- Dario Ambrosini - The Motor Cycle
Italian Champion 1947
The future World Champion was born near Rimini, Italy in 1910. His racing career began modestly enough when he won a few events just prior to World War II. During the war he served as a police motorcyclist; and in 1945 he was soon back to racing, riding his 500cc Moto Guzzi. His obvious talents attracted the attention of the legendary Omobono Tenni; Italian Champion and No.1 rider for Moto Guzzi.Tenni’s advice and tutelage had a profound effect on Ambrosini’s burgeoning career; and in 1947 he was crowned Italian Champion.
New Career with Benelli
It was a remarkable effort for a relative newcomer, but in December he was alarmed to hear that Moto Guzzi was cutting back on racing. Rather impulsively Ambrosini made a personal approach to the Benelli factory at Pesaro.. His enthusiasm so impressed the Benelli brothers that they made the decision to return to racing. At the 1939 Lightweight TT a work’s Benelli ridden by Ted Mellors had scored a convincing win over their great rivals, Moto Guzzi and DKW. Despite the enforced lay-off Benelli reasoned that their pre-war design would still be competitive in 1948. As a result, Ambrosini rewarded their faith with victories at the Swiss Grand Prix, Monza, San Remo and Lugano. On a personal level, Ambrosini suffered a devastating blow when his close friend and mentor Tenni, was killed during practicing for the Berne Grand Prix.
A Disappointing Season
With the approach of the 1949 season, Ambrosini had three major goals; the Italian title, success at the TT and a 250cc title in the newly-instituted World Championships. However, Ambrosini was handicapped in his lone-wolf role against a veritable horde of Moto Guzzi stars. Determined to do well at the TT, he arrived in the Isle of Man three weeks before official practice and set about familiarising himself with that demanding circuit. Wednesday’s Lightweight TT was unique in that it was a massed start; Ambrosini being content to shadow the phalanx of Moto Guzzis. He was holding fifth place towards the finish of lap one, but put himself out of contention after falling at Governor’s Bridge and damaging an arm. It was a disappointing outcome for his 1949 aspirations, for apart from a runaway win at the Italian Grand Prix he finished the season virtually empty-handed. Guzzi’s Bruno Ruffo went on to win an historic inaugural World Championship.
World Champion for 1950
If 1949 was a disappointment, then 1950 was the culmination of Ambrosini’s earlier ambitions. Once again at the Isle of Man, the Lightweight TT was a massed start. After slowish early laps he timed his finish to perfection, snatching victory from Maurice Cann at the chequered flag. For the remainder of the season Ambrosini had a clear run for that coveted World Title, with emphatic wins at the Swiss and Italian Grands Prix. At the Ulster Grand Prix he gained valuable points in finishing second behind Maurice Cann's Guzzi. For Dario Ambrosini and Benelli, 1950 was a just reward for those years of endeavour; with the individual Rider's Championship to Ambrosini and Manufacturer’s Championship to Benelli.
Tragedy at Albi
Ambrosini began 1951 in scintillating form; with victories at San Remo, Floreffe and the Swiss Grand Prix. From Berne the Benelli squad headed for the Isle of Man for the second round of the Championship. Ambrosini’s hopes for a consecutive Lightweight win failed by just eight seconds when he finished runner-up to the experienced Guzzi specialist, Tommy Wood.
The team then travelled to Albi to contest the French Grand Prix. .A feature of continental races of that era were so-called ‘street races’; with public roads closed to cater for weekend road races. Such conditions would be totally unacceptable today; with indifferent road surfaces and a range of obstacles one would encounter in everyday situations. As a result, the accident rate among the racing fraternity was tragically high. Sadly, Ambrosini became one of those statistics when he collided with a telegraph pole during a practice session at Albi. It was reported that he skidded on wet tar, struck the post and died at the scene. His loss was a shattering blow for Moto Benelli; for Ambrosini ‘was’ Benelli. He raced in an era that produced worthy Italian champions; Nello Pagani, Bruno Ruffo and Umberto Masetti, to name just a few.
Murray McLeod - Murray has maintained an involvement in the arts for many years and for a time he operated his own gallery at Mt., Tamborine overlooking ...
