Ettore Chimeri


Ettore Muro Chimeri was a racing driver from Venezuela. He was born in Lodi, near Milan, Italy, but his family later settled in Venezuela. He was the first Venezuelan ever to compete in a Formula One Grand Prix.
He became a popular gentleman racing driver and competed with success in many local races in Venezuela. He raced in the Venezuelan Grand Prix held in Los Proceres, Caracas. His success and skill in car racing, gave him the enthusiasm for keep going forward, and he started an international professional promotion, racing sport cars and one-seater cars.
He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1960 Argentine Grand Prix on 7 February 1960, in his Maserati 250F failing to finish the race having experienced electrical problems. He scored no championship points, but he wished to keep going in the Formula One calendar that year.
Two weeks later, while practicing for the Gran Premio Libertad sports car race at the Camp Freedom military airfield on the edge of Havana, his Ferrari 250TR crashed through barriers and plunged 150 feet into a ravine. Chimeri was flown to hospital, where he died later that day.
Chimeri was the first Venezuelan driver entered into a Formula One Grand Prix, and the local interest in him and his sporting career has kept his memory alive. In 2004 some local motorwriters gave him enough votes to take a place in the "Salón de la Fama del Automovilismo Venezolano" organized by the local motor press writers organization FUNDAUTO.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine12345678910WDCPoints
1959Ettore ChimeriMaserati 250FMaserati Straight-6MON500NEDFRAGBRGERPORITAUSA
DNA		NC0
1960Ettore ChimeriMaserati 250FMaserati Straight-6ARG
Ret		MON500NEDBELFRAGBRPORITAUSANC0