Gino Valenzano, a well-known 1950s racer and works pilot for the likes of Abarth and Lancia, has died in Turin at the age of 91.
Valenzano was variously team-mate with the upper echelons of racing including Ascari, Villoresi, Fangio, Castellotti, Bonetto, Taruffi and Musso and cmpaigned a wide range of cars – such as Lancia B20 and D24 – in all of the world's key sports car fixtures: Sebring, Mille Miglia (below), Targa Florio, Le Mans, Pescara, Sestriere Rally, Tour of Sicily, Monaco Grand Prix for sports cars.
In 1955 he became a Maserati works driver, but retired from racing after the death his brother Piero while competing a Maserati in the Coup of Maserati but in the autumn of this year he retired from racing after the death of his brother Piero, driving a Maserati, in the Dolomites Cup in Cortina.
James Elliott is a former Editor of Classic & Sports Car