Swiss · Lugano, Switzerland · Born 5 September 1939 · Died 2006-12-15Swiss racing driver who finished runner-up in the 1974 World Championship with Ferrari, winning five Grands Prix including Williams' first-ever victory, before a career-ending accident left him paralyzed.
Clay Regazzoni won five Formula 1 Grands Prix across 11 seasons, including the very first victory for the Williams team at the 1979 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, a result that helped launch one of the sport's most successful constructors — before a brake failure at the 1980 Long Beach Grand Prix ended his racing career and left him paralysed. He remained one of the team's leading drivers through the mid-1970s, finishing runner-up in the 1974 World Championship, narrowly missing the title in the season finale in the United States. Regazzoni also played a supporting role in Niki Lauda's title-winning campaigns, and left Ferrari at the end of 1976 following the arrival of Carlos Reutemann. After spells with Ensign and Shadow, he joined the fledgling Williams team for 1979, delivering the constructor's first-ever Grand Prix victory at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, a landmark moment in the team's history. Regazzoni's Formula 1 career came to a tragic end at the 1980 United States Grand Prix West in Long Beach, where a brake failure caused a serious accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Remarkably, he refused to let the injury define him, going on to compete in specially adapted rally cars and remaining a beloved figure in the sport as a broadcaster. Regazzoni finished his Formula 1 career with five Grand Prix wins and 15 podium finishes across 11 seasons. He died in a car accident on 15 December 2006 at age 67, closing the story of one of the most popular and resilient drivers of his era.
Finishing runner-up in the 1974 World Championship and delivering Williams' first-ever Grand Prix victory
How They Played
Aggressive, hard-charging racer known for spectacular overtaking moves
Lasting Impact
One of the most popular drivers of his era, remembered for his resilience after a career-ending accident
Career Honours
- Made his Formula 1 debut and won his home Italian Grand Prix (1970)
- Finished runner-up in the World Championship with Ferrari (1974)
- Won the British Grand Prix, Williams' first-ever Grand Prix victory (1979)
Swiss Athletes