Attilio Bettega

Attilio Bettega (19 February 1953 – 2 May 1985) was an Italian rally driver.[1]

Attilio Bettega
Personal information
Nationality Italian
Born(1953-02-19)19 February 1953
Trento, Italy
Died2 May 1985(1985-05-02) (aged 32)
Zérubia, Corsica
World Rally Championship record
Active years1978–1985
Co-driver Maurizio Perissinot
Sergio Cresto
Arnaldo Bernacchini
TeamsFiat, Lancia
Rallies26
Championships0
Rally wins0
Podiums6
Stage wins47
Total points130
First rally1978 San Remo Rally
Last rally1985 Tour de Corse
Bettega's Lancia 037.

Biography

Bettega was born in Molveno, Trentino. In 1982, he joined the Lancia team driving the Lancia 037 after some years with Fiat. In his Lancia years he gained four podium finishes in rallies counting towards the World Rally Championship. His last podium was also his best one, driving his Lancia to second place at the 1984 Rallye Sanremo. In the 1985 season, he entered the Safari Rally and the Tour de Corse. In Corsica, on the fourth stage of the rally – Zerubia, Bettega lost control of his Lancia and crashed into a tree which simply ruptured into the driver's seat and killed him instantly. His co-driver Maurizio Perissinot survived the crash uninjured.

Bettega's accident pressured the safety aspects of Group B cars. Exactly one year later his former teammate Henri Toivonen and his co-pilot Sergio Cresto with the Lancia Delta S4 #4 (same number of the Bettega's car) died in a fireball accident at the same event, causing the ban for Group B.

Bettega's son, Alessandro Bettega, has followed his father's footsteps and is also a rally driver.

Sources

  1. Autosport 50th Anniversary Issue Celebrating 50 years of the Best in Motorsport. page 173. 13 July 2000. Haymarket Specialist Magazines ISSN 0269-946X
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