Luigi Taveri

LUIGI TAVERI

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B. R. Nicholls

LUIGI TAVERI is a thirty-three year old Swiss who entered the racing game as a sidecar passenger in 1954 to another Swiss, Hans Haldeman. To keep himself fully occupied he also entered the solo classes on a big Norton and soon established himself with places at a couple of French meetings and a second in the 250 class of the Swiss Grand Prix on a Guzzi. This led to a ride on the 500cc M.V. four at Monza. However, Luigi is a small man and not really suited to such big machinery, tough though he is, so M.V. signed him up for 1955 as a lightweight rider, second string to Carlo Ubbiali to whom he finished runner-up in the 125cc World Championship that year.

He remained with M.V. until 1958 when he rode a Ducati, but this was not a very successful season for him and 1959 saw him with the East German M.Z. concern. In the Isle of Man he gained a good lead in the 125cc class but the engine went off song and he finished second to Provini, their machines having touched at Governor's Bridge when both were trying for the same line.

It seemed as if Luigi would never gain the world title he so richly deserved until he rode the Honda in 1961 and that started the road to success which ended with the 125cc world crown in 1962. He started the 1962 season with a third at the Spanish Grand Prix and fourth at the French. Then came Takahashi's accident in the Isle of Man where Luigi rode with supreme skill to break both race and lap records and become the first man to lap the Island on a 125 machine at over 90 mph. He had been so near to success before that it seemed like a good omen for him.

And so it proved to be for he went on to win in Holland, Belgium and West Germany. Then he made sure of the title by winning at the Ulster Grand Prix, went on to win in East Germany and finished the season with 2nd places in Italy and Finland, also taking the 50cc class at the latter meeting. •