History nuvolari - july | Tazio Nuvolari Museum

July, Tazio Nuvolari’s Month of Speed and Disobedience

A cura di Fabio Castagna, Head of Digital Bank, in collaboration with Giuseppe Pottocar, Director of the Tazio Nuvolari Museum

July, for Tazio Nuvolari, was never a month that allowed patience. It was the heart of the racing season, when calendars intensified, distances stretched, and circuits across Europe demanded both precision and recklessness in equal measure. For Nuvolari, July became the purest expression of his instinct: to attack first, understand later, and never lift unless forced.

The early 1920s already reveal this dual nature. In 1923, at the Circuito del Lario, misfortune struck with a retirement, yet only days later at the Circuito del Piave he responded with a commanding outright victory in the 1000 class. It was the rhythm that would define his entire July career: collapse followed by brilliance, often within the same week.

By 1924 and 1925, July had become a testing ground for endurance and adaptability. Mechanical failures at the Prealpi Varesine and the Adriatic Cup contrasted with strong performances like the Coppa della Consuma and, later, victories at the Lario circuit. The pattern was clear: when reliability held, Nuvolari was untouchable; when it didn’t, he was still unforgettable.

The second half of the 1920s marked the expansion of his reputation. In 1927, across Vittorio Veneto–Cansiglio, the Swiss Grand Prix, Lario, and the Colle dell’Infinito circuit, he collected podiums and victories that confirmed his dominance across both motorcycles and cars. Even when results were not perfect, his presence reshaped the competitive hierarchy of every race he entered.

By 1929 and 1930, July had become a month of full authority. At Montenero and the Coppa Ciano, he fought at the front of the field, while victories at Lario and Vittorio Veneto–Cansiglio reinforced his versatility. Yet even here, danger never disappeared: at Forl� in 1930, a brake failure led to a violent crash and retirement. It was a reminder that Nuvolari always lived one fraction of a second away from disaster.

The 1930s elevated July into international significance. In 1931 and 1932, he stood on podiums in Belgium and Germany, before claiming major victories at the Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France and Avellino, and dominating multiple circuits including Montenero. These were not isolated results—they formed a continental statement of supremacy.

Then came 1933, one of the defining Julys of his career. Victory at the Belgian Grand Prix and another triumph at Montenero confirmed his peak form, even as mechanical failures in France reminded everyone that control was never guaranteed. Nuvolari’s greatness was not consistency—it was impact.

Mid-decade, July became a battlefield of extremes. In 1934, retirements in France and Reims due to transmission and axle failures contrasted with a strong third place at Montenero. In 1935 and 1936, victories at Torino and the German Grand Prix reaffirmed his ability to dominate at the highest level, even as mechanical fragility remained a constant threat.

By the late 1930s, July had become a measure of endurance against time itself. Races in Germany and France brought both respectable finishes and devastating engine failures. Yet even in decline, Nuvolari’s name remained at the center of every major European grid.

After the war, July became something different: no longer a month of dominance, but of legacy. In 1946, victory at Albi and a strong run at the Grand Prix des Nations showed he could still compete at the highest level. In 1947, wins at Forl� and Parma confirmed his enduring competitiveness, even as machinery and age reshaped the context. By 1948, at the Grand Prix de l’ACF, even a seventh-place finish alongside Luigi Villoresi carried the weight of a veteran still fighting among the elite.

From 1923 to 1948, July tells a story of over forty races defined by extremes: victories that reshaped reputations, retirements that came without warning, and performances that transcended classification.

It is the month where Nuvolari’s character appears in its purest form, not controlled, not moderated, but unleashed.

03/07/27 IV Vittorio Veneto-Cansiglio

AUTO BUGATTI 35 - 2000 cc Tazio Nuvolari

2� assoluto e 2� classe oltre 1500

21/07/29 IX Circuito del Montenero - III Coppa Ciano

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 6C SS - 1750 cc Tazio Nuvolari

2� assoluto e 2� classe oltre 1100

13/07/30 VI Vittorio Veneto-Cansiglio

AUTO ALFA ROMEO P2-2006 cc Ferrari

1� assoluto e 1� classe oltre 1500

12/07/31 III Gran Prix de Belgique

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 8C-2300 cc Alfa Corse

2� assoluto (con B.Borzacchini)

