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Lambretta Racing History
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Lambretta Racing History |
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Innocenti had in fact been getting ready for some time for the flying record, and, after having been anticipated by Piaggio, increased efforts to beat its rival. According to research made on a variety of aereodynamic shapes (shown here in some drawings), the initial choice was with the leaning rider, in a position similar to that later used by Baumm at NSU. A prototype was made and tested by Rizzi at Monza, but it was difficult to drive and discarded. A solution with the crouched – but astride on the saddle – rider was then chosen. This solution tended to higher resistance to advancement and it was necessary to increase engine power. The tests for the record with the final prototype were carried out at five in the morning on the Bergamo-Brescia motorway in a stretch near Ospitaletto. Giulio Alfieri, who was then a young engineer at Innocenti and later a designer at Maserati, mentions that one week before the record they were working full time in the test room, but hp did not come out. Ingegner Torre, who was the technical manager at Innocenti, after many tests was disconsolate and at nine in the evening left the test room saying "Ingegner Alfieri, do whatever you think!". "With mechanics Cassola and Giuliani" says Alfieri "we disassembled head and cylinder once again and modified transfers and finally obtained an increase from 16 to 18-18.5 hp. In the morning, Torre was moved: the record was within reach". Romolo Ferri was the one who was driving the faired Lambretta in the attempt taking place on Saturday 14th April on the straight stretch of the "Fettuccia di Terracina", a stretch of Via Appia near the town of Terracina. Traffic reasons limited the road closing to two hours, from 8 to 10, but the weather was not promising. Finally, it was decided to make the attempt in any case, even if it was late. The first lap on the kilometre was impressive, with an average speed of 195.652 km/h. In the opposite direction, running was disturbed by wind gusts and the average lowered to 184.615 km/h. Total back and forth average was in any case close to the 190 km/h (exactly 189.973). On the flying mile average speed was 190.391 km/h one way and 184.804 the way back (average of average 187.556 km/h). The attempt to improve these results was not made (even if certainly possible) because it was now half an hour over the allowed time and it was not possible to keep the road closed. The engine used in the attempt was boosted. Tests were made with a volumetric compressor derived from a Fimac type depressor used on airplanes and therefore well known by ingegner Torre. Drawings dated 2 February 1951 show a 55 mm external rotor diameter and a 55 mm width, with a 172 cm3 capacity per rev. Obviously, as the compressor rpm is not known, it is not possible to value its liter capacity per minute. In this attempt, according to what the magazine "Motociclismo" reports, the compressor liter capacity per minute was equal to that generated in the engine by the piston stroke, so we can speak of an intake engine. In fact, on the contrary, according to the evidence given by ingegner Alfieri, there was a little supercharging, even if pressure during this first try was reduced (0.5 relative bar). The ignition was by coil and the carburettor a 26 mm diffusor Dell’Orto. The employed fuel, internally marked by number 15, was composed, according to what Riccardo Rizzi recalls, by 70% special 106-octane Agip petrol, 25% alcohol and 5% ether, with the addition of 5% medical castor oil. For the transmission from the engine to gear a disc had been added to the clutch. |
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The one-hour record. A month after the exploit on the "Fettuccia of Terracina" the faired Lambretta was dispatched to Monthléry for attempts on short mileages and the one-hour record. A new rider joined Romolo Ferri: Carlo Poggi. During the attempts, from the 19th to the 27th May, the two riders took turns at driving in a sort of family fight. On the 19th, Poggi beat the records on the 10 kilometres, 10 miles, 50 kilometres and 50 miles, with average speeds included between 143 and 161 km/h. On the 23rd Ferri slightly improved the record on the 10 kilometres (144 km/h compared to Poggi’s 143), and very slightly the 10 miles. His goals were the 100-km record, which he set at the average of 160 km/h, and the 100-miles one (average 159 km/h). On the 25th they run again, both Ferri and Poggi, on the shorter mileages. In this match, the first one brought the 10-km record to 150 km/h and the 10-miles to 154 km/h. The second rider did even better because he brought the 10-km record to 151 km/h and the 10-miles one to 156 km/h. Finally, on the 27th, Ferri tried the one-hour record and he broke it by running a significant 158.6 km. With this result the exploit could be considered closed and the team went back to Lambrate. The scooter employed in these attempts had an engine without compressor and a fairing similar to that of the flying kilometre record, but completed in the higher part so that only the rider’s helmet stuck out. |
