Remembering Giacomelli and Alfa Romeo Almost Winning the Last United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen - October 5, 1980, was a very important day at Watkins Glen International circuit.  Historical research, including about motor racing, cannot be done with hypotheses or with “what ifs” but only with facts. However, it can indeed be conceived that the facts of that day affected many future things.  This was going to be the last F1 GP at Watkins Glen.  The starting grid had an unexpected pole sitter: the Alfa Romeo of Giacomelli.  

Those were the years of Ferrari, winner of 1979 championship, of Lotus, winning in 1978, while the age of Williams was just beginning.  Alfa Romeo, although possessing ancient racing victories, was back in racing for less than 2 years.  Giacomelli, an Italian driving a fully Italian car, started on the pole maintaining firmly his lead position. He kept the lead and seemed close to an extraordinary win. Suddenly, a minor electrical problem stopped him on the track and the Williams of Jones won the race. 

One wonders what would have been if Giacomelli had won.  Perhaps Alfa Romeo’s racing efforts would not have been discontinued as happened and a second major Italian team would have stayed in Formula 1.  Possibly a prestigious F1 win in the US, the major car market in the world, and eventual further successes could have improved the prospects of Alfa Romeo to remain an Italian state property and continue to progress as an independent firm.

Mario Felice Tecce has been a Formula 1 and motorsports enthusiast since 1971. With his strong interest and deep passion in car racing, he explored Formula 1 seasons of the last fifty years as a major example of pursuing the best in life choices. This is because following motorsport may be not only pleasant and interesting, but also a way to recognize drivers’ high-level competition as a shared effort to pursue together the best possible result. He is a molecular biomedical researcher and teaches biochemistry at University of Salerno, Italy.

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00:00 Introduction and Sponsors

00:16 Remembering Giacomelli and Alfa Romeo

00:56 The Significance of October 5th, 1980

01:17 Giacomelli's Near Victory

01:51 Hypothetical Impact of Giacomelli's Win

02:22 Race Day Highlights

03:44 Historical Context of Formula One

06:00 Alfa Romeo's Return to Formula One

06:51 The 1979 and 1980 Seasons

08:29 Alfa Romeo's Remarkable Performance

08:53 Key Contributors: Giacomelli and Chitti

10:25 Challenges and Missed Opportunities

11:24 Speculations on Alfa Romeo's Future

12:03 Closing Remarks and Acknowledgements

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This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.