotto at the wheel and would eventually record aDNF. Facetti/Finotto soon returned to their winning ways when they took victory in the Austria-Trophäe, held at theSalzburgring. Facetti's pole lap was over a second faster byGunnar Nilsson's time set the previous season set in the same car, albeit with an engine revised by Facetti with some 'Italian parts'.[19][20]
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After coming fifth at Jarama, Facetti suffered more bad luck in Estoril with a slipping clutch. As a result, saw Facetti/Finotto lose the championship lead. They retire with fuel feed problems on theÖsterreichring. But, returned to winning way when the series visited Czechoslovakia, when they trashed the opposition, finishing over an 11 km lap ahead of series leader, Grano. When the pair suffered an engine failure on the Nürburgring, they left the series only to return again in 1979.[19][21][22]
After taking pole position for the 1979 6 Ore di Mugello in the 935, Facetti lead the race until a collision and he wound up in third at the end. After this WCM outing, Facetti returned to ETCC atVallelunga. After 300 of the 500 km, Facetti/Finotto were amongst the leading BMWs, when Finotto pitted with boiling radiator; only moments laterEddy Joosen pitted with exactly the same problem. Repairs were made and both BMWs were back at full pace. At the end of 500 km, Facetti/Finotto were only 9 seconds behind the winnersBruno Giacomelli/Grano/Joosen. The next ETCC race at Mugello, once again was a battle between the BMWs. Although the result was the same as before the margin of victory was down in just 2.6 seconds.[23][24][25]
Facetti/Finotto had a dramatic time at Brands Hatch, when they lost the lead of the 500 km race. They were comfortably head of the field for 100 of the 120 laps, when the gear level broke in their old BMW CSL. After quick repairs, Facetti set off desperately to regain ground loss to the rival Luigi BMW. Just a few laps, he had a patch of oil and shot into the catch fencing surrounding the track. Another retirement at the next race, Jarama, this time due fuel feed problems. Their third DNF in a row was down the issues with the cooling system at Österreichring[26][27][28]
Main rival for the 1979 title was Grano (Luigi BMW), and while he and Facetti/Finotto both suffered from blown head gaskets at Brno, the green Jolly Club BMW could salvage the car to second place the end of the race. The trip to the Nürburgring, saw the first time this season, the pair won a race after they took pole as well. Next on the ETCC agenda wasZandvoort, which saw the Jolly Club pairing head another BMW 1-2 finish. The BMW dominated the race at Salzburgring, taking all the steps of the podium, with Facetti/Finotto on the number one step, completing a hat-trick of victories.[29][30][31][32]
When the ETCC visited Enna, once again it was a BMW festival, with a podium clean sweep, and after a spin by Finotto, the order was decided with the Jolly Club car in second. They went one better atSilverstone, by winning theRAC Tourist Trophy, with it the European Touring Car title. Their winning ways continued atZolder, the pairs fifth victory in the last six races.[33][34][35]
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By 1980, Facetti was in change at Achille Motors in Milan. This was a business venture with long-time racing partner Finotto. And that year, Lancia sold Finotto one of their brand newLancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo the factory had been running in the World Championship Group 5, together Facetti and Finotto were able to add points the marque's total. For the 1981, they came up with idea of trying the challenge Porsche with a Ferrari.[36]
WithMaranello, only interested inFormula One, Facetti and Finotto decided to take on all-conquering Porsche 935s, even though their facilities at Archille Motors was hardly equal to Porsches. They chose the 3.0 literFerrari 308 GTB as their base model. As Group 5 was a Silhouette formula, Facetti know he could change a lot of things provided the car looked like the standard road version. This car they called Carma FF {CARlo Facetti and Martino Finotto and the FF for Facetti and Finotto}.[36]