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The last touch. Now Lambretta had practically won all the 125 class records, with very few exceptions, and Piaggio did not seem to be wanting to oppose them. The match could be dropped, but Pierluigi Torre was not satisfied yet: he knew that the absolute record of the scooter could surpass 200 km/h and wanted to prove it. The "Fettuccia di Terracina" was dismissed because it was too dangerous. This time the records were challenged on German motorways, and exactly on the stretch between Munich and Ingolstadt, that had already been the setting of many prestigious records of all German motorcycles and motorcars. The Lambretta was again modified with a slight reduction of the frontal section and a modification in the front part. The engine power and boosting level were increased (apparently 1.5 bars relative and over 21 hp). On the 8th of August the machine was on its run and the expected result was obtained. On the flying kilometre the average speed was 201 km/h and 200 km/h were maintained also for the class 125 records with very few exceptions. Piaggio did no longer show the desire to contrast them and the match was over. |
Sandro Colombo
VESPA vs LAMBRETTA
The head to head contest
The importance of the Lambretta’s world records could not leave Piaggio cold. In the Spring 1950 at Monthléry, Piaggio entered the match to break the records set by Lambretta on the same racing track in February. Next goal, the absolute record |
Once broken all the records over medium and long distances, Lambretta turned to shorter distances with a more accurate aerodynamic bodywork. During the ‘49-‘50 winter, it was rumoured that Vespa would take part in the contest and would do it with a scooter with a complete fairing. Lambretta tried to beat its rival on time and went back to Monthléry on the 21st February 1950 with three champions: the Benelli "pioneer" Dario Ambrosini joined in fact Masserini and Masetti. The weather was not so nice and a troublesome wind was blowing. Despite this, five important records were set: the 50 km, 50 miles, 100 km, 100 miles and the one-hour record. This time, the broken records were not from before the war, but those set by the French Remondini in October 1948 with the Jonghi 125 fitted with a double crankshaft engine. The two-hour record was added to these, but then the wind was too strong and the Lambretta frightfully skidded on straight stretches and had to quit. Average speeds ranged from 126.059 km/h of the 50 miles to the 121.353 km in an hour, but over the two hours speed lowered to 115.872 km/h because of the strong wind. Technical details and photographic records of the vehicle are very scarce. From the few photos, one can see a scooter with a reduced front section, fairing with side openings for access and a showy front air intake for engine cooling. Also the engine must have been considerably improved, mainly because the engagement was to be short, but, as we said, there are no documents. Vespa probably waited to know something about its rival’s possibilities, and entered the contest a month later, on the 24th March, also in Monthléry, with the riders Castiglioni and Mazzoncini. The Vespa scooter also was covered with a fairing and the driving position was even more awkward than that of Lambretta, to such an extent that some drivers had to be held up by mechanics at the end of their turns. Wind, often blowing at Monthléry, was not missing also this time. A strong gust pushed the third rider Otello Spadoni off the road, and he had to go back to Milan with a shoulder injury. Things went better during the attempts, which just aimed at breaking the six Lambretta records set the month before. Improvements were considerable: 134.054 km in the one-hour record, and a further increase of average speed in the two-hours contest (136.749 km/h), which showed the perfect efficiency of the vehicle. All these records were higher than those existing for the 175 class set before the war by the British Excelsior and the Italian Miller. According to reliable leaks, the machine had a 15-16 hp engine, and total weight of the empty vehicle was accurately kept at only about 68 kg. The weather change did not allow Piaggio to challenge more records, but the participants patiently remained on the spot and waited. From Italy a rider joined the team, Romano of Sertum, who was already accustomed to driving Vespa. Finally, on the 6th April, the weather improved and 11 more world records were set by Piaggio, from the 3 to the 9-hours records to the 500 km, 500 miles and 1000 km records. An amazing constancy in speed, as the averages evidence: between 125.713 km/h on the three-hour record and 123.537 km/h on the nine-hour record. These average speeds were about twenty km/h higher than those obtained on the same mileages by Lambretta. At this point, all was clear: what up to a few months before looked like an advertising policy decided by