New puzzle: Racing rarities – the prodigy is only playing second fiddle here

Mostly drawn from the archives of our photography partners XPB and Grand Prix Photo, every week from Tuesday we present a little piece of motorsport history. Tell us who you can recognise (Example: Jo Siffert, Monza, 1970) and join in the guessing game for the honour of it – there’s nothing to be won. Send your answer to: mathias.brunner@speedweek.com. The closing date for entries is midnight on Sunday of the current week.

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Here’s a clue for the new puzzle: He was considered a prodigy in motor racing, but it soon became clear that he was merely playing second fiddle.

Our clue for the final task was: He drove in the red of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, but not in our picture. Pictured is the Italian Nanni Galli in his March at the 1971 Monza Grand Prix weekend

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Nanni Galli in Monza 1971

Foto: Grand Prix Photo

On Saturday afternoon, 12 October 2019, the Italian Giovanni Giuseppe Gilberto Galli passed away. The racing driver with the bright yellow helmet, known to everyone simply as ‘Nanni’, was one of the most reliable sports car drivers in the world in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Born in Bologna on 2 October 1940, Galli never quite made his breakthrough in Formula 1.

‘Nanni’ (a common Italian diminutive of Giovanni) began a racing career against his parents’ wishes. His father, a respected industrialist, would have preferred to see him take over his textile company. Galli was a late bloomer: he didn’t get behind the wheel of a go-kart until he was 20. At 24, he entered motor racing and contested his first races in a 500cc Steyr-Puch – promptly clinching the first of numerous touring car titles.

Encouraged by these successes, Galli bought a Mini Cooper and completely outclassed his rivals in the 1100 class: ten races, ten wins, and yet another title.

A year later, Galli lined up at the start for the make with which he was to achieve the greatest successes of his career – Alfa Romeo.

Nanni drove an Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA; in 1967, Autodelta (Alfa Romeo’s racing division) signed him up and made him a works driver.

During this time, Galli also tried his hand at single-seaters, competing in Formula 2 and driving a privately entered Brabham. In 1968, he finished second at the legendary Targa Florio alongside Ignazio Giunti, behind the Porsche duo of Vic Elford and Umberto Maglioli.

In 1970, he made the leap to Formula 1. At Monza, he failed to qualify in a McLaren-Alfa. Galli rarely had good machinery in Formula 1. In 1971, he competed in nine Grand Prix weekends with March. His highlight was 11th place at the British Grand Prix.

In 1972, he drove the woeful Tecno Formula 1 car. As a stand-in for Clay Regazzoni in France, he was given the chance to drive a Ferrari, but could only manage thirteenth place.

In 1973, we saw him for the last time in Formula 1, driving for Frank Williams’ team. His best result: 9th place in Brazil.

At Alfa Romeo in the early 1970s, he achieved further solid results in sports car racing, but by 1974 he had other things on his mind: he hung up his helmet and fulfilled his father’s lifelong wish – that he should take over the family business.

Right up until his death, Galli continued to make regular appearances at events featuring historic racing cars. His passion for motorsport burned brightly right to the very end.

Nanni Galli was laid to rest in Coiano, south-west of Florence.