Foresti made his motorsport debut in 1911, driving an Itala Avalve in a rally from Turin to St Petersburg. He participated in the same event in 1912 and famously sold his car to Tsar Nicholas II at its conclusion. At the 1913 French Grand Prix he served as riding mechanic for Itala's second driver Antonio Moriondo. Their race was disrupted on the opening lap when Moriondo overturned the car; the pair righted it, replaced a broken wheel, and continued until roughly half-distance.
After the First World War, Foresti was retained by Itala as a sales agent in London. He won his class at the 1921 Targa Florio, and his test-driving abilities earned him a contract with Ballot. He finished third in the 1922 Targa Florio for the French marque and made his Grand Prix debut for them at the 1922 French Grand Prix, retiring near the end with an engine problem.
Foresti subsequently drove for Rolland-Pilain in 1924 and Bugatti in 1925, though he was typically a back-marker. His best Grand Prix result was sixth — and last — at the 1924 Italian Grand Prix, completing the full 80-lap distance just two seconds inside the 90-minute cutoff for classified finishers.
In 1924, Foresti entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans in an Ariès alongside fellow Grand Prix driver Arthur Duray, becoming the first Italian to take part in the race. The pair retired in the second hour. He returned in 1926, co-driving with Nando Minoia in an OM, and the duo finished fourth overall.
In 1924, Egyptian Prince Djellaledin recruited Foresti to drive the Sunbeam-based Djelmo in a bid to break the Land Speed Record. Foresti set an unofficial lap record at the Miramas circuit in France at just under 160 mph. The car was taken to Pendine Sands in Wales in November 1927 for a full record attempt. Struggling to exceed 190 mph, Foresti crashed; the wet sand cushioned the impact and he escaped serious injury, but the car was written off.
Foresti returned to Grand Prix racing at the 1928 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, driving his own Bugatti Type 35. On lap 17, Maserati driver Emilio Materassi lost control while overtaking Foresti, clipping the rear wheel of his Bugatti and plunging into the spectators. Materassi and 22 spectators were killed. Foresti continued to the finish and was classified eighth. It proved to be his final national Grand Prix appearance.
Foresti continued in sportscar racing through to the 1933 Mille Miglia. In 2009, the Bergamo Historic Gran Prix established the Trofeo Giulio Foresti in his honour, awarded in competition for 1920s sportscars.
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