19/07/31 V Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 8C-2300 cc Alfa Corse

4� assoluto

03/07/32 XVIII Gran Premio dell'Automobile Club de France

AUTO ALFA ROMEO B P3 - 2600 cc Ferrari

1� assoluto

17/07/32 VI Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO ALFA ROMEO B P3 - 2600 cc Ferrari

2� assoluto

24/07/32 V Circuito di Avellino

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 8C MM Le Mans - 2300 cc Ferrari

1� assoluto e 1� classe 3000

31/07/32 XII Circuito del Montenero - VI Coppa Ciano

AUTO ALFA ROMEO B P3 - 2600 cc Ferrari

1� assoluto e 1� classe oltre 1100

02/07/33 VIII Grand Prix de La Marne

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 8C Monza - 2600 cc Siena

Ritirato al 36� giro (rottura del ponte posteriore)

09/07/33 IV Grand Prix de Belgique

AUTO MASERATI 8 CM - 3000 cc Maserati Squadra Corse

1� assoluto

30/07/33 XIII Circuito del Montenero - VII Coppa Ciano

AUTO MASERATI 8 CM - 3000 cc Maserati Squadra Corse

1� assoluto e 1� classe oltre 1100

01/07/34 XXVIII Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France

AUTO BUGATTI 59 - 3000 cc BUGATTI

Ritirato al 17� giro (rottura del cambio)-(con Jean-Pierre Wimille)

08/07/34 IX Grand Prix de la Marne

AUTO MASERATI 8 CM - 3000 cc Maserati Squadra Corse

Ritirato al 22� giro (rottura assale posteriore)

15/07/34 VII Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO MASERATI 8 CM - 3000 cc Maserati Squadra Corse

4� assoluto

22/07/34 XIV Circuito del Montenero - VIII Coppa Ciano

AUTO MASERATI 8 CM - 3000 cc Maserati Squadra Corse

3� assoluto

07/07/35 I Circuito di Torino

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 8B P3 - 3200 cc Ferrari

1� assoluto

28/07/35 VIII Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 8B P3 - 3200 cc Ferrari

1� assoluto

26/07/36 IX Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 12C - 4000 cc Ferrari

Ritirato al 14� giro (rottura ponte posteriore)

05/07/37 II George Vanderbilt Cup

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 8C - 3800 cc Ferrari

5� assoluto (con Farina)

25/07/37 X Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO ALFA ROMEO 12C - 4000 cc Ferrari

4� assoluto

24/07/38 XI Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO AUTO UNION Tipo D - 3000 cc AUTO UNION

4� assoluto (con Muller)

09/07/39 XXXIII Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France

AUTO AUTO UNION Tipo D - 3000 cc AUTO UNION

Ritiraro all'8� giro (rottura motore)

23/07/39 XII Grosser Preis von Deutschland

AUTO AUTO UNION Tipo D - 3000 cc AUTO UNION

Ritirato al 19� giro (rottura motore)

14/07/46 VIII Grand Prix d'Albi

AUTO MASERATI 4 CL - 1500 cc Milano

1� assoluto

21/07/46 I Grand Prix de Nations

AUTO MASERATI 4 CL - 1500 cc Milano

4� assoluto a 2 giri dal vincitore

06/07/47 I Circuito di Forl� - Coppa Luigi Arcangeli

AUTO FERRARI 125 SC - 1500 cc Ferrari

1� categoria Sport

13/07/47 I Circuito di Parma

AUTO FERRARI 125 SC - 1500 cc Ferrari

1� assoluto e 1� classe oltre 750

18/07/48 XXXV Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France

AUTO MASERATI 4 CL - 1500 cc Milano

7� assoluto a 5 giri dal vincitore (con Luigi Villoresi)

01/07/23 III Circuito di Lario

MOTO B- S- A- 3 1/2 Supersport - 492 cc

ritirato

08/07/23 III Circuito del Piave

MOTO INDIAN Powerplus 7-9HP - 988 cc

1� assoluto e 1� classe 1000

22/07/23 III Coppa dell'Adriatico

MOTO INDIAN Powerplus 7-9HP - 988 cc

withdrawn al 2� giro (esaurimento scorta gomme)

06/07/24 III Circuito delle Prealpi Varesine