Guilo Cabianca (38) was killed in a bizarre incident at the Modena Autodrome test track in Italy


Thursday 15th June 1961

Guilo Cabianca (38) was killed in a bizarre incident at the Modena Autodrome test track in Italy. The Modena Autodrome was situated near Via Emilia, which crosses the city of Modena. Cabianca was testing a Cooper-Ferrari F1 car, owned by Scuderia Castellotti, when he suffered a suspected stuck throttle. Unable to stop, his Cooper went off track, struck a spectator and then went through the gate of the Autodrome which was open because of men at work near the track. The car crossed the Via Emilia and crashed against the wall of a workshop. Crossing the road, Cabianca’s Cooper struck a bicycle, a motorcycle, and a small mini-van (not a taxi as often reported) and three parked cars. The driver of the mini-van (also called “giardinetta” following a famous van of Fiat) and the motorcycle driver were killed at the scene. The biker was crushed and killed instantly by a heavy block of iron carried on the mini-van. Cabianca was conscious, but died a few hours later at the hospital. The spectator hit just after the car left the track suffered severe leg injuries, but survived.


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