Lambretta, actually was an open contest between the two giants of the scooter world. It was not long before Lambretta challenged the records again. Back at Monthléry, from the 27th September to the 5th October, the 17 Piaggio records were beaten, and five more records were broken. Ambrosini, Ferri and Masetti had a whole fairing on their scooter (except for the separately faired front wheel) with an incredibly ugly scale look that recalled a beetle or a scorpion fish. But, luckily enough, the machine was efficient, as the extraordinary average speeds obtained on the 100 km/h evidence, with peaks over 142 km/h. The 22 records obtained were all those admitted by regulations: from 10 to 1000 km, from 10 to 1000 miles and from one to 12 hours, with averages always over 132 km/h. As for Vespa, many of these records surpassed the valid ones in the 175 class and five of them even surpassed the 250 class records. But regulations did not allow now to assign the records of one class to vehicles of a lower class, even if average speeds were higher. Few, as usual, are the details published in specialized magazines. As far as the engine is concerned, inner flywheels provided with a special intake fan finning are mentioned, which should make the fuel flow easier and provide a greater speed of the feeding and scavenging streams. A compression ratio of 8.7:1 is also mentioned. |
Racing at higher speeds. Winding up the debate, the Pontedera house anticipated Innocenti on the most prestigious record: the flying kilometre. The weapon was a low and streamlined torpedo, with the rider practically leaning on a saddle built around the reduced size of Dino Mazzoncini. The attempt on the flying kilometre took place at 8 a.m. on the 9th February 1951 on the stretch between km 10 and km 11 of the Roma-Ostia motorway. Speed was amazing at the first lap (average 174.418 km/h) and, even when corrected by the lower speed recorded in the opposite direction due to bad condition of the road surface in the flying stretch, the average was still surprising (171.102 km/h). Despite the insistence for a new attempt of Mazzoncini himself and some officials, the Piaggio managers, even if they were aware that speed could surpass 180 km/h, were satisfied with the results of the first two laps and did not intend to continue. The previous record, an average of 161.145 km/h set by Gino Cavanna with a Mondial two-shaft in 1949, was in fact by far surpassed, and also the class 175 record of the German Winkler was beaten. But, as we said, the new regulations did not allow registration in this class. The engine was specially built, on the Junkers scheme, with opposed pistons and two crankshafts connected by a gear chain. The preliminary project by Corradino d’Ascanio was air cooled, but, after some trouble due to high temperature, ingegner Vittorio Casini, charged of development, designed the water cooled final version. With a 42 mm bore and a 45 mm stroke of the two pistons, total cylinder power was 124.69 cm3. Feeding relied on two Dell’Orto carburettors, one for each crankshaft chamber. Ignition was by a special Piaggio flywheel magneto and two Magneti Marelli spark plugs with thermal degree 300 (MW 300 A). Fuel was alcohol mixed with 12% (!) Essolube lubricant and the compression ratio of 11:1 developed, in record conditions, 19.5 hp at 9500 rpm. The engine, the same as the scooter, was a three-gear block leading directly to the driving wheel. The chassis, completely hidden under the fairing, had a single central beam and was equipped with a girder fork, similar to the standard one, whereas the rear engine-gear group acted as a rocking arm opposed by rubber buffers. The special aerodynamic framework had a reduced front section. A part connected to the front wheel turned with the steering and shut out every improper air intake, whereas the small windschield was designed with a profile controlling air exit and eliminating turbulence. The rider access was through two wide doors that made up a whole with the fairing. For the record, Mazzoncini wore a special helmet similar to the one the German Henne was wearing for his first BMW world records. After this success, everybody was expecting Piaggio to break once more the Monthléry records conquered by Innocenti on long mileages, and the match was expected to become even hotter. Arturo Coerezza wrote in "Motociclismo" magazine: "The triumph of this first assault to the speed records is comforting Piaggio for future attempts to beat further records on medium and short mileages, that most probably will take place on the Monthléry racing track. And we know hat if the present speed record is improved, or even just threatened, Vespa has in store so much more power as to be able to defend and consolidate this record. This will place dr. Enrico Piaggio, ing. D’Ascanio, ing. Casini and all the other technicians in the highest ranks of technical progress". But Piaggio will not appear again. This may be due to the importance of the following records successfully broken, most of all the prestigious flying kilometre. |
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