never seen them together in a photograph.”
His archive of factory photos contains an image
of the race team’s ultra-clean workshop. It shows
two complete engines on work stands and shelves
of spare parts. One engine appears to be a SOHC
version and the other the later DOHC version.
Intriguingly there are three bike ramps in this
room, suggesting more than one complete bike
was built and raced.
Vittorio explains how although his racer
was the last version, it is a mix and match of
components from various years.
“It has the DOHC, wet-sump engine but is
installed in the first frame built to accommodate
the air-assisted twin rear shock absorbers,” he
said. “The factory modified the racer step by step
f rom 1951 to 1953.”
So maybe there was only ever one running, and
one day he hopes to get this one going.
“I have problems with the camshaft but I hope
in the future to solve this and start the engine
again,” he grinned.
And that engine running through those open
megaphones will be a moment to savour.
LAMBRETTA’S GP EFFORT is
considered to be the result of a
commercial stand-off between it
and compatriot Moto Guzzi.
Lambretta intended to
expand into motorcycle
production but Moto Guzzi
opposed it. Defiantly, Lambretta
built and developed its 250cc GP
racer over three years, perhaps as
a show of its design strength.
At the time Lambretta was
on a roll, even running a small
supercharged 125cc streamliner
to three world records.Then, almost 60 years later, a
reborn Lambretta made a return
to grand prix racing in 2010, in
a bid to promote its first all-new
range of scooters since the 1970s.
Danny Kent, who in 2015
became the first British rider to
win a world championship since
the late Barry Sheene, raced five
times for Lambretta.
He was one of six riders for
the team, which only lasted one
season before Mahindra took
over its entry in the 125cc class
for the 2011 season.WHY RACE GRAND PRIX?
The archive of photos suggest
more than one complete bike
was built and raced
Lambretta 250 GP123- Where form and function
meet — literally - Air-assisted shocks
in the early 1950s was a
remarkable display
of ingenuity - The III series, with two
magnetos, twin cams and
torsion-bar rear suspension
See it!
Vittorio’s racer is on display at his spectacular
Lambretta museum in Milan. Get there if you can!THE SCOOTERS & LAMBRETTA MUSEUM
Via Kennedy, 38 - 20090 Rodano (Milan)
Ph: (02) 9532 0438
Open Monday to Friday 9am-noon and 2.30pm-6pm