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Juan Zanelli

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371: 266: 31: 439: 580: 178: 435:. Unlike circuit races, where drivers compete against each other, in hill climbs, each driver competes alone, starting at the base of a mountain and reaching the finish line at the top. Zanelli would win the 1931 championship in the Racing Cars category, while Rudolf Caracciola won in the Sports Cars category. Other notable drivers in this championship included Hans Stuck, Carlo Felice Trossi, Wolfgang von Trips, and Edgar Barth. 258:, securing his first victory. He achieved this win under challenging circumstances. During the preparations for the race, he pushed the car to the limit, causing the engine to seize. Despite this, he was determined to race and, at the last minute, persuaded Baron Philippe de Rothschild to sell him one of his cars. Zanelli then took to the track with an unfamiliar car and managed to take first place, winning a luxurious new 522:
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.
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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
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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
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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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along with other drivers he had met throughout his life. While the
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His final year as a driver was 1936, when he competed at the
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The Vizcaya brothers introduced him to the businessman
418: 442:Caricature of Juan Zanelli, Penya Rhin Grand Prix 343:on June 25, in the first race held at the famous 632: 502:in 1933, featured on the cover of the newspaper 466:, whose whereabouts are unknown. He joined the 167:. After completing his studies, he settled in 615: 323: 181:Juan Zanelli's document as Consul of Chile. 622: 608: 123:. In 1931, he was crowned champion of the 29: 676:Resistance members killed by Nazi Germany 437: 369: 264: 176: 681:French civilians killed in World War II 494:Juan Zanelli was relatively unknown in 633: 517: 335:In 1932, he spent much of his time in 207:category. Additionally, he acquired a 586:This biographical article related to 574: 147:, and Adela de Vescovi, a native of 406:In 1932, he attempted to enter the 13: 304:, finishing in second place, with 214: 14: 707: 151:. He spent his childhood between 578: 433:European Hill Climb Championship 419:European Hill Climb Championship 125:European Hill Climb Championship 427:, owner of the Spanish company 127:, which later gave rise to the 23:Juan Ernesto Zanelli de Vescovi 193: 1: 661:European Championship drivers 526: 489: 77:Racing driver, Chilean Consul 594:. You can help Knowledge by 549:European Hill Climb Champion 446: 7: 686:Auto racing biography stubs 10: 712: 691:Chilean sportspeople stubs 573: 397:European Grand Prix racing 324:Consolidation on the Track 696:Sportspeople from Iquique 671:French Resistance members 559: 546: 538: 533: 73: 55: 37: 28: 21: 285:. Zanelli debuted a new 129:World Rally Championship 383:driver won an official 134: 651:Chilean racing drivers 534:Sporting achievements 486:, on August 19, 1944. 457:1936 German Grand Prix 453:Nürburgring Green Hell 443: 401:1936 German Grand Prix 375: 270: 182: 16:Chilean racecar driver 500:Penya Rhin Grand Prix 441: 392:Penya Rhin Grand Prix 373: 341:Penya Rhin Grand Prix 268: 180: 425:Raúl Pateras Pescara 279:Monte Carlo circuit. 