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Juan
Zanelli remained lost in Chilean anonymity for a long time until he was "rediscovered" in December 2007 thanks to the research conducted by the author of the book "Coche a la Vista", lawyer Rodrigo Velasco. The book unveils the little-known story of Juan Zanelli, a result of five years of
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Grand Prix in Le Mans in 1929 and 1930, becoming the first Latin
American to achieve this. He participated in the Monaco Grand Prix and other events in Italy and France, facing mechanical challenges and securing podiums. In 1931, he won the European Hill Climb Championship in the Racing Cars
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but was unsuccessful. Juan
Zanelli later managed to purchase Raymond Sommer’s car, a beautiful Alfa Romeo Monza 8c. He competed in the 500 Miles of the British Racing Drivers' Club, finishing sixth, and then participated in the Tunis Grand Prix, where he finished eighth.
223:#4, which he shared with Georges Philippe and Louis Chiron, he was battling Georges Philippe for the first position when he lost control, spinning four times and damaging the front suspension. After managing to get to the pits, he requested the steering wheel of
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in the Grand Prix of Marne in France, achieving second place. That same year, he participated in the Monza Grand Prix. In Europe, he met the
Vizcaya brothers and Ernest Friderich, who was a friend, collaborator, and driver for Ettore
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Their shared passion was motorsports, which was then exclusive to the wealthy. During this period, "gentleman drivers" emerged, people who had the passion and financial resources to participate in high-level motorsport competitions.
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was one of the most prestigious races of that time, later won by drivers such as Luigi
Fagioli, Tazio Nuvolari, Giuseppe Farina, and Alberto Ascari, among others. This victory solidified his status as a prominent driver in
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Zanelli won in 1 hour, 34 minutes, and 43 seconds, ahead of Vasco
Sameiro, Marcel Lehoux, Joaquín Palacio, and Tazio Nuvolari. The latter set the fastest lap of the race. This victory marked the first time a
514:, highlighted Juan Zanelli’s story from Europe. Unfortunately, he remains an unrecognized figure in Chilean motorsport and was never mentioned in the press again, not even on the day of his tragic death.
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managed to identify most of those involved, Zanelli lost his life in a confusing shootout between
Germans and resistance fighters. He was fatally wounded by a gunshot and died in
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did not have one either, so he painted a triangular
Chilean flag on each side of the car. This gesture drew attention and eventually became a custom that is still observed today.
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At that time, the authorities governing motorsport established that drivers' cars had to be painted in the color corresponding to their country. Zanelli did not have a color, as
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and owner of the factory. On
September 13, 1928, he acquired one of Pierre de Vizcaya's cars, which had been abandoned in 1924 after an accident, and thus had to be repaired.
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in third place on the podium. Unfortunately, due to a streak of mechanical failures in future races leading to retirements, his performance suffered. However, at the
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with the headline: "The
Barcelona motor racing cup was won by Juan Zanelli, a Chilean." Today, his obscurity in Chile remains evident. In 2007 and 2008,
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Juan Zanelli appeared in European motor racing competitions driving a two-seater Fiat, which had less power compared to the fast Alfa Romeos or
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organized three annual races, running at the Circuit de la Sarthe. On June 2, 1929, Juan Zanelli would be crowned the winner of the 1929
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He then traveled to Italy to compete in the Pietro Bordino Cup in Alessandria, where he finished in eighth place. He also entered his
227:#5. However, he had to stop his race on lap 25. Chiron finished in first place, followed by Philippe, Lehoux, Dreyfus, and Bourlier.
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as a prize. This was the first international victory for a Chilean driver and the first victory for a Latin American in Europe.
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He began to establish contacts with the European aristocracy, something very difficult at that time, especially for a
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Juan Ernesto Zanelli de Vescovi was a prominent Chilean racing driver, considered the first Chilean and the first
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and collaborated with important figures in motorsport, such as the Vizcaya brothers and Raúl Pateras Pescara.
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On July 25, 1929, he participated in the VII Gran Premio of San Sebastián. Starting from the first row with
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investigation that involved traveling to Europe and the places where the driver had his best performances.
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valid for the World Championship, and no Chilean has won a top-tier world motorsport event since then.
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Among the drivers was the Chilean Juan Zanelli. He started from the second row, next to the Monegasque
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The official 1930 season of the World Motor Racing Championship began in April of that year with the
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in France, he managed to secure third place. That same year, he participated again in the
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In the early 1940s, the driver married Raymonde Picard, with whom he had two children in
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and repeated his achievement by winning first place, earning a Bugatti T43 as the prize.
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He was the son of Nicolás Zanelli, an Italian immigrant who made a fortune in the
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His arrival at the finish line in the IV Penya Rhin Grand Prix of 1933
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Juan Zanelli after winning the Bugatti Grand Prix with Ettore Bugatti
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The Vizcaya brothers introduced him to the businessman
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442:Caricature of Juan Zanelli, Penya Rhin Grand Prix
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181:Juan Zanelli's document as Consul of Chile.
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123:. In 1931, he was crowned champion of the
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77:Racing driver, Chilean Consul
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447:Last Days
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