RUDOLF CARACCIOLA (1901-1959) – German
Caracciola, along with Nuvolari and Chiron, are rightly considered by some authors to be the best car competitors of the interwar period. This German player with an Italian name deserves the title of "Regenmeister” – rain master – your great ride on wet tracks in the rain. He was equally good at motorcycles and hill racing. Three times in a row (1930, 1931,1932) became the mountain champion of Europe. There were only a few riders who could ride mighty races, a seven-liter Mercedes SSK with a compressor, but he was the only one who perfected the technique of driving this car. Caracciola's career reaches its peak year after year 1934, when he returned to Daimler-Benz after a short break at Alfa Romeo. In years 1934, 1937 i 1938 won the title of European champion of motor racing. His proverbial calmness is well characterized by an adventure from a certain start, when his wife, seeing, that all competitors had already taken their seats in their cars, she pointed it out to him: “Shouldn't you get in too?” Caracciola replied humorously: "I have time. Without me, they can't start anyway, after all, I'm in the front row”. He had a great feeling for his own car, and especially the engine, which he never charged to the limit. Thanks to his intelligent driving, he came out of many collision situations unscathed, and that's probably why he only suffered two more serious accidents. He died in Lugano of chronic liver disease.