The standard 308 GTB was not in the same league as a 935, so Facetti designed his own cylinder heads and added two tugrochargers, and ended up with 700 bhp. He also threw away the front and rear subframes and went toGiorgio Stirano, who ran Alba Engineering to build lighter subframes that were merged with the Ferrari center tub. When the car arrive at24 Hours of Daytona, the car looked like a real Italian special. In conversation, Facetti believed he would be able to turn up the boost in qualifying and get 840 bhp. Is he did, always the brave and gritty driver, putting the Ferrari sixth on the grid.[36]
Facetti and Finotto also entered themselves as driver in their Lancia Beta Turbo, as they intended to race both cars over the 24 hours. It was not necessary, for Facetti drove the Carma flat out, setting the fastest lap in the race, before pitting after only five laps to retire with a cracked manifold and failed electrics. When the car next appeared at Mugello, they were in sixth place when the electric failed again. While at Monza, Facetti put the Carma FF on pole, only for the fuel pump pack up on the warm-up lap and they were out. A gearbox failure accounted for their DNF at Silverstone.[36]
Only Facetti could wring a performance out of the car, that Finotto could not, yet both driver would have fear a trip to the Nürburgring. To no surprise, when Facetti completely lost it and crashed on the Nordschleife. The car appeared twice more. It was on pole at Enna, only to retire after three laps. Finally to theKyalami Nine Hour race, it once again expired after being second fastest in practice.[36]
For 1982, Facetti and Finotto decided against returning with the Carma and its twin-turbo 308 experiment, instead opting for more conventionalOsella-BMW PA9, but equally unsuccessful as they failed to finish a race in the car that season.[36][37]
1983 saw the introduction of a new category into World Sportscars,Group C Junior. As Facetti and Finotto knew they could not complete on level terms with the might of Porsche, Finotto commissioned Stirano to build a car to these new regulations, while Facetti designed and built a 1.8 litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine. Since power units had to be ascribed to a recognised manufacturer, the team became known as Giannini-Alba, then Carma FF from 1985. The first car, Alba AR2 was a regular class winner with Facetti and Finotto at the helm in 1983, helping Alba to win the Group C Junior Cup. By 1984, this pairing were winless but still assisted Alba to win the Group C2 Prototype FIA Cup.[38]
The Alba AR6 continued to use Facetti's engine for the 1985 season, the team lost reliability with it, trying to keep up with pace-setterGordon Spice, Finotto turned his attention to theIMSA Camel Lights category in America for 1986. Finotto and Facetti, who prepared the overhead camshaft Ferrari engines, joined forces with Gaston Andrey Racing and enrolled fellow Italian,Ruggero Melgrati, who proved to be pace-setter in the Lights division. The team rarely enjoyed reliability to match, but Melgrati and Facetti shared success at Grand Prix of Palm Beach and Löwenbräu Classic.[38]
Facetti only returned to cockpit of an Alba once more after the season in the US, and that was a non-championship, Kyalami 500 km in 1988. He then retire full-time from International motor sport, albeit bar a one-off outing in aFerrari F355, where he finished fourth in a round of theCoppa GT Special at Mugello in 1995.[39]
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Scuderia Finotto | BrabhamBT42 | CosworthV8 | ARG | BRA | RSA | ESP | BEL | MON | SWE | NED | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | ITA DNQ | CAN | USA | NC | 0 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate *fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Pos. | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Tecno Racing Team | Tecno 68 | Cosworth FVA | HOC NC | THR | JAR | CRY | TUL | ZAN | PER | HOC | NC | 0 | |
| Scuderia Picchio Rossa | VAL 12 | |||||||||||||
| 1969 | Scuderia Picchio Rossa | Tecno 68 | Cosworth FVA | THR | HOC | NÜR | JAR | TUL | PER DNS | VAL | NC | 0 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pos. | Pts | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Autodelta S.p.A. | Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior | B | BRH | OUL | THR | SIL | CRY | BRH | OUL | SIL ovr:6 cls:1 | MAL | BRH | 28th | 9 | 9th |
