| Alberto Ascari was literally born into the Grand | | | | Ferrari who signed them up to drive for Ferrari. |
| Prix. He entered this world on July 13, 1918 in | | | | With the Ferrari team, Alberto enjoyed illustrious |
| Milan, Italy. His father was Antonio Ascari, the | | | | success, winning nine times in 1950 and six times |
| Italian racing star of the Grand Prix during the | | | | in 1951. In 1952, he became the only European |
| 1920's. Antonio also owned a Fiat dealership in | | | | driver to enter the American Indy 500 but had to |
| Milan. As a child Alberto met the celebrities of the | | | | retire at the end of lap 40 due to mechanical |
| racing world who visited his father's business. He | | | | difficulties. But he had placed first in Europe's six |
| also became acquainted with Enzo Ferrari, his | | | | races and set a record for the fastest lap in each |
| father's closest friend. Antonio, who was | | | | race. |
| considered Italy's greatest driver, always took his | | | | His winning streak continued into 1953 when he |
| son to watch the races in which he drove. Then | | | | won three more races for a total of nine straight |
| after capturing the lead in the French Grand Prix | | | | wins that, combined with two more later in the |
| at Montlehry, Antonio crashed and died. His | | | | year, gave him a second consecutive world |
| father's death did not quell young Alberto's passion | | | | championship. However, the most unusual event in |
| for racing. Rather, it intensified the youth's desire | | | | his career was its ending. In 1955 while racing at |
| to follow in his father's footsteps. | | | | Monaco, he missed a corner and plunged into the |
| Alberto began his career racing motorcycles and | | | | sea. After recovering from shock and a broken |
| in 1937 the Bianchi Team hired him as a rider. | | | | nose he came to Monza where his friend Eugenio |
| Alberto's first venture into automobile racing was | | | | Castellotti was testing a Ferrari. |
| in 1940 when he entered the Mille Miglia. But the | | | | Alberto decided to do a few laps but spun out on |
| outbreak of World War 2 put his racing career on | | | | a curve and was killed.The date was May 26, |
| hold. Alberto was now operating the family | | | | 1955. His father fatally crashed on the 26th. Both |
| business in Milan, which was part of Italy's war | | | | father and son were thirty-six years old when |
| effort. Alberto also partnered With Luigi Villoresi to | | | | they died. They both drove a car numbered 26 |
| develop a transport service to send fuel to Italian | | | | and had won thirteen championships. They had |
| military depots in North Africa. He had married in | | | | also both survived serious crashes four days prior |
| 1940 and by the war's end, he and Mietta had | | | | to their untimely deaths and both accidents |
| two children. Because of this, Alberto was thinking | | | | occurred on relatively easy curves. |
| of giving up racing. However, when the war ended | | | | Alberto's winning smile and friendly, unassuming |
| his friend and partner, Luigi Villoresi, who was also | | | | personality had won the love and devotion of his |
| a race driver convinced Alberto to continue. | | | | fans who mourned him as a national hero. At his |
| The two friends then signed on with Maserati. | | | | funeral the front columns of the church were |
| Alberto's first Grand Prix win was in 1948 at | | | | draped in black with the inscription: "On the Last |
| Sanremo, Italy. Later in the year he placed | | | | Finish Line, meet, O lord, the soul of Alberto |
| second at the British Grand Prix. By 1952, Luigi | | | | Ascari. |
| and Alberto had attracted the attention of Enzo | | | | |