Piero Dusio

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Piero Dusio.jpg
Piero Dusio
Nationality 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Italian
Years 1952
Team(s) Cisitalia
Races 1 (0 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums 0
Points 0
Poles 0
Fastest laps 0
First race 1952 Italian Grand Prix
First win
Last win
Last race 1952 Italian Grand Prix


Piero Dusio (October 13, 1899November 7, 1975) was an Italian soccer player, businessman and racing driver.

Dusio was born at Scurzolengo, province of Asti. His active soccer career (three games for Juventus 1921-22) ended in a knee injury, after which he started a textile business (oil cloth), which evolved into sporting goods as well as becoming supplier of military uniforms. He raced in the Mille Miglia (1929-38), was sixth in 1936 Italian Grand Prix, winning a class victory (50th overall) in Mille Miglia in a Siata 500cc (1937), and formed the Scuderia Torino (1939).

He commissioned Dante Giacosa of Fiat to develop a racing car (1944), and formed the «Consorzio Industriale Sportiva Italia» (1944). The firm became Cisitalia and involved Carlo Abarth, Rudolf Hruska and Ferry Porsche. Dusio won in the Giovanni Savonuzzi-completed car's premiere race at Coppa Brezzi in Turin (1946).


Piero Dusio continued financing racing car projects, but the expenses in engineering the complex 202MM almost ruined Cisitalia (1947), as well as involved the Juventus corporation (where Dusio was president 1941-1947). Consequently, Dusio moved to Argentina and established Autoar (Automotores Argentinos) S.A.I.C. (March 22, 1949), financially supported by Juan Peron. His son, Carlo Dusio continued to run a refinanced Cisitalia company in Torino (1948-1964).

Dusio tried but failed to qualify for one Formula One World Championship grand prix (Italy 1952) with a Cisitalia D46, but he failed to set a time in practice due to engine problems. He raced in the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in 1954, and also started Cisitalia Argentina Industrial y Comercial SA, planning cars such as the Cisitalia 750 (1960).

He died at Buenos Aires in 1975.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points
1952 Piero Dusio Cisitalia D46 Cisitalia SUI
500
BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
NED
ITA
DNQ
NC 0