| 1973 | Autodelta S.p.A. | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTAm | C | BRH | SIL | THR | THR | SIL | ING | BRH | SIL ovr:6 cls:3 | BRH | 38th | 4 | 10th | |
Source:[79] | ||||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Autodelta S.p.A. | Spartaco Dini | Alfa Romeo T33/2 | P2.0 | 315 | 5th | 2nd |
| 1970 | Autodelta S.p.A. | Teodoro Zeccoli | Alfa Romeo T33/3 | P3.0 | 43 | DNF | DNF |
| 1973 | Ecurie Brescia Corse | Sergio Morando Teodoro Zeccoli | Alfa Romeo T33/TT/3 | S3.0 | 299 | 15th | 7th |
| 1974 | BMW Jolly Club |  Manfred MohrMartino Finotto | BMW 3.0 CSL | T | 155 | DNF | DNF |
| 1975 |  North American Racing Team | Ronnie Bucknum | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 | GT | - | DNS | DNS |
| North American Racing Team |  Jean-Pierre Malcher Patrick Langlois | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 | GT | - | DNS | DNS | |
| North American Racing Team | Lucien Guitteny Jacky HaranRonnie Bucknum Giancarlo Gagliardi | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 | GT | - | DNS | DNS | |
| 1980 | Jolly Club –Lancia Corse | Martino Finotto | Lanica Beta Montecarlo Turbo | Gr.5 | 273 | 19th | 2nd |
| 1981 | Martini Racing | Eddie CheeverMichele Alboreto | Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo | Gr.5 | 323 | 8th | 2nd |
| 1983 | Scuderia Jolly Club | Martino Finotto Marco Vanoli | Alba-Giannini AR2 | C Jr | 158 | DNF | DNF |
| 1984 | Jolly Club | Martino Finotto Marco Vanoli | Alba-Giannini AR2 | C2 | 258 | 21st | 7th |
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Algar Enterprises | Giancarlo Baghetti Ove Andersson | Lancia Fulvia HF | P | 180 | DNF | DNF |
| 1977 | Jolly Club | Martino Finotto Romeo Camathias | Porsche 935 | Gr.5 | 679 | 2nd | 1st |
| 1978 | Jolly Club | Martino Finotto | Porsche 935 | GTX | 6 | DNF | DNF |
| 1979 | Jolly Club – Sportswagen Racing Team | Martino FinottoGiampiero Moretti | Porsche 935 | GTX | 164 | DNF | DNF |
| 1980 | Jolly Club | Martino Finotto | Lanica Beta Montecarlo Turbo | GTX | 597 | 10th | 6th |
| 1981 | Jolly Club | Martino Finotto | Ferrari 308 GTB Turbo | GTX | 4 | DNF | DNF |
| Jolly Club Italia | Martino FinottoEmanuele Pirro | Lanica Beta Montecarlo Turbo | GTX | 609 | 5th | 3rd |
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Scuderia Ambrosiana | Massimo Leto di Priolo | Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce | GT1.3 | 178 | 12th | 2nd |
| 1986 | Gaston Andrey Racing | Martino Finotto Ruggero Melgarti | Alba-Ferrari AR6 | Lights | 41 | DNF | DNF |
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Giancarlo Galimberti | Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint | TC | 269 | 3rd | 2nd | |
| 1969 | Autodelta | Spartaco Dini | Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior | Div.2 | DNF | DNF | |
| 1970 | Autodelta S.P.A. | Teodore Zeccoli | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTA | Div.3/Gr.2 | 3rd | 3rd | |
| 1971 | Autodelta S.P.A. |  Toine Hezemans | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTAm | Div.2 | 289 | 3rd | 1st |
| 1972 | Autodelta | Carlo Truci | Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior | Div.1 | 269 | 23rd | 2nd |
| 1973 | Autodelta Spa | Massimo Larini | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTAm | Div.1 | DNF | DNF | |
| 1974 | Autodelta S.p.A. | Spartaco Dini | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV | Div.4 | DNF | DNF | |
| 1977 | Autodelta S.p.A. | Spartaco Dini Alessandro Uberti | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV | T2.5 | - | DNQ | |
| Autodelta S.p.A. | Spartaco Dini | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV | T2.5 | DNF | DNF | ||
| Autodelta S.p.A. | Giorgio Francia Amerigo Bigliazzi | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV | T2.5 | 273 | 4th | 2nd | |
| 1979 | Luigi Racing |  Teddy Pilette | Chevrolet Camaro Z28 | serT+2.5 | DNF | DNF | |
| 1980 | Plastic Bertrand | Pascal Witmeur Jean-Jacques Feider | BMW 530i | serT+2.5 | 114 | DNF | DNF |
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Laps | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | | Giovanni Alberti | Alfa Romeo T33/2 Spyder | 198 | 3rd |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | European Touring Car Championship Champion 1979 With:Martino Finotto | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
