Arturo Merzario
A fearless Italian driver whose daring overtakes and team ownership spirit defined a career that stretched from Formula One to endurance classics.
Born 1943 (age 83)·Italian racing driver·Birthday: March 11·The Silent Generation
Biography
Arturo Merzario, known as 'Little Art,' was a giant in courage if not in stature. The Italian burst onto the Formula One scene with Ferrari, a dream start that included a podium finish in his first full season. His reputation was forged not in dominant cars—he often drove for struggling privateer teams—but in his audacious wheel-to-wheel combat. Merzario was the man who would dive into gaps that didn't seem to exist, a trait that made him a fan favorite. After his F1 chapter, he channeled his passion into sports car racing, achieving legendary status at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and founding his own team, Merzario Motors. His legacy is that of the quintessential racer: relentless, entrepreneurial, and utterly committed to the fight on track.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Arturo was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arturo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Arturo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 70
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 80
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 83 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished third at the 1973 Spanish Grand Prix, scoring his only Formula One podium driving for Ferrari.
- Founded the Merzario Formula One team in 1978, designing and building his own car.
- Won the 1979 6 Hours of Vallelunga in a Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo.
- Competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 13 times, with a best finish of fourth in 1976.
- Drove for iconic manufacturers including Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia in various racing series.
Did You Know?
He earned the nickname 'Little Art' due to his short stature.
Merzario famously helped pull Niki Lauda from his burning Ferrari after his crash at the 1976 German Grand Prix.
His self-built Merzario F1 car was notably wide and nicknamed 'the doorstop' by critics.
“If you see a gap, you must go for it, always.”
