Mario Mazzacurati
Encyclopedia
Mario Mazzacurati was an Italian engineer and auto racer driver active in South Africa
, winner of the 1936 South African Grand Prix in Bugatti
cars with pseudonym Mario Massacuratti.
Born in Padua
, he took a degree in geology at the University of Bologna and thus became an engineer and not a dentist as claimed by some sources. He participated at the 1929 and 1930 Mille Miglia
in a Bugatti, with Amedeo Bignami as co-driver. He also retired from the 1929 Circuito di Bordino.
Sometime near 1930 he moved to South Africa
for civil engineering work including building Hout Bay Harbour and roads through country towns. Was also involved in tin mining in Swaziland
. Set up the "Eagle Racing Stable" in Cape Town
circa 1935 and imported a number of racing cars to South Africa - like Bugatti T35B & T35C, Alfa Romeo
Monza and the Maserati
6C-34. He bought a lot of ex-Nuvolari cars and it is rumoured that he indeed was a cousin of Tazio Nuvolari
but not confirmed. A good driver, he made good results in local South African events including a victory at the South African GP in 1936 and third places in 1937 and 1939
at the East London circuit; he raced a semi-works supported Maserati 6CM in South Africa in 1939. Despite being a national sporting hero, as an Italian he was interned in South Africa during World War II
but made a daring escape from the concentration camp.
He died in Rome in 1985.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, winner of the 1936 South African Grand Prix in Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
cars with pseudonym Mario Massacuratti.
Born in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, he took a degree in geology at the University of Bologna and thus became an engineer and not a dentist as claimed by some sources. He participated at the 1929 and 1930 Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
in a Bugatti, with Amedeo Bignami as co-driver. He also retired from the 1929 Circuito di Bordino.
Sometime near 1930 he moved to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
for civil engineering work including building Hout Bay Harbour and roads through country towns. Was also involved in tin mining in Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
. Set up the "Eagle Racing Stable" in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
circa 1935 and imported a number of racing cars to South Africa - like Bugatti T35B & T35C, Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
Monza and the Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
6C-34. He bought a lot of ex-Nuvolari cars and it is rumoured that he indeed was a cousin of Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari was an Italian motorcycle and racecar driver, known as Il Mantovano Volante or Nivola. He was the 1932 European Champion in Grand Prix motor racing...
but not confirmed. A good driver, he made good results in local South African events including a victory at the South African GP in 1936 and third places in 1937 and 1939
1939 South African Grand Prix
The 1939 South African Grand Prix was a voiturette race held at the Prince George Circuit on January 2, 1939.-Classification:...
at the East London circuit; he raced a semi-works supported Maserati 6CM in South Africa in 1939. Despite being a national sporting hero, as an Italian he was interned in South Africa during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
but made a daring escape from the concentration camp.
He died in Rome in 1985.