Giulio Masetti

Giulio_Masetti

Giulio Masetti (1895 in Firenze - April 25, 1926 in Sclafani Bagni on Sicilia) was an Italian conte and racing driver, known as «the lion of Madonie» from his dominating the Targa Florio in the early 1920s.

He was the older brother of racing driver, conte Carlo Masetti, and acquired his first car, a 4.5-litre Fiat S57 B14 from Antonio Ascari, in which he was fourth at X Targa Florio (1919), and won the XII Targa Florio (1921). The next year, he won XIII Targa Florio in his privately entered ex-Otto Salzer 1914 Mercedes 4.5-litre 115 HP 18/100 (1922).

Masetti then raced an Alfa Romeo RL TF (second at XIV Targa Florio, 1923) before joining the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq team. He was third in a Sunbeam 135 bhp 2-litre at French GP (1925), but failed to finish the Spanish Grand Prix (1925) and II GP Rome (1926). He died in the XVII Targa Florio, driving entry #13, a Delage 2L CV. The entry #13 is since this incident not issued at grand prix events.