“Only 5 women competed in Formula 1: Maria Teresa De Filippis, Divina Galica, Desiree Wilson, Giovanna Amati and Lella Lombardi, but the latter was the only one able to score points”. It is the beginning of the 2020 American documentary film that paid homage to the Alexandrian champion (born in Frugarolo, where she is also buried) whose thirtieth anniversary of her death occurs in March 1992.
Maria Grazia in the registry office, for all Lella, had become the protagonist of the world of the highest formula with that 6th place in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix (at the time the first six finished in the points) that she raced, at the wheel of a March. It was a race with the score halved, because it closed early due to the serious accident of Rolf Stommelen who lost the wing of his car, flew through the crowd causing four deaths and numerous injuries.
Lella was born in Frugarolo on March 26, 1941 and raced in Formula 1 from 1974 to 1976 battling with sacred monsters such as Lauda and Fittipaldi. Her debut in England in July ’74 on the ups and downs of Brands Hatch. Immediately after her result in Spain, she showed all her determination by answering the (somewhat provocative) question of an Iberian journalist: «If F1 is for girls? Since I am here and I run, you judge ». Nobody ever asked him again.
Starting from karts, Lombardi did all the apprenticeship passing to Formula Monza to get to Formula 3, then the jump in Formula 5000 preparatory to landing in the elite of F1. They were difficult machines to drive: the electronics were virtually unknown, the weight was considerable and the danger accentuated because, despite their size, they were already very fast cars.
Already in the mid-1970s sponsors were needed to reach the highest levels: Lella was helped by Count “Gughi” Zanon, who put the Lavazza brand on a March. Arturo Merzario, in the paddock with Lella at that time, says: “Whoever wanted you behind the wheel of a single-seater had a long eye, because it would have brought people like Senna and Alboreto to F1”.
A multifaceted driver, Lombardi also achieved great satisfaction with covered wheels both in terms of prototypes and grand touring: with the Alfetta Gtv6 the greatest satisfactions paired with Anna Cambiaghi, Giancarlo Naddeo and Rinaldo Drovandi. Lella Lombardi was the first and only woman to break a wall: in a purely male sport she was able to be a protagonist at the highest levels and only Michèle Mouton will be able to do better than her in the world rally.
After retiring in 1988 he founded Lombardi Autosport assuming the role of team manager. A bust of her remembers her in her hometown even if there have been very few initiatives in her honor in her Alexandria. In 2018 an exhibition entitled “Lella Lombardi a life for racing” was set up at the Museo dei Campionissimi and the Ferrari Club of Alessandria also paid tribute to her with a rally.