518:Book about his life 296:He would return to 666:Grand Prix drivers 444: 376: 363:, and the rest of 318:Bugatti Grand Prix 308:as the winner and 271: 252:Bugatti Grand Prix 183: 603: 602: 590:auto racing is a 569: 568: 563:Rudolf Caracciola 560:Succeeded by 554: 553:(for Racing Cars) 468:French Resistance 408:Monaco Grand Prix 300:to race again in 275:Monaco Grand Prix 239:, the founder of 81: 80: 703: 624: 617: 610: 582: 581: 575: 552: 539:Preceded by 531: 530: 429:Nacional Pescara 412:Nacional Pescara 345:Montjuïc Circuit 287:Bugatti Type 35B 260:Bugatti Type 35B 109:Nacional Pescara 33: 19: 18: 711: 710: 706: 705: 704: 702: 701: 700: 631: 630: 629: 628: 579: 571: 565: 556: 551: 544: 529: 520: 510:, and in 2021, 492: 449: 421: 326: 217: 215:His First Races 196: 137: 103:. He raced for 69: 60: 51: 42: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 709: 699: 698: 693: 688: 683: 678: 673: 668: 663: 658: 656:Bugatti people 653: 648: 643: 627: 626: 619: 612: 604: 601: 600: 583: 567: 566: 561: 558: 545: 540: 536: 535: 528: 525: 519: 516: 491: 488: 448: 445: 420: 417: 381:Latin American 325: 322: 314:Pau Grand Prix 216: 213: 195: 192: 187:South American 141:nitrate fields 136: 133: 85:South American 79: 78: 75: 71: 70: 61: 57: 53: 52: 43: 39: 35: 34: 26: 25: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 708: 697: 694: 692: 689: 687: 684: 682: 679: 677: 674: 672: 669: 667: 664: 662: 659: 657: 654: 652: 649: 647: 644: 642: 639: 638: 636: 625: 620: 618: 613: 611: 606: 605: 599: 597: 593: 589: 584: 577: 576: 572: 564: 555: 550: 543: 537: 532: 524: 515: 513: 509: 505: 501: 497: 487: 485: 481: 477: 473: 469: 465: 460: 458: 454: 440: 436: 434: 430: 426: 416: 413: 409: 404: 402: 398: 393: 388: 386: 382: 372: 368: 366: 362: 358: 354: 350: 346: 342: 338: 333: 331: 321: 319: 315: 311: 307: 306:Achille Varzi 303: 299: 294: 292: 288: 284: 280: 276: 267: 263: 261: 257: 253: 249: 244: 242: 238: 233: 228: 226: 222: 212: 210: 205: 201: 191: 188: 179: 175: 174: 170: 166: 162: 158: 154: 150: 146: 142: 132: 130: 126: 122: 118: 114: 110: 106: 102: 98: 94: 90: 86: 76: 74:Occupation(s) 72: 68: 64: 58: 54: 50: 46: 40: 36: 32: 27: 20: 596:expanding it 585: 570: 547: 521: 493: 472:World War II 461: 450: 422: 405: 389: 377: 334: 327: 310:Enzo Ferrari 295: 283:Louis Chiron 272: 245: 229: 218: 197: 184: 138: 82: 646:1944 deaths 641:1906 births 508:El Mercurio 504:El Mercurio 302:Alessandria 194:Career Path 165:Switzerland 145:Antofagasta 99:and one in 635:Categories 542:Hans Stuck 527:References 512:La Tercera 490:Popularity 385:Grand Prix 291:Grand Prix 161:Valparaíso 113:Alfa Romeo 89:Grand Prix 447:Last Days 349:Barcelona 121:Formula 1 101:Barcelona 87:to win a 480:Toulouse 200:Bugattis 157:Santiago 149:Tarapacá 117:Maserati 63:Toulouse 588:Chilean 476:Gestapo 470:during 289:in the 277:at the 256:Le Mans 248:Bugatti 246:Ettore 241:Bugatti 237:Bugatti 232:Bugatti 225:Bugatti 221:Bugatti 209:Bugatti 204:Bugatti 173:consul. 153:Iquique 105:Bugatti 97:Le Mans 45:Iquique 484:France 464:France 365:Europe 361:France 159:, and 93:Europe 67:France 557:1931 496:Chile 410:with 357:Italy 353:Spain 337:Chile 330:Chile 298:Italy 171:as a 49:Chile 592:stub 390:The 169:Nice 135:Life 59:1944 56:Died 41:1906 38:Born 347:in 254:at 143:of 91:in 637:: 482:, 403:. 367:. 359:, 355:, 155:, 131:. 115:, 111:, 107:, 65:, 47:, 623:e 616:t 609:v 598:.

Index


Iquique
Chile
Toulouse
France
South American
Grand Prix
Europe
Le Mans
Barcelona
Bugatti
Nacional Pescara
Alfa Romeo
Maserati
Formula 1
European Hill Climb Championship
World Rally Championship
nitrate fields
Antofagasta
Tarapacá
Iquique
Santiago
Valparaíso
Switzerland
Nice
consul.

South American
Bugattis
Bugatti

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