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F1’s last great Italian hero

For a full calendar year, Alberto Ascari won every world championship grand prix, and he might have added to his two drivers' titles had his talent not been snuffed out in an accident which remains unexplained. NIGEL ROEBUCK recalls one of the most dominant competitors of the 1950s

Castellotti, Musso, Bandini, Patrese, Alboreto all had their days in the sun, but the last truly great driver from Italy died 65 years ago. Many rated Alberto Ascari the best of his generation, above even Juan Manuel Fangio.

On 22 June 1952 Ascari won the Belgian Grand Prix for Ferrari, and on 21 June 1953 did the same again. In the course of those 12 months none but he won a world championship grand prix.

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