This has been a very long time coming, and I apologize for that, but it is now time to reveal the next member of the Grand Prix Hall of Fame.
Alberto Ascari was born in Milan, Italy in 1913. He was the son of another racer, Antonio, who had a decent amount of success before he was killed in 1925 while leading the French Grand Prix. In spite of this, the younger Ascari had considerable interest in racing and decided to follow in his father's footsteps. In Alberto's early career, he began racing motorcycles without a lot of success. He didn't start racing automobiles regularly until he entered the Mille Miglia in a Ferrari sports car.
Ascari's grand prix career began right after the end of World War 2, driving for Maserati and being partnered with Luigi Villoresi who would become his friend and mentor. His first successes in grand prix racing came in 1948, winning the Sanremo Grand Prix and finishing 2nd in the British Grand Prix. He would win another race for Maserati the following season before joining Scuderia Ferrari in 1950, the first year of the modern World Championship. Ascari finished 2nd in the Monaco Grand Prix and also had a shared 2nd place in the Italian Grand Prix with Dorino Serafini in his first year with the Scuderia. He managed to finish 5th in the final point standings for 1950. Ascari had better results in 1951, netting a 2nd in Belgium, a shared 2nd in France with José Froilán González, and got his first wins in Germany and Italy. Ascari finished 2nd in the points in 1951.
1952 would be the year in which Ascari would cement his legacy. Enzo Ferrari decided to field a car for Ascari in the Indianapolis 500. While it counted towards the world championship at the time, it was considered too expensive to travel to for the European drivers. Ascari would be the only European to compete in the 500 during this period. His race ended after 40 laps; however, this would be the only race he entered in 1952 that he didn't win. Ascari took a clean sweep of wins in Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, The Netherlands and finally in Italy, to dominate the 1952 World Championship.
1953 was not as good of a year for Ascari, but this is not saying much; he would win in Argentina, The Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and Switzerland. This, to go along with a 4th in France, was good enough to win a second straight driver's title. In 1954, Ascari switched drives, racing with Maserati and Lancia, but not repeating his success with Ferrari. He retired from all 4 races he entered that season. He did win that year's Mille Miglia, however.
He remained with Lancia to begin 1955, and retired from both of his attempts that year. His second race in 1955, in Monaco, he miraculously escaped a horrible fate when he crashed into the harbor after straight-lining a chicane. Four days later, he went to Monza in Italy, initially to watch his friend Eugenio Castellotti test a Ferrari sports car; he and Ascari had been given special permission by Lancia to race in the Supercortemaggiore 1000 km race.
Ascari, before going out for lunch with his wife Mietta, decided to get in the car himself. He got in the car in street clothes and borrowing Castellotti's helmet. Ascari emerged from a fast corner on lap 3 when he skidded; the car then turned on its nose and somersaulted twice. A helpless Ascari was thrown onto the track, suffering multiple fatal injuries. He left behind his wife Mietta and two children at the age of 36. Mietta Ascari told Enzo Ferrari personally that if it weren't for their kids, she would have committed suicide because she couldn't bear to be without Alberto.
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