Pilot motorist who was born in Helsinborg the 20 from November from 1948 and died in Hammersmith Friday 20 of October of 1978, victim of a cruel cancer.

In the John Player British Grand Prix of 1977, Gunnar conquered its last podio of Formula 1. The pilot of Lotus arrived closely together of the second, Niki Lauda (MV*)

Nilsson felt attracted by motoring from the childhood and, as soon as it could, instead of the so typical rallies of his country it chose the pure speed in circuit (as It reigns Wisell or its immediate predecessor and guides Ronnie Peterson, 1944-1978), although it could not begin to compete until 1972, to the 23 years. Nevertheless, recovering the lost time, in 1975 he gained a British championship of formula III.

The door of formula I was open and in 1976 it ran for the John Player Team Lotus with a JPS12/Lotus 77-Ford Cosworth, obtaining two meritorias places of podio (3 in Spain, 3º in Austria). A humid Grand Prix of Belgium 1977 also won, beating Lauda and to Peterson, but, from then, its conduction lost claw; the insidious disease had begun to tie down to him. When detecting its migraines, its team-mate in Lotus Mario Andretti advised an urgent medical revision to him, although already it was behind schedule.

Gunnar next to its mother Elisabeth Nilsson. Her mother, after the death of her son, founded the “Gunnar Nilsson's Foundation Cancer”, with soothes in Sweden (MV*)

Without resigning itself hopelessly to a end, Gunnar fichó for 1978 with Arrows, but could not get to take the steering wheel in race. It could not increase in his personnel record the number of Grands Prix disputed, that it remained in 31; nor the one of obtained points, also 31. Because it fell in comma in October and it died a month before turning the 30 years. Ronnie Peterson had surpassed him in 39 days when crossing the final goal; Gunnar had wanted to contribute to transport the coffin of its old hero, but its state no longer allowed it and, affectionately, Hunt and Fittipaldi had to dissuade to him.

Unfortunately Sweden also were lost to Ronnie Peterson 39 days before the death of Nilsson (MV*)

In the last months, Gunnar was lost 30 kg of weight and all the hair, swept by the chemotherapy, but it conserved the spirit, it worked personally in a foundation against the cancer (for which it collected near a million dollars) and announced that it would return to the Grand Cirque in 1979. In his rearward days one refused to be drugged and it confronted the end with complete lucidity

www.pilotosmuertos.com

(MV*): Foot of photo written up by tamermotorsports.com

The Country: 21 of October of 1978 (Ignacio Lewin), pg. 29
The Nation: 21 of October of 1978
Bugler: 21 of October of 1978
Readings: 3 of November of 1978, pg. 97
It brushes Jones: pg. 165
http://www.f1-legend.com/histoire/pilotes/pil_nilsson.htm
http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnar_Nilsson_(racerf Ãrare)
http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-nilgun.html
The Forum Nostalgia: 3 of October of 2001 (Richie Jenkins); 28 of October of 2001 (to ehagar, Barry Boor, RV_Canada)
G.A. Engels (90203)

Photos: Forix.com - Cancerstiftelsen.com