Renzo Zorzi was an Italian racing driver who competed in seven Formula One World Championship Grands Prix between 1975 and 1977 for Frank Williams and Shadow.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | Italian |
| Birthplace | Ziano di Fiemme, Italy |
| Born | 12 December 1946 |
| Died | 15 May 2015 |
| First Grand Prix | 1975 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1977 Spanish Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1975–1977 |
| Current/Last Team | Shadow |
He was born in Ziano di Fiemme, near the Austrian border, the son of a miner. Zorzi later became an engineer with Pirelli, combining technical expertise with a growing interest in motor racing. He remains the only Formula One driver from the province of Trentino.
Career
Formula Three
Zorzi began his racing career in 1972 in Italian Formula Three, driving a Tecno for Scuderia Mirabella. His debut came at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, where he failed to qualify for the final.
Through 1973 and 1974, he gradually improved, driving cars from Brabham, Quasar, Branca, March Engineering and GRD. By 1974 he had become a consistent midfield and points contender, finishing tenth in the championship.
In 1975 he helped develop a new Formula Three engine for Lancia, fitted to his GRD chassis. He scored his first podium at Varano and then achieved the biggest win of his junior career in the European Formula Three Monaco Grand Prix support race. After inheriting victory following a time penalty for race winner Conny Andersson, Zorzi gained widespread attention and opened the door to Formula One.
Formula One: Frank Williams
Later in 1975, Zorzi secured a deal with team owner Frank Williams to race at the Italian Grand Prix. Driving the ageing Williams FW03, he qualified 22nd and finished 14th.
He remained with the now-renamed Wolf-Williams team for the opening round of 1976, the Brazilian Grand Prix. Driving the FW04, he outqualified teammate Jacky Ickx and finished ninth. However, once his sponsorship funds were exhausted, he lost the seat.
During the rest of 1976 he returned to Formula Three and also raced sports cars, including a Lancia Stratos in endurance competition.
Formula One: Shadow
Zorzi returned to Formula One in 1977 with Shadow Racing Cars, alongside Tom Pryce. His seat was backed by Italian sponsor Franco Ambrosio, who wanted an Italian driver in the team.
At the season-opening Argentine Grand Prix, Zorzi retired early with gearbox failure.
His finest Formula One result came at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where he finished sixth in an attritional race, scoring his only World Championship point.
1977 South African Grand Prix tragedy
Zorzi’s name is inevitably linked with one of Formula One’s darkest days at the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami Circuit.
After pulling off the circuit with a fuel leak and fire, Zorzi escaped his car safely. Marshals ran across the track carrying extinguishers. One marshal, Frederick Jansen Van Vuuren, was struck by the car of teammate Tom Pryce; the extinguisher then hit Pryce, killing both men instantly.
Although some media unfairly blamed Zorzi, investigations and later perspectives placed responsibility on the dangerous marshal response procedures rather than the driver himself.
Final Formula One appearances
Zorzi contested two more Grands Prix in 1977. The United States Grand Prix West – retired with gearbox failure, and the Spanish Grand Prix – retired with engine trouble
When he arrived for the Monaco Grand Prix, he discovered his car had already been reassigned to Riccardo Patrese, ending his Formula One career without prior notice.
Later career
After Formula One, Zorzi continued racing sports cars in Italy. His greatest later success came by winning the 1979 1000 km of Monza in a Lola T286 with Marco Capoferri.
He also made a one-off appearance in the Aurora AFX Formula One Championship in 1980, driving an Arrows A1.
After retiring from racing, he returned to Pirelli, where he ran a company driving school at Binetto.
Death
Renzo Zorzi died on 15 May 2015, aged 68, in a hospital in Magenta after a long illness. His funeral was held in his birthplace of Ziano di Fiemme. He was survived by his son, Andrea.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 7 |
| Race Starts | 7 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 17th |
| Best Race Finish | 6th |
| Retirements | 4 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 7 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Points
| Points Scored | 1 |
| Points Finishes | 1 |
| Most Points in a Single Season | 1 |
| Seasons with Points | 1 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Frank Williams Racing Cars | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 14 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1976 | Frank Williams Racing Cars | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1977 | Shadow | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 19th |
Stats by Constructor
| Constructor | Years | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Williams Racing Cars | 1975–1976 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Shadow | 1977 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacques Laffite | 1975 | 1 | – |
| Jacky Ickx | 1976 | 1 | – |
| Tom Pryce | 1977 | 3 | – |
| Alan Jones | 1977 | 2 | – |
