Death
Brilli-Peri was killed in 1930 during Saturday practice for the sixth Tripoli Grand Prix. Free practice had been scheduled from 11am to 15pm and Brilli-Peri, who knew the track well having won the race one year earlier, came to test the cars of his team, the Scuderia Materassi.
He first made one lap on his car, then moved to the vehicle of his teammate Clemente Biondetti, which had carburation problems. Brilli-Peri made one lap with Biondetti's car and then jumped again in his Talbot for another stint. However, during the second lap he crashed heavily near the village of Suq al Jum’ah (also known as Suk el Giuma or Sugh el Giumaa (سوق الجمعة)) and was killed on impact.
According to eyewitnesses, while negotiating a fast left-handed bend, the car bounced on the irregular surface of the track. Brilli-Peri could not control it anymore and went straight into the right embankment, being ejected from the vehicle. The accident happened around 12h50. The race (composed of two heats - the first of them for voiturettes only - and a final), was won by Baconin Borzacchini in a Maserati. Clemente Biondetti won the voiturette heat and was classified third in the final.
Brilli-Peri died at the age of 37 years old. Today the stadium of his native city, Montevarchi, is named in his honour. The Italian actress Nancy Brilli is a niece of Brilli-Peri.
Read more about this topic: Gastone Brilli-Peri
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