Charles Pozzi

French racing driver (1909–2001)

Charles Pozzi (27 August 1909 – 28 February 2001) was a French racing driver who participated in one World Championship Formula One race in 1950, the year of its inception.

Racing career

Born Carlo Alberto Pozzi in Paris, France of Italian parentage, he became known as Charles, the French translation of his name. He was working as an automobile broker and his career as a racing driver only began when he was already 37 years old. Later in life, as the official French importer of Ferrari and Maserati automobiles, his name was to appear on many racing cars.

In 1946, he competed, with his Delahaye 135CS, in several races including the Grand Prix of Bourgogne – Dijon where he finished in fourth position and the Le Mans Grand Prix, raced on the Nantes race track this year, where he finished in fifth position, driving a Delahaye.

In 1949, he won the Comminges sports car Grand Prix, in Saint-Gaudens, with a Delahaye 145 (chassis N° 48775), equipped with a 4.5-litre six-cylinder Delahaye 175 engine.^[1][2][3]

Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer, entered into competition by Charles Pozzi's team

Major achievements

Note: 35th Grand Prix de L'ACF results shared with Louis Rosier as co-driver

• 1947, raced at:
  • Grand Prix of Pau,
  • Grand Prix Automobile of Marseille,
  • Circuit des Remparts in Angoulême,
  • Grand Prix du Comminges in Saint-Gaudens.
• 1948, raced at:
  • Grand Prix des Nations in Genève,
  • DNF at Grand Prix du Comminges in Saint-Gaudens (Talbot).^[5]
• 1949, raced at Grand Prix Automobile of Pau,
• 1952, won the 12 Hours of Casablanca,^[6] Morocco
• 1953, won :
  • the first position of the 12H of Hyères in the 2L category^[7] and at the third overall position,
  • the second position of the 12H of Reims in the 2L category and the 6th position in the overall ranking. For these two events, he raced on the Ferrari 166MM Berlinetta Vignale which belong to his teammate François Picard.
  • the third position at the 12 Hours of Agadir Morocco with a Lancia Aurelia
• 1954, finished :
  • the 12 hours of Hyères in 2nd position with a Ferrari 500 Mondial,^[8]
  • the 12 hours of Reims in 9th position with the same car.
  • the hillclimb de Planfoy.

Pozzi's business

After his retirement from racing, he founded Charles Pozzi S.A., the official importer of Ferrari and Maserati motor vehicles in France. In 2003, the company was acquired by the Ferrari company. Ferrari dark blue paint Blu Pozzi was named in honour of Charles Pozzi.

Pozzi died in 2001 in Levallois-Perret, a suburb in western Paris.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

* Indicates Shared Drive with Louis Rosier

References

1. Snellman, Leif; Vaucourt, André (2009-10-26). "DELAHAYE: Societe des Automobiles Delahaye, Paris". The Golden Era of Grand Prix Racing. Archived from the original on 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
2. Jolly, François (1980). Delahaye V12: Course, Sport & Tourisme (in French). Nîmes, France: Editions du Palmier. pp. 40, 44, 52. ISBN 978-2-914920-64-3.
3. Rousseau, Jacques; Caron, Jean-Paul (1988). "134". Guide de l'Automobile Française (in French). Paris: Solar. ISBN 2-263-01105-6.
4. Jolly, p. 47
5. Jolly, p. 44
6. [1] (fr)1952 12 hours of Casablanca
7. [2] Results 12H Hyères 1953
8. [3] Archived 2021-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Ranking 1954