Bruno Senna has been awarded the prestigious Bandini Trophy, named in honour of the Italian driver Lorenzo Bandini.
There have been 19 previous winners, including David Coulthard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and many more.
“It’s a great honour to receive the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy, particularly when you consider the excellent racing drivers that have been awarded it in the past,” the Brazilian said. “I would like to thank the people of Brisighella for their kind support and generosity, as well as all of those who have helped me in my career so far. I’m very much looking forward to the prize-giving ceremony next month, which promises to be a great event.”
The trophy is awarded drivers who has shown great promise in the beginning of his career. Senna receives the trophy on July 15th.
Brisighella was the hometown of Lorenzo Bandini, and drivers who receives the award are expected to take the 12 kilometre journey from Faenza to Brisighella to receive the award, while locals gather and cheer the recipient.
As mentioned the trophy is named after Lorenzo Bandini, the leading Ferrari driver until his untimely death in 1967 in the Monaco Grand Prix. Running in second behind Denny Hulme, Bandini suddenly lost control of his Ferrari on lap 82, at the harbour chicane. His left rear wheel hit the guard rail and sent him into a skid he couldn´t save. The car hit a lamp post and overturned. The fuel tank ruptured and sparks ignited the fuel as the car rolled over.
Bandini was trapped inside the car and marshalls flipped his car back and retrieved Bandini, who at this time was unconscious. A second fire occurred when the gas tank exploded after Bandini had been pulled from the wreckage of the Ferrari. Bandini succumbed to his injuries three days later. He was buried in Reggiolo and 100,000 people attended. Read more about Bandini here.
