Above the immense talent that Alberto Ascari brought to Formula 1, he will always be remembered for being ruled by an assortment of lucky charms and superstitions.  He was the son of the great Antonio Ascari who died in an Alfa Romeo during the 1925 French GP when Alberto was seven.  By the age of 22 Alberto started racing cars, after a stint with motorcycles, by joining Ferrari - which was run by his father's former team-mate Enzo Ferrari.  He won several races for the team over the next decade, and when the Formula 1 World Championship was formed in 1950 he was the ideal choice to lead the Maranello based team.  He was in good form for the first two seasons, finishing 5th and 2nd respectively, but due to a rule change for the 1953 season his Ferrari had an edge over the competition, and he proceeded to win back to back World Championships in 1952 and 1953.

   Unfortunately Alberto's career would end in tragic, and mysterious fashion, as he was killed during a freak accident at Monza in 1955.  He was offered to test Ferrari's latest sports car contender in passing while visiting the course with his wife; just after returning from the Monaco GP where he crashed his Lancia into the harbour, but ran (or rather swam) away unhurt.  To date the bizarre circumstances of his accident have not been understood.   When considering Ascari's attention to superstition of dates and coincidence, it is interesting to note he was killed in the exact circumstances as his father:  on the 26th day of a month, at the age of 36, at the exit to a fast left-hander four days after walking away from a major accident.
 

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